[SDCBC] FW: bike safety and good neighbor relations

[Serge Issakov]

On 10/11/07, Neil Brooks <neil0502 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> And I agree: make it hurt.
>
> These are lethal weapons, kids.  Used wisely, they're unlikely to kill.  Used without DUE
> CARE and attention, they can easily kill.
>
> I don't buy into all-or-nothing arguments.  There's ZERO risk that we're aiming for "jet fighter
> or race car driver focus and attention."  Even making that reference, IMO, is letting hundreds of
> thousands of inattentive, and potentially lethal, drivers off the hook.

Oh, please.  Hyperbole like that, not to mention alleging that motor
vehicles are "lethal weapons", akin to guns, is not helpful.

Weapons are things that are specifically designed or used for the
purpose of causing harm or injury.    Cars are not weapons.

Cars are personal transportation devices, that, because of the weight
and potential speed, can be lethal.  Because of these characteristics,
they can be used as weapons, but so can a fork, or a playing card.
Anyway, these characteristics call for appropriate caution in their
use, and appropriate caution when in their vicinity.  Most people who
are not male and under the age of 20 seem to understand this quite
well.

But the fact is, drivers are human and humans are not perfect
automatons.  An unrealistic expectation, such as "aiming for 'jet
fighter or race car driver focus and attention'" in drivers, is
destined to fail, by definition.    This is why our legal system only
punishes when there is actual intent to harm, or gross negligence,
regardless how tragic the circumstances may be.  This is also why we
have rules of the road based on generally understood common-sense
principles, so that they can be followed without having to rely on
superhuman abilities.

The vast, vast majority of drivers doesn't want to hurt anyone, they
don't want to crash into anyone or anything, they don't even want to
scratch their cars, or be delayed by having to deal with a crash.  In
other words, they are already highly motivated to "do the right thing"
to avoid collisions.  They are already highly motivated to pay
attention.  So any additional attention that can be eked out of
drivers by "making it hurt" is marginal at best.

Worse, I think all the dubious efforts focused on trying to change the
behavior of others (motorists) greatly detracts from where actual
significant improvements can be made in terms of cycling safety:
changing the behavior of cyclists.

Serge


-- 
NOTE: Any opinions expressed above are mine and not necessarily shared
by any organization in which I am involved.