Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watcgl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!dmmartindale
From: dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: bikes and cars
Message-ID: <852@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 23-Sep-83 23:43:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: watcgl.852
Posted: Fri Sep 23 23:43:19 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Sep-83 04:06:21 EDT
References: <722@uw-beaver>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 22

As an occasional cyclist but frequent driver, I have a few comments
for cyclists:

I, and I'm sure other drivers, are quite happy when a bicyclist
behaves like an auto driver if he/she behaves like a GOOD driver.
This basically involves following the same rules of the road
regarding right-of-way, signalling, traffic signals, etc. that cars
are supposed to.  A cyclist who signals a left turn, then crosses into
a left-turn lane, then waits till the light changes to green gives me
some confidence that they are actually planning on turning left
and might end up in the correct lane after the turn.

More importantly, USE A LIGHT AT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have good headlights on my car, and will usually see a bicycle
at a considerable distance if it has reflectors on the pedals; ones
higher up are less effective.  But I nearly hit, or was hit by,
a cyclist a few weeks ago.  I was coming out of the university
and he was travelling along the major street in front of it,
more or less perpendicular to the alignment of my car.
My headlights were not aimed in his direction, and he was thus nearly
invisible whether or not he had any reflectors.  The tiniest,
cheapest bicycle light would have made him many times more visible.