It\u2019s virtually impossible to watch the video and not have empathy for the biker and disdain for the drivers.\u00a0 However, there is a third factor present in all of the accidents and near-accidents.\u00a0 The cyclist, Luke Rae,\u00a0 is operating under what may or may not be a fair assumption; that he has as much right to the roads he travels as any motorist.\u00a0 It\u2019s a nice thought, but considering road design, perhaps somewhat of a fantasy.\u00a0 We cannot argue with his contention that he has a right to ride his bike on the roads, but we can question his premise that it should be safe for him to ride on these roads.\u00a0 It simply isn\u2019t, even when drivers are cautious and well-intentioned.\u00a0 He is fighting a losing battle trying to equally share the asphalt ribbons with his four- to eighteen-wheel colleagues.<\/p>\n

When it comes to protecting bicyclists, government has shown the ability to be responsible and respectful of the rights of the less powerful.\u00a0 It\u2019s happening more every day as separate and safe bike paths are paved to give cyclists their own right of way.\u00a0 However, with the 95% or more of our roads which were not constructed with cyclist safety in mind, poor planning is often an \u201cunindicted co-conspirator\u201d with the motorist who wreaks havoc on the cyclist.<\/p>\n

Most of us have had our automobile-bicycle near misses.\u00a0 Sometimes we\u2019re the cyclist, and sometimes we\u2019re the motorist.\u00a0 As the video clearly illustrates, these incidents are harrowing experiences for cyclists.\u00a0 But often, it is the motorist who is scared out of his or her wits because he or she almost struck an innocent cyclist.<\/p>\n

The accidents and near-accidents will continue, perhaps with the frequency as shown in the video, if we maintain the status quo<\/em>.\u00a0 Let\u2019s applaud those in and out of government who take steps to ensure safe cycling.\u00a0 At the same time, let\u2019s be careful about which motorists we demonize.\u00a0 Like so many things in life, it\u2019s not an easy call.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If David and Goliath really existed, and if their match had taken place in the Roman Coliseum, for whom would the fans be rooting?\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,241],"tags":[371,169,490],"yoast_head":"\n