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  • @grueOPEnglish
    13•8 months ago

    I’d rather get hit by someone backing up at 5mph than someone going down the road at 50mph.

    1. It’s not about cars backing out of residential driveways; it’s about cars turning onto side streets and it happens at a lot more than 5 MPH.

    2. Cyclists being rear-ended (at 50 MPH or otherwise) while riding in the street is much less likely to happen than them being t-boned while riding on the sidewalk. You have to factor the probability into the risk, not just the severity.

    • @GiganEnglish
      0•8 months ago

      it’s about cars turning onto side streets and it happens at a lot more than 5 MPH.

      I have mirrors, so I check behind me for cars turning right and I can see oncoming traffic for cars turning left.

      You have to factor the probability into the risk, not just the severity

      My primary concern is the severity. I feel way less safe riding in the street. All it takes is a semi-truck swerving a few feet, a drunk driver not paying attention, or someone looking at their phone at the wrong moment and it’s game over for me. The stretch of my commute that I have to share the road with cars is the worst part and if I had to do that the whole way I simply wouldn’t cycle anymore.

      The real problem is a lack of bike infrastructure, but until that is resolved I’m going to ride where I feel safe and that is as far away from cars as possible. And I’m not on an ebike, just a regular one. I only go 10-15 mph.