Rules of the road are for everyone

Anyone who's read my column or who knows me is well aware that I generally go to bat for those using human-power over motorists whenever writing or talking about interactions between the two modes of travel. That being noted, the following comments might come as a surprise to some.

News Flash: There are a lot of careless, selfish, unthinking people on our roads. Pedestrians and cyclists are often just as prone to exhibiting those traits as are those behind the wheel of their two-ton vehicles. Unfortunately, for those who don't have the protection provided by that two-ton shell, behaving in these ways results in tragedy much more easily than it does for motorists.

As you might expect, I refuse to exonerate those with the weapon (i.e. two-ton moving vehicle) from the elevated level of responsibility that goes along with driving for the simple reason that the inequity involved warrants a higher degree of prudence. Further, I want to make it clear that although certain reckless or otherwise dangerous behavior by cyclists and pedestrians can add fuel to the argument by some that roads are for motor vehicles first and foremost, I soundly reject that viewpoint for a number of reasons, the most important one being that our public rights of way are, by definition, intended for everyone's use.

But getting back to my comments about those who are very vulnerable yet often don't follow even the most basic rules of interacting with traffic, I'm sometimes amazed at what I witness. While it may be human nature to attempt to get to point A to point B by the shortest route, especially when using human-power, it's also natural for survival instincts to kick in when facing danger. One has to wonder whether some folks actually have such instincts.

We all know the type of people I'm referring to and we've all encountered them, sometimes as drivers, other times as fellow pedestrians or cyclists. They're oftentimes unpredictable, other times predictably irresponsible. Besides engaging in distractions such as texting or talking on the phone while they're supposed to be navigating traffic, they can be virtually invisible because they wear dark clothing at night or cycle after dark without lights. And then there's the under-the-influence factor that's more common that one might expect.

Consider this: An effort to save people from themselves was undertaken not long ago in areas of Lee County where there were high incidents of crashes involving pedestrian and cyclists. Statistics indicated that the majority of collisions happened after dark and that alcohol was involved (among one or both parties). Our approach was to provide those who counted on their feet or bicycles for transportation with hats that had subtle but effective reflective properties; reflective materials to use on clothing, backpacks, bikes, wheelchairs, and baby strollers; and lights for bicycles. We worked with social service agencies and churches so we could have better access to our target audience and so these service providers were aware of our efforts. We left the issue of alcohol and other substance abuse up to those organizations to address since, other than raising awareness of that aspect of the problem, the solution was beyond our Injury Prevention Program's area of expertise.

After a year or so, we found the number of crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists to have dropped significantly, although it coincided with the beginning of the downturn in the economy and a reduction in driving due to a substantial increase in the cost of gasoline, so we can't necessarily take credit for the improved numbers. Whatever the reason, we were confident that helping to make pedestrians and cyclists easier to see, along with raising awareness of the problem in the areas we targeted, had a positive impact.

Even with this seemingly successful campaign under our belt, I've come to realize over the decades I've been involved in promoting bike/ped/traffic safety that there'll always be those who reject our messages for one reason or another. Those of us in the business can only hope that at least some people benefit when they decide to heed our advice or accept and utilize the resources being offered. Hopefully, as more and more people walk and cycle, they'll realize how important awareness, visibility, and predictability are to their safety. And I hope that motorists will recognize they have a very high level of responsibility when it comes to vulnerable fellow road users and thus will drive with care.

Bike/Ped Happenings

>>Running:

Turkey Trot 5K - Nov. 27 at 7:30 a.m. at Cape Coral Hospital

River Run 10K and 2-Mile Walk - Dec. 6 in downtown Fort Myers

For details of these and other running events the Fort Myers Track Club Web site is the place to go — www.fortmyerstrackclub. com

>>Cycling:

Caloosahatchee River Ride - Nov. 23 from Caloosahatchee Regional Park, http:// crca.caloosachee.org

Iron Joe Turkey Ride - Nov. 30 from North Collier Regional Park, www.naplespathways. org/

Visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club at www.caloosariders.com for more information on local bicycling activities, including weekly rides, and Florida Bicycle Association at www.floridabicycle.org for statewide happenings.

Until next time, I'll look for you on the roads....

— Dan Moser is league cycling instructor/ trainer and a former bike/ped coordinator who cycles regularly for transportation, recreation, and fitness. He may be contacted at moserdeleon@juno.com or 334-6417.