November 6, 2007
Cyclists should be alert
Thanks, Kaimin staff, for allowing Danielle Wickman to point out the dangers of biking at the intersection of S 5th E and Maurice. It is unfortunate that Danielle was involved in a crash and suffered injury. She is clearly disappointed with the police investigation and the current laws in place that don’t help her as she hoped. Her criticism picks on the wrong guy.
You won’t find a more compassionate advocate for student safety than Captain Gary Taylor. He refused to alter facts contained in the police report pertaining to Ms. Wickman’s accident after she realized how the facts and her original statement made her appear. The captain is certainly aware of the code Ms. Wickman quoted but during that discussion and in her letter she chose to ignore an important portion that in part says a bicyclist “…has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.” Rights for a bicyclist to use the crosswalk but responsibility to “not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for the operator to yield. (MCA 61-8-502)
The design of the intersection is such that it provides a legal path for bikes and pedestrians. However, if a person deviates from that one path and their responsibilities they are more vulnerable. An alert bicyclist may get away with riding the wrong way into oncoming traffic. They might not get hit every time they ride across a busy intersection without ensuring that everyone sees them. However, a rider is playing the wrong odds if they try do both. If you’re playing dodge ball it always sucks to be the ball. Be safe.
Jim Lemcke
Public Safety
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