Day: September 16, 2005

In an editorial in today’s paper, the Oregonian weighs in on the bike/motorist safety issue that has been going ’round and ’round all summer.

The piece highlights the recent case in Corvallis where a bicyclist ran a stop sign and killed a 71 year old lady.

But, even though I feel like the piece is a bit one-sided against cyclists I think the author brings up some valuable points. The fact is, even though I think cars aren’t the best way to get around, I realize they are not going away any time soon. I would rather spend my time and effort in figuring out how to make streets safer, than joining in any car vs. bike invective.

I think it’s imperative that the bike/motorist dialogue stays productive and not polarizing. Bottom line is that we all share the road and both groups could do a heck of a better job following some basic laws that would keep us all safer. On that note, here’s a few things to keep in mind while you’re out on the road.

• Be aware.
• Slow down.
• Be courteous.
• Mellow out.

Ultimately the benefits of non-motorized forms of transit are so plentiful and obvious that eventually more people will see the light and things will get better.