May
12
Below is the transcription of an interview with Joe Huebner, Chicago cyclist, on March 25, 2008:
“I’ve been hit by a car three times, and I’ve collided with cars five times…
“I think most all cyclists that I know have been hit, or have collided with cars…
“Being hit more seriously usually is when someone doesn’t see you…
“The thing that I most stress is—show those drivers around you that you’re aware of what’s going on…
“The one thing that I find most disturbing or maybe frustrating is that although motorists have rules to abide by, and they have a choice whether or not to abide by them, cyclists don’t have a very structured rule system in the city, in the urban environment, as of now. So every cyclist is riding in a different way. I’m not saying everybody should ride in the same way, but I am saying that if we all are needing to get somewhere on different vehicles—in a limited amount of space—then some things need to be taken into consideration: safety, being seen, fitness levels come into play—those people are riding bikers much slower or much faster than other cyclists out there. Sidewalk riding versus street riding, trails riding versus street riding, things like that. All different genres and different flavors and different attitudes are out there…
“The education of how to ride a bike with some consideration out there—means—that right there—that starting point—means more to me than getting everybody on a bike, because of being greener or conservation of energy or conservation of fuel. Getting everybody on a bike would be almost as silly as everybody driving cars without stop signs or painted lanes to abide by…
“Cycling in an urban environment is a dangerous adventure.”