Hell on wheels?
This week's column.
A Greensboro motorist struck a bicyclist from behind on the night of March 26, breaking his sternum, shattering his kneecap, breaking his ribs, crushing some of his vertebrae and knocking him unconscious.
He never knew what hit him.
The cyclist, UNCG professor Mark Schulz, 54, rides his bike regularly and is a staunch cycling advocate. He was left with a concussion and several months of recuperation and rehab.
And some of us were left questioning whether the city ever would be a truly safe place for bicyclists.
Statistically speaking, Greensboro is supposed to be conducive to biking and walking. But you have to wonder.
The numbers don't factor in close calls and abuse. And they only include those accidents that are reported to police.
If angry letters to the editor are any indication, we don't want no stinkin' bicycles round here.
Despite the spread of bike lanes and A Greensboro motorist struck a bicyclist from behind on the night of March 26, breaking his sternum, shattering his kneecap, breaking his ribs, crushing some of his vertebrae and knocking him unconscious.
He never knew what hit him.
The cyclist, UNCG professor Mark Schulz, 54, rides his bike regularly and is a staunch cycling advocate. He was left with a concussion and several months of recuperation and rehab.
And some of us were left questioning whether the city ever would be a truly safe place for bicyclists.
Statistically speaking, Greensboro is supposed to be conducive to biking and walking. But you have to wonder.
The numbers don't factor in close calls and abuse. And they only include those accidents that are reported to police.
If angry letters to the editor are any indication, we don't want no stinkin' bicycles round here.
Despite the spread of bike lanes and "edge lines" (up to 14.5 miles' worth now) throughout the city and such cyclist-friendly amenities as bike racks on city buses, local drivers are not especially known for our willingness to share the road.
We cuss at cyclists.
We throw stuff at them.
Sometimes we even kill them.
Greensboro last saw a bike fatality in 1998, a very bad year for cyclists. Three bicyclists lost their lives that year.
Otherwise it's hard to find a trend or pattern in bike crashes, said Peggy Holland, a transportation planner who coordinates bike and pedestrian programs for the city. "If we're down one year," she said, "we're up the next."
Mark Schulz, for the record, did everything right.
He wore a reflective vest. He had mounted battery-powered lights in the front and rear of his bike. Most importantly, he wore a helmet, which state law requires only of cyclists under 16, but which ought to be standard equipment for all ages.
The helmet, in fact, probably saved Schulz's life.
"We tell people, don't get on a bike without a helmet," Holland said. "One head injury can be devastating."
Yet, even if a biker is fully armored and follows every rule, it still can be a jungle out there.
In the case of the accident that injured Schulz, the driver in question, Amy Dunnuck of Julian, simply wasn't paying attention -- at least not to the road.
She was cited by police for failing to reduce speed -- a delicate penalty for nearly killing a man.
In fact, the law is inexplicably soft on drivers who hit bicyclists. A crash that results in a bicyclist's death is only a Class 2 misdemeanor (six months in jail or a $500 fine, or both), said Holland, who is herself a bicyclist. "If you hit a bicyclist, there really isn't much punishment for it."
There are other holes in the law. Even though bikes share the road with cars and trucks, their riders are not licensed in any way, nor are they required to undergo any type of training. Even a motorized scooter, which can reach speeds of up to 35 mph, requires no training or licensing.
What bike riders don't know can hurt them. According to a statewide study of 4,059 accidents by the UNC Highway Safety Research Center, bike riders caused 57.3 percent of reported crashes involving bicycles and cars or trucks in the years 2001 through 2005. Bicyclists were deemed equally at fault in 15.2 percent of crashes over those years.
So there's ample blame to go around. But it doesn't excuse the attitude of drivers believe the road is made only for cars and trucks.
The timing couldn't be more ironic. We are in the midst of the 2008 Triad Commute Challenge, which encourages people to try alternative transportation, including bicycling, at least once before May 31. National Bike-to-Work Week is May 12-16 and Bike-to-Work Day is May 16.
Of course, one accident shouldn't dampen the enthusiasm for a healthy alternative to cars and SUVs. Bicyclists still should take the road -- after taking every measure they can to be safe and aware.
And drivers should do their part, and willingly share the road -- and the responsibility.
Comments (7)
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I am an avid cyclist and for the most part riding in and around Greensboro is pleasant. I will say one thing though. On occasion I will see a motorist pass a group of cyclist and nearly hit an oncoming vehicle which makes me think, "They nearly killed someone to get somewhere 5 seconds faster." Before a motorist gets upset at a cyclist and feels the need to pass the group on a hill or a curve, I urge them to ask the question "Is what I am about to do worth killing someone?"
Also, if a motorist gets behind a large group of cyclist 100+, before you get really upset, please understand that the folks on bikes are probably doing a charity ride for a very deserving cause and that should be respected.
Maybe it is the spandex that gets folks so worked up.
Ryan
Posted on April 6, 2008 1:32 PM
Ryan, you're right about the spandex. It does irritate people, especially when it has Italian on it. Too fixy.
I ride my bike here and there--mostly a mile or so to the pool, office, gym, or Hamilton Lakes paths--and I'm just too frightened to ride any further. I saw a guy in Chapel Hill get sent over the front of a car; he was going about 35 downhill and the car pulled right out in front of him. When we got to him, he was just conscious, although his helmet was shattered. Without the helmet, it would have been serious brain damage. Bicycles just don't register visually to drivers the same way that other cars do. This is especially true if the driver is typing.
At the same time, I'm not suprised at the statistics Allen shows. People hate cyclists because of cyclists--not the kind Mark Schulz is, but the other kind who cause more than half of bike-related accidents. It's the combination of stupidity (do you really want to do that?) and stupidity (if you do that, it may kill you, but it'll only scratch my car) that does it.
Posted on April 6, 2008 10:07 PM
Ryan, you're right about the spandex. It does irritate people, especially when it has Italian on it. Too fixy.
I ride my bike here and there--mostly a mile or so to the pool, office, gym, or Hamilton Lakes paths--and I'm just too frightened to ride any further. I saw a guy in Chapel Hill get sent over the front of a car; he was going about 35 downhill and the car pulled right out in front of him. When we got to him, he was just conscious, although his helmet was shattered. Without the helmet, it would have been serious brain damage. Bicycles just don't register visually to drivers the same way that other cars do. This is especially true if the driver is typing.
At the same time, I'm not suprised at the statistics Allen shows. People hate cyclists because of cyclists--not the kind Mark Schulz is, but the other kind who cause more than half of bike-related accidents. It's the combination of stupidity (do you really want to do that?) and stupidity (if you do that, it may kill you, but it'll only scratch my car) that does it.
Posted on April 6, 2008 10:07 PM
Ryan, you're right about the spandex. It does irritate people, especially when it has Italian on it. Too fixy.
I ride my bike here and there--mostly a mile or so to the pool, office, gym, or Hamilton Lakes paths--and I'm just too frightened to ride any further. I saw a guy in Chapel Hill get sent over the front of a car; he was going about 35 downhill and the car pulled right out in front of him. When we got to him, he was just conscious, although his helmet was shattered. Without the helmet, it would have been serious brain damage. Bicycles just don't register visually to drivers the same way that other cars do. This is especially true if the driver is typing.
At the same time, I'm not suprised at the statistics Allen shows. People hate cyclists because of cyclists--not the kind Mark Schulz is, but the other kind who cause more than half of bike-related accidents. It's the combination of stupidity (do you really want to do that?) and stupidity (if you do that, it may kill you, but it'll only scratch my car) that does it.
Posted on April 6, 2008 10:07 PM
Ryan, you're right about the spandex. It does irritate people, especially when it has Italian on it. Too fixy.
I ride my bike here and there--mostly a mile or so to the pool, office, gym, or Hamilton Lakes paths--and I'm just too frightened to ride any further. I saw a guy in Chapel Hill get sent over the front of a car; he was going about 35 downhill and the car pulled right out in front of him. When we got to him, he was just conscious, although his helmet was shattered. Without the helmet, it would have been serious brain damage. Bicycles just don't register visually to drivers the same way that other cars do. This is especially true if the driver is typing.
At the same time, I'm not suprised at the statistics Allen shows. People hate cyclists because of cyclists--not the kind Mark Schulz is, but the other kind who cause more than half of bike-related accidents. It's the combination of stupidity (do you really want to do that?) and stupidity (if you do that, it may kill you, but it'll only scratch my car) that does it.
Posted on April 6, 2008 10:08 PM
Sorry about the above. It's just incompetence on my part. My laptop has a supersenstive keypad that registers as "enter."
Posted on April 6, 2008 11:47 PM
By the way, Brian, I've been trying to contact you related to the bike issue.
Would you please e-mail me when you get a chance?
One copy of the e-mail will do. :)
Posted on April 7, 2008 1:07 AM