Thursday, December 31, 2009

CYCLISTS ENDANGERED

My heart goes out to the family of young Jaman Morris. According to the report in the press, the youngster was hit off his bicycle by a minibus just days short of his 13th birthday, which incidentally should have fallen on New Years Day.

Is it therefore inappropriate for me to appeal to motorists to start the New Year with the resolve to show a little respect to other road users especially cyclists and pedestrians? For it seems to me that some motorists often approach pedestrians and cyclists as if they are gladiators in the arena and they get a certain amount of sadistic pleasure in seeing how closely they can get without actually hitting them Unfortunately however, they often miscalculate and guess who becomes another statistic? Just recently I had such a close shave with a JUTC bus and it was not the first time.

I wonder what it would take to bring motorists to the realisation that they have no special God given right to the roads to the exclusion of all others? But it is probably a national thing as I wrote a letter to both dailies earlier this year suggesting that when government builds new roads, cycle lanes should be put in. None carried the letter. but what can I expect? We are a rich country and automobiles are to be encouraged, not "fuel efficient" things like bicycles!

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