Be careful biking with your family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drivers that fly through a cross walk when another car is already stopped for a pedestrian are the worst

Risking everyone's lives for a few seconds of their own convenience

There is a crosswalk near my house and cars do this all the time, sometimes when I’m in the crosswalk.

I had a truck driver drive up on me when I was crossing in a crosswalk-I started as soon as the walk light went on, walked quickly, and was exiting while the flashing person was on. He was screaming at me that I wasn't allowed to be in the crosswalk once the crosswalk light started flashing while he drove a large truck at me. This is a person who drives for a living.

It is scary how many people drive for a living who should not be allowed to drive at all. Truly a menace to society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why all the debate? Freaking make eye contact! We have to take personal responsibility for our own actions too- even if the other person is breaking the law. I rather take the time and make sure that my family crosses safely and live than be right.

Nobody is arguing against crossing with due care.

In contrast, some people seem to be unaware of laws that drivers are required to follow. I hope that these people aren't drivers.

This. It's disturbing that some people look at the video and find fault with the parents and ignore the suv blatantly breaking the law.

The SUV driver was at fault....yes. But the parents should have walked their bikes across as a group when it was safe. Plenty of blame to go around.

I don’t think anybody on this thread is saying that the SUV was right. What people are saying is that the parents should’ve also exercise caution. Simple as that .

I think some people are definitely saying that...

+1. Some people are clearly ignorant of the law and have no idea that it was illegal for the driver to pass the stopped car.

That would have been a close call even if the mother was walking right next to the child.

We teach people to drive defensively as well, but we don't blame them if they get t-boned at an intersection because a driver blew a red light. Pretty much the same thing here - the driver blew past a place they were required to stop.

[Anonymous]

I've never thought those bike trailers were safe - even with the flag. Cars assume the biker is alone and don't see the flag until too late.

[Anonymous]

The dad should have dismounted and walked the trailer bike across the crosswalk. Those contraptions are dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry for saying this but all these cross-walks seemingly any and everywhere are dangerous as hell. Not to mention every municipality makes up their own specific rules and it's just a recipe for accidents. Making matters even worse are pedestrians and bikers get so cocky and jump into the road and aren't defensive at all. *forehead smack*

I agree! Maybe this needs its own thread. All over Montrose and downtown Bethesda are these pedestrian cross walks. They’re a great idea, but one person ambles across, cars stop, as the cars begin moving another person starts ambling across, cars get frustrated. It’s a mess. It’s a great idea in theory - Look! We’re so pedestrian friendly! - but it’s just a bad mix of cars and pedestrians. And BTW, I think the SUV was speeding and is at fault in this particular thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why all the debate? Freaking make eye contact! We have to take personal responsibility for our own actions too- even if the other person is breaking the law. I rather take the time and make sure that my family crosses safely and live than be right.

Nobody is arguing against crossing with due care.

In contrast, some people seem to be unaware of laws that drivers are required to follow. I hope that these people aren't drivers.

This. It's disturbing that some people look at the video and find fault with the parents and ignore the suv blatantly breaking the law.

The SUV driver was at fault....yes. But the parents should have walked their bikes across as a group when it was safe. Plenty of blame to go around.

I don’t think anybody on this thread is saying that the SUV was right. What people are saying is that the parents should’ve also exercise caution. Simple as that .

I think some people are definitely saying that...

+1. Some people are clearly ignorant of the law and have no idea that it was illegal for the driver to pass the stopped car.

That would have been a close call even if the mother was walking right next to the child.

We teach people to drive defensively as well, but we don't blame them if they get t-boned at an intersection because a driver blew a red light. Pretty much the same thing here - the driver blew past a place they were required to stop.

I stand corrected! And I can’t believe people are this stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry for saying this but all these cross-walks seemingly any and everywhere are dangerous as hell. Not to mention every municipality makes up their own specific rules and it's just a recipe for accidents. Making matters even worse are pedestrians and bikers get so cocky and jump into the road and aren't defensive at all. *forehead smack*

I agree! Maybe this needs its own thread. All over Montrose and downtown Bethesda are these pedestrian cross walks. They’re a great idea, but one person ambles across, cars stop, as the cars begin moving another person starts ambling across, cars get frustrated. It’s a mess. It’s a great idea in theory - Look! We’re so pedestrian friendly! - but it’s just a bad mix of cars and pedestrians. And BTW, I think the SUV was speeding and is at fault in this particular thread.

I would guess that SUV was going 45-50 with that stopping distance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry for saying this but all these cross-walks seemingly any and everywhere are dangerous as hell. Not to mention every municipality makes up their own specific rules and it's just a recipe for accidents. Making matters even worse are pedestrians and bikers get so cocky and jump into the road and aren't defensive at all. *forehead smack*

I agree! Maybe this needs its own thread. All over Montrose and downtown Bethesda are these pedestrian cross walks. They’re a great idea, but one person ambles across, cars stop, as the cars begin moving another person starts ambling across, cars get frustrated. It’s a mess. It’s a great idea in theory - Look! We’re so pedestrian friendly! - but it’s just a bad mix of cars and pedestrians. And BTW, I think the SUV was speeding and is at fault in this particular thread.

In general, there needs to be a cultural adjustment to the idea that roads are for everyone.

Also, if it's frustrating for you, when you drive in downtown Bethesda, to stop for pedestrians as legally required -- would walking be a possibility for you, instead? It can be much more convenient than driving.

[Anonymous]

Please, everyone, write your representatives about this and other similar incidents.

1. Speed limit should be 20 wherever pedestrians are present.

2. Pedestrian crosswalks should be made safer, possibly with stop signs or lights that turn red and allow crossing when the walker pushes a button.

3. No one should be on a phone while behind a wheel, period. Enforce this with heavy fines and license suspensions.

[Anonymous]

Lots of blame to share here. But the dash cam driver should have stoppped before the white line. It’s not clear from the clip if that happened.

[Anonymous]

Everyone involved - driver of SUV, parents, kid- were all absolute morons.

The kid gets a pass because of age. The parents are unfit. The SUV driver needs a ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Again, do you think this is some kind of college dorm room debate?

The cornerstone of safe biking is staying visible to cars and not getting yourself in a position where they'll run over you.

The issue with crosswalks comes up mainly in the context of sidewalk biking, for which I provided extensive links.

But I'll explain it again: when a bike (or scooter or other vehicle) comes off the sidewalk into the intersection (i.e., in a crosswalk) it is not visible to cars, because cars may not be able to see and don't expect to see something traveling at the speed of a bike in the crosswalk, and do not have time to stop. This applies equally to a bike path like in the video. Additionally, there are parked cars and trees and other obstacles that can make it hard for both bikers and car to see each other from the sidewalk. Thus, the advice is to either get off your bike and walk it across the crosswalk, or proceed VERY carefully and slowly if you are SURE that there are no cars approaching in any direction.

You keep saying that that's the advice. But who is providing this advice, besides you?

I posted a zillion links before. But here are some more. Again, they mostly discuss entering the intersection from a sidewalk or driveway, which is functionally similar as from a bike path in this case.

https://www.npr.org/2016/10/16/496865680/6-things-you-need-to-know-about-cycling-on-the-sidewalk
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/bike-accidents-collisions-with-cars-29549-2.html
https://www.bicycleaccidentprevention.com/

[Anonymous]

^^^ I suggested the same, from the school of common sense, when another pp lamented that she just didn’t know what more the mom could have done here. Yes, the driver was 100% wrong but the mother could have avoided the near miss entirely. Personally, I’m gonna rely on myself in this situation — not on the hope that the driver will do the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ I suggested the same, from the school of common sense, when another pp lamented that she just didn’t know what more the mom could have done here. Yes, the driver was 100% wrong but the mother could have avoided the near miss entirely. Personally, I’m gonna rely on myself in this situation — not on the hope that the driver will do the right thing.

I agree with you 100%. It does you no good to have been legally in the right if you or your kid get mowed down by a car.

[Anonymous]

Wow that was a super reckless driver.