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The Science and Politics of Bicycle Driving |
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Enforcement |
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People whose perception of bicycling is shaped by taboo do not believe that the Rules of the Road are useful for improving the safety of bicycle travel. Rather, they believe that the Rules of the Road cannot be followed by bicyclists because the rules require cyclists to merge with motorists, and this will result in certain death. Most police share this belief and focus their enforcement efforts on those behaviors that affect the safety of others, with the exception of bicycling prohibitions and mandatory helmet laws promoted by politicians. There is little public enthusiasm for enforcing ordinary traffic laws for cyclists. The result is that many bicyclists operate in a lawless manner, running red lights, riding against traffic, operating at night without proper lights, and so forth, often with tragic consequences. This creates a negative impression of cyclists and marginalizes those cyclists who obey the law. Lawful bicycle drivers suffer backlash from citizens who blame them for the actions of others of their kind, even though individual cyclists have much less power to influence the actions of other cyclists than does law enforcement by police. By not enforcing the most basic Rules of the Road for cyclists, society perpetuates high bicycling accident rates, promotes prejudice against cyclists, and undermines the legitimacy of bicycle transportation. This must change to improve conditions for cyclists. Law enforcement must also publicly support cyclists' right to operate on roadways in travel lanes and punish those who harass or endanger road cyclists. One way to accomplish this is for police to drive bicycles on roadways according to the Rules of the Road that apply to drivers of vehicles. This will reveal any conflicts that need to be remedied, be they inconsiderate motorists or inadequate roadways, and will educate the public about cyclists' rights and responsibilities. Enforcement, education, and engineering must be organized to work in concert according to the same scientific and legal principles in order to improve conditions for safe and efficient bicycle transportation. |
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