Sharing the Roads

We were recently forwarded the below article from a local Westport resident. We would like to believe that our community of TARGETRAINING cyclists help share the roads in a safe and responsible manner.

We all have a role in keeping our local thoroughfares safe and efficient for all modes of transportation, but what struck us by this article was the note about a "child" on a bike cycling through town.

How many of you let your kids ride through town? Not many! Why is that?  It is simple -- there is tremendous car congestion and parents and children see this and are rightly concerned for their children's safety.  Safety is a common sense concern and the dangers of being hit by a car are unfortunately very real. Even an extremely polite person who obeys all safety regulations is at risk; yes, cars outweigh bicycles by 100 to 1 on average so the person at risk is the cyclist.  Since everyone in Westport is either a a father, a mother, a sister, a brother, a child, this risk and its consequences is an issue that ripples quickly through the community.

I grew up in Fairfield County and 20 years ago I rode my bike 10-30 miles a day going to camp, work, friends houses, etc., but most parents I talk to now won't let their 15 year old out of their driveway for fear that they will get hit by a car. It is a real shame to lose the sense of adventure and freedom at such a young age only to be replaced by a car when they get their license and become 3x more likely to get into a car accident.

Eneas

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Elitist cyclists'

Published: Saturday, August 28, 2010

For the third time in less than a week, I have witnessed several cyclists blow thru stop signs and red lights as if they didn't exist. Last Saturday I happened to mention to this "Lance Armstrong wannabe" that the red light which I stopped at also applies to him.

He proceeded to flip me his middle finger as he peddled down Main Street in his bright yellow uniform, caring little about the rules of the road. Obviously, I must've been interrupting his ride and quest to make his "miles" for the day or his training to be in the next "Michelob ultra light beer" commercial. Mr. Entitlement was on his way!

I have lived in Westport most of my life. Over the past few years I have never seen such blatant disregard for motorists and the rules of the road as I've seen by some of these elitist cyclists. Don't these egotistical weekend pseudo-jocks realize that a car coming thru the intersection with a green light will most likely win the collision between car and bike?

It's time for this nonsense to stop before someone gets seriously injured or killed due to stupidity on the part of one of these defiant cyclists.

Rules of the road laws that are in place need to be updated and enforced on those cyclists who don't adhere to them. 

I know I am not alone on this issue. A lot of residents have had similar bad experiences with cyclists. A good friend of mine almost hit one this past weekend, only to be spit on by the cyclist.

The cyclist was lucky; my friend walked away. Why the attitude by some of these cyclists? Where is this form of entitlement by some of these cyclists coming from? What gives them the right to feel they are above the law?

Not all cyclists, I'm sure, are like this. Unfortunately, the bad ones are standing out more and more. Cyclists should realize if they want to share the roads with motor vehicles, they need to share our rules as well.

They really aren't that hard. Stop at red lights and stop signs, ride in a single line, stay to the right in right hand lane, proceeding to left lane when making a left hand turn.

These are very simple rules of the road. An 8-year-old would have no problem understanding them and obeying them.

I'm sure some of these "greater than thou" cyclists are parents as well. Would they tell their children to just go thru a red light or stop sign like they do?

It's time for these cyclists to practice what they would preach to a child on a bike and not act like a child when they are reminded by either a pedestrian or motorist that they are breaking the rules of the road.

Share our roads cyclists, but please, act like adults and leave your egos at home and we will all be safer in the end.

Jimmy Izzo

Westport