Wednesday, March 29, 2006
How can Utah make its roads safer for cyclists?
This week's tragic death of Park City cyclist Bill Corliss has cast a dark shadow over the coming cycling season. Bill was riding with a group of friends in Utah County when he was hit, and fatally injured, by a passing truck. Friends are now hoping to honor his memory by finding ways to make the roads safer for all cyclists. Any suggestions? If anyone is familiar with bicycle advocacy programs in other parts of the county that may work here, any laws or educational programs that have proven effective, please post ideas, links, etc. here.
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25 comments:
The number of people that have been touched by this accident is amazing and the support from the cycling community has been awesome. Bill dedicated a lot of time/effort to improve the laws that protect all of us as cyclists and his tragic death brings to light the amount of work that still remains to be done.
The Bill Corliss Bicycle Advocacy Fund has been formed to continue Bill’s efforts to improve awareness, lobby state & federal lawmakers and mentor new cyclists. I urge each one of you to make donations to the fund and help us insure our sport is safe; for us and future generations.
Saturday morning, I received the unbelievable call from Boris, while he stood along the road, devastated by what had just happened. I personally delivered the horrific news of Bill’s accident to his loving wife and 12 yr old son- I want to keep this from happening to anyone else. The sport of cycling brings so much joy to all of us and no one deserves to die like this… Zero fatalities is our goal.
Spring is upon us, please be safe and I look forward to seeing you on the road.
Donations can be made to:
Frontier Bank
1245 Deer Valley Drive
Park City, Utah 84060
435-615-BANK
http://www.frontierbankfsb.com/
Carz - R - Coffins
Luv
Bucky the Bike Messenger
Thje recent tragedy of Bill's death touches all of us. Out thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.
There are many things that cyclists can do to increase their safety on the roads. When you ride in a pack on a local street dont ride 4 abreast. Keep to right of the white line and not five feet to the left of it. Stop for the red lights and dont california stop your way thru them.
Everyone is responsible for road safety. Both car drivers adn cyclists need to honor the rules of the road.
I love to ride, but have always been very cognizant of the fact that when it comes to cars vs. bikes, the bigger guy always wins. It's precisely the reason I abandoned cycling after my own first, and last, crash awhile back (I know, I know, I'm missing out; I'm right now trying to psych myself up into hopping on the saddle again).
Yes, I'm a grrrl w/o enough balls to brave the roads; kudos to you women who do ride, giving the guys a run for their money. Maybe the real reason I quit is, like all of us, I'm a driver too; sometimes I'm just not as careful or as slow as I should be. I'm obviously risk-aversive, and certainly not like the driver bookin' it up Little Cottonwood canyon awhile back, who mowed down the woman going uphill; but, I am human, and so are each of you.
For what it's worth,here are my thoughts.
When you're riding, don't assume, while you're in the zone and on autopilot, that, like the Red Sea, cars will just move out of your way. If you're riding the white line, which is my boundary as a driver, you're just in too much risk if you fall or I have to swerve, or, I am just not paying attention (as of course I should; cars should always have the greatest of care and, yes, should slow down). I always cringe when I see social riding such that they are not single-file, but are riding side-by-side. Sure, you're probably going to be okay, because most drivers are going to do whatever they can to avoid you, but ...
please don't risk it. Ride your bike responsibly, as though your life depends upon it. It just might.
To many cyclists place blame on the drivers and forget about their own responsibilities. We as cyclists need to remember that we need to obey the rules of the road. I see to many of my two wheeled friends blow through stop signs or traffic lights thinking they are exempt. Ultimately we are responsible for our own actions out on the road. A careless cyclist can cause situations just like the recent one we are all talking about. Be smart out there, don't think that because you are on a bike that you are different from any other vehicle on the road and don't think every driver sees you.
Lee Benson says it all:
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635196999,00.html
I am very sorry for the loss of a remarkable icon for cycling. The community lost a great advocate for the sport. My biggest concern with the road cyclists is that they choose when they are automobiles and when they are pedestrians, making it impossible for drivers to determine which mind set to defend.
I don't understand why it is so important to ride side by side on narrow, busy roads. We live in a busy cycling area and I am constantly encountering riders that pass other riders, into my lane, without so much as a glance.
Drivers should be on constant alert, but riders need to share in the responsibility so that our community doesn't suffer another devistating loss.
Here is a working link to Lee Benson's article mentioned above
http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635196999,00.html
there also seems to be a little confusion towards the last few entries,Bill was not riding side by side with another rider when he was hit, rather he was in a Pace line of 8 riders traveling with traffic in the southbound lane of SR68.The tragedy was caused by an inadequate and/or non-existent bike lane.
Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts about Bill
Ride On, "Wild Bill"!
Greg Corliss
Well hopefully this link will post completely Lee Benson's Article
http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,
1249,635196999,00.html
In light of rising fuel costs, Utah has an opportunity to be a National trend setter by putting bike paths along every major highway, or highway areas where people regularly ride their bikes. I used to go to school in Santa Barbara and the entire town of IV is set up for those who ride their bikes to school. Town by town, area by area, and county by county this could be achieved. The long term benefits for safety, health, tourism, etc...would be fantastic.
How sad that Oakley has a buffoon for a councilman (http://parkrecord.com/county/ci_3764043) who in jest threatens cyclists.
Bicyclists in Oakley beware.
After declaring Wednesday that cyclists should be taxed to use roads, Oakley City Councilman DelRay Hatch said, "so the ones that don't pay I could run over." see the link above for the rest...
It's hard enough cycling let alone dealing with threats like this.
Mr. Hatch should resign and apologize.
We would all be a lot safer with responsibility and common sense. In Elementary schools they are teaching the children rules to use while riding a bike. I think all of us could use a refresher course or learn from our children. Bikers should not ride on roads with many curves and turns. It is hard to see someone around the corner and doesn't leave enough time for stopping. I have seen many bike riders on the road around Rockport. There is no shoulder and too many curves to ride safely. Another suggestion; don't ride on a road with little or no shoulder. Everyone wants to "share the road" but that is easier said than done. With the following of proper bike rules and attention of all we can easily make the roads safer for everyone. If not there are plenty of trails for bikers to use. No traffice and great scenery!
Of course, cyclists have a responsibility to ride safely. I would just comment that our law enforcement officials have a responsibility as well to make our roads safer.
In Park City, and environs, it is evident to me that speeding, and running red lights, have become the norm - and, increasingly, it is happening when people are on their cell phones.
My message is to get tough on traffic infractions! I heard the Mayor say last week, eluding to the fact that most drivers are issued warnings, "gee aren't we a nice town?" Well, that mentality WILL get someone killed one day, be it a pedestrian or a biker.
I would also like to see more bike paths connecting the ones we have...noteably, the section between the white barn and the Red Barn Nursery!
I pay a registration and licensing fee to be on the roads, bycyclist don't. I don't mind sharing the road with them but why do they need to ride two, three, and four abreast? Why do they need to ride on the narrow winding roads? Why don't they obey the same traffic laws as vehicles? Courtesy on their part would go along way!!!
Don't think that bicyclists don't pay taxes. Their big homes subsidize tax rates, including road construction, for the whole county.
Mr. Hatch's property tax on his Oakley home is less than many of these bikes.
And perhaps the obesity overtaking our kids would be less if they had a place to ride their bikes, i.e. trails and bike lanes.
This discussion is the same one happening all over the country, with the same questions.
How do bikes and cars share the same space safely?
What has to happen to get motorists to respect the rights of cyclists at all times and in all places?
When will cyclists as a whole finally start obeying the same traffic laws that other "vehicles" must?
Answering these questions takes some honesty, some hard thinking, and perhaps even some compromise.
It's tough to get motorists to take bikes seriously. Riding a bike is literally "child’s play." We teach our kids to ride bikes as tykes, and that's pretty much it for the rest of their lives. And bikes themselves are very often seen as toys, not "vehicles" precisely because anyone, at any age, can ride one, essentially anywhere. No need to demonstrate knowledge of how to operate in traffic, or even of basic traffic laws.
Before we allow anyone to drive a car on the road, they have to demonstrate basic abilities and knowledge. They have to be licensed. Before a car is allowed on the road, it has to be inspected and certified safe. (I know, this is not completely the case, but bear with me.) The owner has to pay taxes and attach state tags to demonstrate to all that the car is fit for the road.
Driver's licenses and tags make traffic enforcement do-able. Motorists are not anonymous and un-traceable, and so writing a ticket is not just an exercise in futility. Give a ticket to a cyclist for blowing through a stop sign, who is not carrying any ID, with no way track down the bike or “vehicle” if need be to enforce the ticket. The law is at the mercy of the cyclist’s conscience. Legally, cars and bikes are vehicles with the same rights and responsibilities when on the road. But how can we expect law enforcement to treat cars and cyclists equally in this environment? Motorists are bound by the law; cyclists, well, they are on the honor system.
I am a cyclist. I have many thousands of miles in the saddle. I understand that it is the freedom, the thrill, the utter flexibility of the bike that makes it so wonderful.
I am also a motorist, and I see the constant misuse of the road by cyclists (kids and adults, clubs and individuals). Whether by intent or ignorance, it doesn’t matter. It makes taking bikes on the road seriously, and respectfully, very hard.
Some European countries have a developed culture that addresses these issues. The US, home of the automobile obsession, does not.
What am I getting at? Simple. I would say that anyone using the road be required to be licensed, insured, and plated. Anyone and anything. Make the playing field level. Make it a “two-way street.” It has to before people in this country see the issues the same from both sides of the windshield.
So what happens to taxes from people with large houses who don't ride bikes? Apparently from the way you talk the only people who pay taxes have large houses and ride bikes. There are a ton of bike trails around the entire county. Only bikes and foot traffic are allowed. Why can't anyone use them? And who paid taxes to get the bike trail put in? Apparently no the bikers because they only pay taxes for the roads?
Can anyone explain why the "Park City Bike Festival" route is mainly in Eastern Summit County and only the first few miles are in Park City. We don't want a bike festival or we would have one. Please stop congesting our city with supposed "Park City" events.
Amen, to the above comment. Park City Bike Festival?!?! Give me a break. You love to push the east side of the county around and then when Mr. Hatch pushes back a little you call foul. MOVE BACK TO WHERE EVER IT IS YOU CAME FROM!! You move here because you say you like it and then when you get here you want to change everything! We were fine here for many years before you came and decided to make our county into where ever you just left!!! A fifth generation summit county resident who likes the way it was!!
To the previous blogger,
You should not have moved into a resort community if you did not want traffic. That goes hand in hand with a developing destination resort. Try speaking to the hotel developers and resorts about curtailing development, that brings in traffic.
And who is this "We"? You mean, you dont want a festival.
The reason only foot traffic and bikes are allowed on the trails is probably because of the noise pollution associated with quads and dirt bikes and the smell associated with horses. Can you imagine the complaints about someone ripping past one of the mcmansions in town? Or how someones horse shit near someones back yard? please, i can just hear it now......
things change, that is the nature of the world. If you want it the way it was, turn off your lights, get off the internet, walk to work and send smoke signals as a way to communicate.
Mr Hatch is an idiot. How do you explain that comment about being able to hit bikers? it is fine to make your point heard, but once you say stupid things, you should shut up..
also, if it were not for all the development and people moving in, your school system would remain along side the other rural utah school systems. I think that the state is #42 in education. Be proud of that and the old ways..
I didn't move to a resort town, if you would have read closer you would have seen that I am a fifth generation Parkite!! You are the idiot!
sorry about that, the posts came out of order. i was replying to the one previous to yours. And I never called you an idiot. So dont make it personal. Since you are a 5th generation parkite, your grand whoever probable were mormon settlers with kimball and most likely you are inbred. How do you like it when it becomes personal?
I'm sorry for Bill Corliss and my condolences to his family. Road bikers need to respect that the reason the roads were built in the first place were for motorized vehicles. Too often I see road bikers ignoring traffic signals, speeding, etc. It is the drivers that are sharing the road with the road bikers, and the bikers need to follow the rules of the road. ALL, not just some of them. The circumstances surrounding the Corliss' tragedy were apparently ill-timed, but I must say could have been avoided. I am a safe and responsible driver, but I know how people drive. Especially while on their cell phone. Realize that road biking is like playing with fire, you can get burned if you aren't careful. It it the automotive and truck factor that makes this a dangerous sport. So BE scared on the road, just like a downhill mountain biker, a dirtbiker, or extreme skier. You must stay humble! If you are scared, then you still respect the danger. Road biking is like watching paint dry, the single track in Park City is heaven. Why would you want to road bike? You wear tight spandex in plain view of all drivers? Just come out of the closet already!
I was just on my bike coming to a stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Old Ranch Rd. and Highland. Next thing I know this cocksucker on a bike blows right through the stop sign and onto Highland. Those are the asshole riders who give cyclists a bad name. Forget about giving that guy a ticket, just run his ass over! Whether your driving your car or riding your bike, if you're not going to pay attention or obey traffic laws, STAY THE FUCK OF THE ROAD!
I agree with Brent M. If you can't follow the rules, then what are you doing on the road? How in the world did you get your drivers license (or what kind of drugs was your instructor on)? And for those of you who make fun of us cyclists just because of the clothes we wear, well, I have something to say to you (especially the blogger before Brent M.). To start off with, you motorists should be more watchful of us. Also, us cyclists aren't the ones clogging up America's freeways. Not to mention we aren't emmiting any harmful fumes into the air (no, I'm not an environmental freak). Oh yeah, and one more thing, just shut up about the tights. We wear them because of the aerodynamics, and in the winter time, they keep us warm. So don't go stereotyping every road cyclist that wears tights to be queer! I'm not like that!
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