Around this time last year, the Bicycle Coalition was overwhelmed by media attention following news of two crashes where bicyclists fatally struck pedestrians. It was a terrible example of the dangers that vehicles (even bikes) pose to pedestrians.
Flash forward a year -- over the weekend two separate hit and run crashes by motorists killed a two-year-old crossing the street with his mother and seriously injured two young boys riding their bikes. Two horrible events that are treated as routine news. There is no uproar about the need to change the behavior of motorists or calm the lawlessness of our streets. There are no reporters calling the AAA asking for quotes justifying car drivers behavior or whether the actions of those who do not follow the law jeopardize the right of all car drivers to use the road.
There is a lot of work we need to do to improve bicyclists behavior and civility. But motorists are a much deadlier problem and they are being given a free pass.
This is the legacy blog of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. It is an archive of posts from 2003 to 2014. Making your ride better since 1972. https://www.bicyclecoalition.org
1 comments:
Well, it may be true that the media isn't pursuing these recent events with the same vigor as they did last year's accidents... but isn't it YOUR responsibility to advocate for bicycling issues including safety, improvements bicycle infrastructure, education, and so forth?
You know - send a letter advocating your position to the Inquirer and the Daily News. Foster relationships with the editorial boards of these papers. Make a case for including a focus on bicycle and pedestrian safety in the editorial mix. Propose to a weekly column with a focus on bicycle issues, and brainstorm ways to make that happen...
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