safe routes to schools respecting the road - Marin County Bicycle ...

Respecting the Road
and Reflecting on a Tragedy
By Scott Warner
Originally Published September 29, 2012 at Patch.com; updated for Pedal Press.
The Bay Area endured three high-profile events this weekend involving bicycling—and
emotions. They included the 20th anniversary of Critical Mass in San Francisco
and the return of the Levi Leipheimer Gran Fondo in Sonoma County. In those first two
events, a total of nearly 20,000 cyclists took to the streets.
But the most important cycling incident and the one stirring everyone’s emotions
occurred in Novato on Thursday afternoon, September 27, when an innocent 12-yearold
girl’s life was taken with the collision of her bicycle and a several-ton, fast-moving
vehicle on a well-known Novato roadway near schools and homes.
The two formal cycling events and the tragic accident in Novato came at a time when
Gov. Jerry Brown was considering authorizing Senate Bill 1464—the 3-foot Separation
Law—to formally designate a safety space between cars and bikes on California’s
roadways.
My original rationale for writing this short piece was not to get into an argument
one way or the other for the proposed legislation (although many local residents had
been very vocal on both sides and I, in fact, supported the proposal) nor was it to blame
drivers or cyclists for accidents. Instead, I wrote the piece to plead to the citizens of
Marin County and others reading this to recognize that not one user—vehicle driver,
cyclist, pedestrian—solely “owns” the roadways.
I am here, however, to plead to each of us who drive: we must be patient, we must
slow down, we must be aware of our surroundings and WE MUST NOT USE THE
PHONE while driving.
I also am here to plead to cyclists—young and old—to be more patient, follow the
laws of the road including traffic signs and lights, ride with traffic and not against it,
and be courteous to drivers, pedestrians and other cyclists. Too many times, while I am
cycling and while I am driving, I see cyclists (assumed to be experienced), disregarding
stop signs, disregarding stop lights, and riding in a way that threatens the safety of other
cyclists, as well as drivers and pedestrians.
The fact is, we have seen nearly a doubling in numbers of cyclists in the past decade
or so. We also have seen increases in the number of drivers. Even with the much better
cycling infrastructure in Marin County (including more and better marked bicycle
lanes, separate bicycle pathways, and continued education by groups such as MCBC),
my personal experience is that the frustrations and confrontations between driver and
cyclist also are increasing. I do not have an explanation for the increase, but I fear it has
to do with our faster-paced lives and general intolerance toward patience.
Why does a driver need to pass me as I’m cycling down a narrow downhill road near
Black Point in Novato while I am coasting downhill at 20 to 25 mph, still below but close
to the legal speed limit? It only takes me 30 seconds to get to the bottom of the hill
where the roadway opens up and the car can pass safely.
Why does the road-warrior cyclist feel like he has to go through stop signs and stop
lights, endangering not only himself but the other riders and vehicles and pedestrians
around him?
These situations make no sense to me.
But what makes the least sense of all, is why does a 12-year-old girl have to die while
riding her bike home from school? I, like many of you, have children whom we wish to
encourage to be independent, to ride more to school and to the market as we did when
we were kids decades ago. Cyclists are good for the environment, and are good for
drivers because they take cars off the road. And drivers, you have to understand that
physics dictates the result of a confrontation between
a fast-moving several-ton vehicle and a lightweight
bicycle. The bicyclist will not win.
I love cycling. In September I rode 330 miles from
Eureka to San Francisco to raise more awareness for
bicycling and environmental causes. But the high of
that ride is dashed by the tragic taking of a young life.
I encourage—no, I plead—for all of us to be more
empathetic toward each other. I plead for us to not just
share the road but respect the road and the users of
the road. And to do all we can, in our power, to prevent
more instances of the tragedy that unfolded in town
just a few short hours before this writing.
Share the Road Legislation
Now a follow-up to the failed authorization of SB
1464. Governor Jerry Brown likely had no idea of
the tragic accident in Novato that occurred just hours
before he vetoed the proposed 3-foot-separation law.
He may not have recognized the ironic timing of his
veto, sandwiched between the tragic accident and
the two highly publicized events promoting cycling
as a way of life and as a way to provide value to others
in society. He likely is very fond of cyclists and
understands the benefits of a safer environment for
cyclists, and all users of the public roadways. And
truth be told, I actually believe that Governor Brown
was very close to authorizing the proposed bill, even
though the automobile lobby, as led by the American
Automobile Association (AAA) was highly vocal in its
opposition to the bill’s language the first time around.
Instead, the Governor indicated concern about the
potential liability issues regarding a provision in the
proposed legislation that allowed motorists to cross a
double-yellow line while passing a cyclist. No doubt a
wording modification could have been worked out, but
unfortunately, no such modification was entered into
the bill before it was sent to the Governor’s desk. On
the positive side, Governor Brown did sign Assembly
Bill 819 , which requires the California Department
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