Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith P.
But the very act of cycling amidst all of those bigger, faster, and much heavier vehicles is always a huge risk. Add winter conditions and the risk goes off the charts. I submit that our municipal govt is inviting citizens to put themselves in harms way by suggesting that cycling year round is perfectly OK to do. I suppose someone could decide to skydive into the office without a parachute as well but I would not recommend it as a commuting mechanism.
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I don't disagree, but I'm sure cyclists are well aware of the risks that they are taking, which is probably why the more hard-core of them are continually lobbying to remove cars from the roads. They are reasoning that their safety should be considered to be more important than the desire (and necessity) of people driving their cars (and motorcycles, and delivery trucks, and...).
I guess I'm a little old-school in that I don't believe in over-regulating people's desire to take risks. Let people do what they want to do, as long as they understand the risks of their circumstances. If cyclists want to ride in the winter and they understand the risks, then have at it!
Same with motorcyclists. I know many people for which it is a way of life - they enjoy their motorcycles so much they wouldn't have it any other way, but they know that a collision with a larger vehicle would be really hazardous to them.
Cars have their risks as well. Statistically you are more likely to die in a car accident than many other forms of transportation, but I don't want deny people their option to drive a car as they have so many beneficial aspects to people's lives. They are a risk, but they pay off with rewards of convenience, speed, and freedom.
When we want to take away these modes of transportation on the basis that somebody may hurt themselves, then where to we stop? Do we ban sports because people are likely to become injured from playing them? Do we legislate people to not walk or shovel snow in the winter because they may become injured or die while doing so? Maybe we ban skyscrapers because they are high and somebody could fall off? Large trucks are dangerous to everybody that uses our roadways - do we ban large trucks and find a way to live without the goods that they are transporting?
In fact, if skydiving into the office was practical and an individual wanted to commute that way, then I don't see a problem with it.
It always comes down to risk vs reward - and we all need to find a way to balance them in our lives.
Of course, obviously we have to have limits, and I suppose the crux of the conversation is based on where do we draw those lines in the sand as we all have different ideas on how it should be done...