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BrianParry
English1010
ProfessorBenA.Jorgensen
21april,2015
MoreFunding,MoreBenefits
Anuneducatedcommuterisadangerouscommuter,when4billionamericantookatrip
onabikein2009,itsclearbicyclelicensingneedstobefederallaw,andwiththesuddenrisein
cyclingmanystatescannotkeepupwithbuildinginfrastructurestokeepthesepeoplesafe,and
cyclingparticipationisexpectedtocontinuetorisewhichisgoingtoaddtotheproblemofhow
tomakethestreetssaferandefficientforeveryone.Alotofprogresshasbeenmadeinrecent
yearstoencouragesharingtheroad,butwehavealongwaytogo.
Manystatesdonotseemoverlyconcernwithsafety,andseemtothinkofcyclinglawsas
anafterthought,asmanystatesbancyclistsonthesidewalk,butoffernorulingonwhattodo
whennolaneforthemtouse,somanyinexperiencedcycliststogetconfused.pictureyourselfas
acyclist,youdecidetoheaddowntheroadacouplemilesfromyourhouse,butonthewayyou
needtotravelthroughanintersectionormakealeftturn,howdoyoudothat?Youknowabout
thesameamountaseverynewcyclist.
Theproblemscontinueswiththeeducationofdrivers.Driversareeducatedonwhattodo
aroundotherdriversextensivelyjustnotwhattodoaroundcyclistsontheroad.Situationscome
upthatneitherthecyclistsorthemotoristhavebeenproperlytrainedonwhattodoandgood
innocentpeoplejusttryingtogetsomewheregethurtorscaredemotionally,andnotenough
statesseethisasaproblem,asTomJackmanfromtheWashingtonPostdiscussesdooringin

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virginia.dooringiswhenadriveropensadooronacyclistandluckilythisisillegalinalotof
statesbutrecentlyavirginiahouseblockedabilltomakeitillegal,andevenintroducedabill
thatloweredthefine.Heputsforthlogicalcritism
Petersensaidhefoundthebillsdefeat
bewilderingbecausenoonetestifiedagainstit,andevenastatepoliceofficialtestifiedthat
therewasagapinthelawbecausenoonecouldbeheldatfaultafteracyclistdooraccident.
(jackman),clearlyshowinghowmuchthestatecaresabouttheissue,evenafterapoliceofficial
testifiedforthebill.
Thisisaproblemforobviousreasons,andmanyorganizationsliketheLeagueof
AmericanBicyclistsaretryingtodosomethingaboutit.InanemailconversationwithNicole
WynardsfromtheLeagueofAmericanBicyclistssaidabouttheirmission
Wehelpsecure
federal,state,andlocalfundingforbicyclinginfrastructurethatprovidessafeoptionsfor
bicyclists.Everyyearroughly$800millioninfederalfundingismadeavailabletocitiesand
statesforbicyclingandwalkinginfrastructurethroughthefederalTransportationAlternatives
Program.OurBicycleFriendlyAmericaprogramsprovidetechnicalassistanceandawardsto
communities,businesses,anduniversitiessothattheseorganizationshavethecapacityand
expertisetousepublicfundingtoimproveconditionsforbicyclists.(Wynards)
Theleagueoperatesaroundthecountrybutputsamajoremphasisongettingchangesto
thefederallevel,tryingtospreadthemessageofacyclingeducationtothepublicandhopefully
membersofthegovernmentwhererealchangecanhappen.Ipersonallyagreethateducationis
essentiallyasthenumberofcommutersgrow,butthinkthatbettereducationontheautomobile
sideisneededaswell.Manymotoristsdonotencounterabikeontheroadfrequentlysotheyare
notsurehowtoactaroundthem,leavingthepotentialforadangeroussituationtooccur.

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AnthonyFoxx,thecurrentUSDepartmentofTransportationSecretary,hasimplemented
theSaferPeople,SafeStreetsinitiative.Oneexcerptfromtheofficialinitiativethatreallyshows
hisfocussaysOurroadsshouldbesafetheyshouldbeeasyplacestotravelnomatterhowwere
travelingonthem(Foxx)showinghisveryagreeableviewsonmakingtheroadsequalforall
users.SomethingIthinkisaveryimportantstep,whichistochangethewaywethinkofthe
roadsasjustforcarstoforpeopleinanymode.Hisinitiativeintroducesplanstoratecities,to
increasecyclinginfrastructure,andspreadcyclingasahealthyalternativetodriving,allofwhich
Iagreewithijustbelievethisdoesntgofarenough,cyclistsneedalegalrighttotheroad.
Requiringcycliststogetroadtraining,andlicensingthemiswhatIwouldadd.Cyclists
dohavesimplyterriblehabits,puttingcarsandthemselvesindangeroussituations.Many
cyclistsrunredlightsandstopsignsandacrossalllanesoftrafficaswellasdangerously
weavingthroughslowermovingcars.Otherssimplygetconfusedonhowtosafelymakealeft
turninanintersections.SItuationtrainingwillgreatlyimprovecyclistsafety.Justlikethe
trainingmotoristsshouldreceivecyclistsshouldreceiveexactguidelinesonhowtobehavein
certainsituations.
Eventhoiknowmanycyclistswhowouldargueagainstthis,cyclistswhowishtorideas
apartoftrafficshouldreceivetraining.Thetrainingshouldbearequirement,andshouldbe
governedbythefederalgovernment.Itshouldalsobetreatedasalicense,withregistrationfees
andstrictguidelines.Manycyclistswanttobetreatedequallytoacarbuttheydonotwantto
dealwitheverythingthatgoesalongwithbeingamotorist.Itistimefortrueequalityandhow
wedothatisbylicensingcyclistsensuresthateverycyclistsontheroadhasinfactgonethrough
specificroadtrainingwhichincludedspecificallydangeroussituationsandhasdemonstrateda

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debatablelevelofcompetencyrequiredtobeontheroadwithtraffic.Thiswouldbenotrequired
forchildrenandpublicrecreationaltrails.Licensingandtrainingcyclistsoffermanybenefits
specificallytocycliststhatmaynotbeapparentatfirst.Firstlysafetywillgoup,stateswhoput
anemphasisoncyclingawarenessdoinfacthavelessfatalities.
Whenyouhelpfundaninfrastructure,taketestsandcoursestosafelyinteractonsaid
infrastructure,displayalevelofrequiredmandatedcompetencyalltotravelontheinfrastructure,
younowhavefargreaterlegalleveragetodemandsaferclearerlawstobepassedforcyclists.
Integrationintheestablishedsystemandthendemandingobtuselawslikethesidewalklawbe
clearedup,anddemandingmorepublicofficialstopayattentiontoagrowingnumberof
americanswhochoosetocommuteonabikewillonlyincreasethesafetyofallcyclistsatevery
level.
Manywouldarguethatbicyclesshouldnotbeallowedontheroadsatall,thatroadswere
createdforcarsalone.Theydonotseebicyclingasalegitimateformofcommutingonlyatbest
asahobby.Inanarticlebybobshanteaucalledthemarginalizationofbicyclistsbobdiscusses
thepublicandlegalopinionsagainstbicyclistssharingtheroadswithcars
Thatguystatedina
profanewaytheworldviewofmostpeopletoday:Ifyoucantkeepup,stayoutoftheway.My
beingintherighthandlaneandthereforeinhiswayviolatedhissensethatroadsingeneral
andtravellanesinparticularareonlyforcars,aviewpointthatIcallthecarlaneparadigm
.He
continuestocomparethevariouswaysautomobilesarelegallysupposedtohandleslowmoving
vehicles,roadswherenoclearlanesexistsandotherissuesthatmotoristseasilynavigatewith
eachotherbutoffersthequestionshowdoeschangingthewaythevehicleispoweredchangethe
perspectiveofhowitshouldbehandledandwhatrightsthevehiclehas.

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Ifitwerejustsimplyaslowmovingtruckyouwouldnotthinktoomuchaboutit,oreven
anelderlydriverbeingtoocautious,youmaybeannoyedsure,buttoverballyabusethemandto
legallybanthemfromtheroadanyrationaladultwouldnotdo.Youwouldsimplybeslightly
annoyedandsimplypassthemwhenthenextopportunityarose.Sothewaycyclistsarebeing
treatedisandoublestandardthen.bicyclesarevehiclesandrightfullyso.Somecyclistscan
average25milesanhourwithhardlyasweatandbikesaregettingfasterallthetime.abicycle
moving25milesandhourwouldhospitalizeapedestrianbutoffersnosuchthreattocarsother
thenpossiblygoing10milesanhourslower.
Makingbicycleawarenessmandatoryinallstatesasapartofdriverstrainingwillprepare
motoriststodealwiththeslowercyclists.Itwilldothesamethatrequiringcycliststodoriding
training,showthemdifficultsituationsandshowthemthecorrectwaytohandlewaythe
situation.Motoristsbecomingfamiliarwithcyclistsontheroadsisthemosteffectivewayto
buildharmonybetweencommuters.Knowledgeonbothsidesisessentialtoreallymakea
change,bettertrainingisthekeytoreducingcyclingfatalities.Thetrainingthatcyclistswill
havetogothroughwillbuildfundsforroadworks,whicheveryonecouldagreewithisagood
thing,andaddingbicycleawarenesstodriverstrainingwouldbeanegligiblecostsinceitdoesn't
aimtoreworkthecurriculumjustaddtoit.
Requiredtraininghasotherbenefits,likeinordertopassthetrainingyouhaveto
demonstrateyouknowthelawsoftheroadandhowtobeapartoftrafficsafely.Thisalso
separatesthecyclistsfromthepeopleonabike.Roadbikeswithaaverageridercaneasilyreach
speedsof25even30milesanhour,thosespeedsaredangeroustopedestriansonthesidewalk,
butanoccasionalrideroralowspeedridermovingat8milesanhouroffersverylittlemore

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dangerthanajogger,sotheywouldbeexemptfromthecurrentsidewalklaws.Requiringslower
riderstobeontheroadjustcreatesunsafesituations,sothelawjustaddsconfusion,butfast
cyclistsshouldberequiredtotherideontheroadwithfastermovingtraffic.
Buildingfundsfromtrainingalsohelpsthemotorists,itmovestheoneswhoarepaying
forthecyclinginfrastructurefromthemotorists,asitcurrentlyexists,tothecyclists,theones
whoareactuallyusethebikelanes.Thisisanunpopularbeliefinthebikingcommunity,butwe
benefitfromroadsandtheroadsaremaintainedsolelywiththegastaxandascommuting
continuestochangeandevolvethroughoutthetimeweneedtochangeandevolvethewaywe
fundtheroads.Thissystemwouldhelpthesplitthecostsamongthepartieswhoareusingthe
roadsandgiveeachpartyequallegalrepresentation.
Whiletheeuropeancountriesareenjoyingalowerfatalityrate,faster,easiercommutes,
andahealthierpopulation,ourcyclistsarebeingmarginalizedandevencompletelyforgotten
aboutcompletely.Theyonlywanttoenjoytheirhobbyandgettoworksafely,anditsbecoming
strikinglyobviousthatweneedtoactandgivethemavoiceandsayaboutwhatroadsshouldbe
like.Thesearetaxpayingcitizensandtheydeservetoenjoytheirhobbiessafelyandthe
governmentshouldprotectthesecitizens,andthecitizenstobetterfundbetterinfrastructure.

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WorksCited
"TheMarginalizationofBicyclistsIAmTraffic."
IAmTraffic
.8June2013.Web.29Mar.
2015.<
http://iamtraffic.org/equality/themarginalizationofbicyclists/
>.
"SaferPeople,SaferStreets."
DepartmentofTransportation
.1Sept.2014.Web.5Apr.2015.
<
http://www.dot.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/safer_people_safer_streets_summary_doc_acc_v1
119.pdf
>.
"VirginiaHousePanelAgainShootsdownBilltoProtectCyclistsfromdooring."
Washington
Post
.TheWashingtonPost.Web.23Mar.2015.
<
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/02/25/virginiahousepanelagainshoots
downbilltoprotectcyclistsfromdooring/
>.
"NewLawAddsBikeandMotorcycleAwarenesstoMichiganDriver'sEducation."
WNDURSS
.
Web.19Apr.2015.
<
http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/NewlawaddsbikeandmotorcycleawarenesstoMich
igandriverseducation279192781.html
>.