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distraughtdrunk t1_ixdc7fn wrote

Reply to comment by aoc_desantis_2024 in 'Ride For Your Life' Photos - Nov 19, 2022 ride from Bethesda to the Capitol by monkeyuprising

ngl, i wonder how many injuries/deaths are caused by aggressive cycling or the cyclists breaking the law.

ofc, this doesn't count the drivers who are weirdly aggressive too, but it seems all too easy to lay all the blame on big bad drivers without examing what cyclists are doing as well (such as blowing through stop lights, texting/cycling, swerving into traffic unexpectedly).

edit: when i say injuries/ deaths are caused by aggressive cycling, i mean a cyclist places themselves (unintentionally or otherwise) in a position where they get hurt/killed.

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ertri t1_ixdefef wrote

Usually 1-3 people die, nationally, after being hit by a bike each year. That's obviously not 0, but... not bad.

Having been hit by people on bikes a few times - I'll take my chances with a 20ish lbs metal frame where the rider is likely to be worse off than whatever they hit v. a 4000 lbs tank

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aoc_desantis_2024 t1_ixdkqiq wrote

The problem is rarely that a bike is hitting someone and killing them. Its that they drive illegally and cause cars to swerve, or pedestrians to jump out of the way (sometimes into something else), etc....

There is ZERO enforcement of bike laws. You can ride through U St drunk as a skunk through red lights and the police will do nothing. In fact I see it all the time.

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ertri t1_ixfmnqk wrote

Again, the consequences of biking dangerously are much lower!

I literally do not care about cars being inconvenienced. They can slow down and stay back, I truly do not care.

Pedestrians, yeah, that should be enforced. I'll start with MPD doing literally anything to enforce any traffic laws in general, bikes can be first I don't care.

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distraughtdrunk t1_ixdfxek wrote

i'm not saying you're wrong, but that doesn't actually speak to the question i asked.

edit: i reread my post and thought it sounded ambiguous so i edited it

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