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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=Arial size=2>Bicyclists for the most part
have been ignored by road designers. It is not surprising that they are also
ignored in traffic enforcement. Where there is zero enforcement, people will do
whatever they can get away with (and possibly either think it is lawful, or
possibly make up a rationalization about why the law does or should not apply to
them). </FONT></FONT><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" face=Arial size=2>However, bicyclists are
not ignored in the law. Where this comes into play is if you are injured (or
cause an injury). Then all of a sudden it matters who was following the traffic
law. It may mean a difference of millions of dollars.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you look
at the crash statistics, you will see that *at least* half of all car-bike
collisions among adult bicyclists occur when the bicyclist is clearly not
following the rules of the road (e.g., going the wrong way or failing to yield
when required). The conclusion is that following the rules will make you
safer.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT face=Arial size=2>By failing
to teach the police what the laws are regarding bicycling, we doing a disservice
to bicyclists by failing to stop dangerous behavior and therefore needlessly
increasing crashes. We also contribute to situations where police give out
misinformation, or even stop lawful bicyclists. We are also failing to get
police to stop motorists who do things that are dangerous to bicyclists (e.g.,
passing and then immediately turning right). We are also contributing to the
public idea that bicyclists don't belong on the road.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I was honked at a few weeks ago, and then told that
I don't belong on the road because "you [bicyclists] don't stop at red lights."
The speaker was a 9 year old girl (although it was her mother who honked).
People figure this out pretty young. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>--Paul</FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>