People, cycles and automobiles
Some sure signs that spring has sprung: trees filling with buds, talk of low snowpack, and lots of pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles mixing with automobile traffic.
Each season brings challenges and responsibilities to car and truck drivers, but for spring, we’ve got to be as vigilant as the guys and gals in the control tower at O’Hare Airport. Starting with the spring season, we have to deal with greater numbers of the things that we haven’t seen so much of during winter — those things are people (especially kids), bikes and motorcycles. Let’s take a look at some manifestations of this situation.
Pedestrians
As the temperature rises, the school year wanes, and people are moving about afoot, drivers need to increase awareness. There’s increased non-auto traffic with the emergence of spring, and making up part of that increase are our ambulatory citizens — each someone’s loved one, young to old, affluent to homeless — each a living soul.
Oh yes, there are plenty of Rules of the Road governing these interactions on the road, like Spokane Municipal Code item 16.61.235, which covers marked crosswalks. Within the lengthy text, this code states, of course, that vehicles must stop for pedestrians. But it gives some leeway to cars when it further states: No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk, run or otherwise move into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to stop. I, personally, do not want that segment of the law to come into play involving a clash with a pedestrian. To be in the right would have little consolation to me after injuring a child (or anyone) who made too much of their “right” to cross. So just be extra-attentive, and don’t push the limits of your driving rights.
Another crosswalk thought: when you see another car stopped in the roadway, figure that it might be for a pedestrian, and don’t blow by the stopped vehicle in wonderment.
We’ve got a clause in 16.61.235 which addresses that too: Whenever a vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such vehicle. That means that the stopped vehicle should be treated like a school bus with its stop flag folded out — it’s illegal to pass. But as we all know, albeit illegal, it happens all the time, and we wonder if stopping for someone may get them killed as other traffic speeds on through the crosswalk. Don’t do that!
Bicycles
It’s hard for me to say much about bicycles. That’s because I’m a bicycle enthusiast, but I don’t believe there is a good way for bicycles to mix in with mainstream traffic. Oh I know that there are plenty of Rules of the Road giving bicyclists rights and responsibilities, but I just can’t think of a way for riders to be very safe, given the unprotected nature of a bike, and its inability to keep up with traffic. I’m more for riding apart from major traffic by sticking to secondary streets, but I know that there are plenty of opinions on this subject.
Even where there are established bike lanes, such as on the fairly new Appleway couplet, I could never ride happily along the shoulder. It would require that I trust every driver approaching from my rear to not weave into the bike lane, and give me an early trip to my maker.
From a safety standpoint at least, I guess there is some good news: those bike lanes on Appleway and other locations I’ve watched are virtually unused — many bicyclists must think like I do, and hate the thought of being rear-ended by an SUV going 50 mph.
Just keep an eagle-like eye open for bikes — even if you’re in the right, you probably don’t want to collide with a bicycle rider!
Motorcycles
All motorcyclists are not scofflaws, and even those who are have road rights equal to cars. I’ve had a motorcycle since I could first ride, and I’m still learning, so the many new riders that each spring brings provide potential for novice rider errors. Motorcyclists don’t need special consideration, but do deserve equal consideration.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the main reason given by drivers after a collision with a motorcycle is that the driver of the car didn’t see the motorcycle. This happens especially after winter, because drivers are not used to looking for motorcycles, and are not adept at judging a cycle’s speed and distance. The main mishap involving motorcycles is having an approaching automobile turn left in front of them, commonly resulting in a fatality.
With this in mind, try to sharpen your skills with motorcycle interactions — they go as fast as cars, but are even harder to stop in an emergency. As a car or truck driver, don’t be the one to create that emergency.
Reader Response
Thanks for your many responses. I want this column to be interactive. Many intersections with obstructions were sent in, which have been reported to authorities.
I have outlined many future topics for this column, but welcome reader input for ideas.
Please send your thoughts for topics, and I will piece them into the upcoming subjects.