We need some pedestrian education (Dunwoody, Nelson: law, legally, club)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Uh. Whenever I hear about bicyclists vs. drivers around here, the bicyclists are almost always the ones demonized. Even if they do make mistakes, I feel that they are being singled out.

Well, I was talking about bicyclists vs. pedestrians, not bicyclists vs. cars.

In my opinion, pedestrians definitely get the short end of the stick from cyclists.

If you read the links I posted earlier in the thread here, consider this post from the cyclist in San Francisco who recently killed a pedestrian when he plowed into a crowded crosswalk at 35 mph:

Around 8 am I was descending Divisidero Street southbound and about to cross Market Street. The light turned yellow as I was approaching the intersection, but I was already way too committed to stop. The light turned red as I was cruising through the middle of the intersection and then, almost instantly, the southern crosswalk on Market and Castro filled up with people coming from both directions. The intersection very long and the width of Castro Street at that point is very short, so, in a nutshell, blammo.

The quote/unquote 'scene of the crime' was that intersection right by the landmark Castro Theatre – it leads from a really busy MUNI station to that little plaza where The Naked Guy always hangs out. It was commuter hour and it was crowded as all getup. I couldn't see a line through the crowd and I couldn't stop, so I laid it down and just plowed through the crowded crosswalk in the least-populated place I could find.

As to riding on the sidewalk, it's not only dangerous but illegal. I don't want cyclists to come to harm, but sidewalks are for people on foot.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Problem is, though, isn't the road a much more dangerous place for them? Aren't they just deferring danger from themselves to walkers?

Uh, but it's ILLEGAL for them to be on the sidewalk. I have a legal right to walk down a sidewalk with my baby. A cyclist has no legal right to do so unless he/she is a child. This was a fully grown man, and an obnoxious jerk at that. This is the very attitude that causes the hostility in the first place. Get on the road or get off the bike.

[billl]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Uh, but it's ILLEGAL for them to be on the sidewalk. I have a legal right to walk down a sidewalk with my baby. A cyclist has no legal right to do so unless he/she is a child. This was a fully grown man, and an obnoxious jerk at that. This is the very attitude that causes the hostility in the first place. Get on the road or get off the bike.

As a cyclist, I agree with you 100%. Bicycles don't belong on the sidewalk (except for children). And "the finger" is never an appropriate gesture regardless of the situation. If it is any consolation I suspect that rider is the same guy that would give you the finger after he cut you off in traffic and you dared to honk at him.

I'm sorry that you were treated so rudely.

[cqholt]

There needs to be driver, cyclist, and pedestrian education.
Hate when cyclist run red lights or stop signs. As a cyclist myself, for commuting not recreation, I just wanna clothes-line those people. Bikes should always use the street and stay to the right, except when turning left and then use hand signals.
Pedestrians that cross mid-block and do not use cross walks. How are we suppose to educate drivers when pedestrians don't follow the rules? Only cross with traffic and/or when the crosswalk light permits it.
Drivers need to know that when turning they must stop for pedestrians. Also, do not stop in the crosswalk as this forces peds into the road. Drivers need to stop before the crosswalk. Pay attention to cyclist had signals.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Uh, but it's ILLEGAL for them to be on the sidewalk. I have a legal right to walk down a sidewalk with my baby. A cyclist has no legal right to do so unless he/she is a child. This was a fully grown man, and an obnoxious jerk at that. This is the very attitude that causes the hostility in the first place. Get on the road or get off the bike.

Originally Posted by billl

As a cyclist, I agree with you 100%. Bicycles don't belong on the sidewalk (except for children). And "the finger" is never an appropriate gesture regardless of the situation. If it is any consolation I suspect that rider is the same guy that would give you the finger after he cut you off in traffic and you dared to honk at him.

I'm sorry that you were treated so rudely.

One cyclist doesn't speak for the whole lot of them. Aggression from cars is IMO far more serious than aggression from bikes.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

One cyclist doesn't speak for the whole lot of them. Aggression from cars is IMO far more serious than aggression from bikes.

So you'revsaying what? That because of aggressive drivers cyclists should be able to endanger others by riding on the sidewalk?

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

So you'revsaying what? That because of aggressive drivers cyclists should be able to endanger others by riding on the sidewalk?

Roslyn, if this is what the choice is coming down to, then it's caused by a lack of bike lanes and recklessness all around. Look, I'm sorry for what that idiot bicyclist did to you the other week. He was clearly in the wrong, and I'm just glad you and especially your baby are OK. I just don't want to, in the name of punishing bad behavior such as his, hurt a lot of innocent people in the process.

Cars, bikers, and pedestrians CAN coexist if given the proper education and physical space. But it's an ongoing process.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Roslyn, if this is what the choice is coming down to, then it's caused by a lack of bike lanes and recklessness all around. Look, I'm sorry for what that idiot bicyclist did to you the other week. He was clearly in the wrong, and I'm just glad you and especially your baby are OK. I just don't want to, in the name of punishing bad behavior such as his, hurt a lot of innocent people in the process.

Cars, bikers, and pedestrians CAN coexist if given the proper education and physical space. But it's an ongoing process.

That's just the point, there was a bike lane not five feet from where he knocked me down. All the main streets in dunwoody have them.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

That's just the point, there was a bike lane not five feet from where he knocked me down. All the main streets in dunwoody have them.

Well then there was no excuse on his part. Not sure why he felt the need to zoom down the sidewalk...

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I really considered calling the police.

911 is your friend You should have called instantly..