Comment on Someone gets killed by a car, so they restrict e-bikes.

• grue@lemmy.world ⁨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.

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  • Gigan@lemmy.world ⁨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.

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• scarabic@lemmy.world ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  You are less safe for this. You think otherwise, but you’re wrong. Sidewalk. Side. Walk.

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  • Mr_Blott@lemmy.world ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Pavement. Pave. Ment. Ment for paves

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    • centof@lemm.ee ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      I LOLed

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  • Gigan@lemmy.world ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Less safe how?

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    • rufus@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      It’s because car drivers don’t anticipate fast moving things on the sidewalk. They’ll run you over at the next junction, as it has happened in this case.

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      • Gigan@lemmy.world ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        When cycling (and driving tbh) I assume everyone’s an idiot and they’re going to hit me until proven otherwise. I don’t cross a street at full speed and assume everyone’s going to see me. I make eye contact and don’t cross unless they see me and start slowing down.

        Cycling directly infront of cars seems like the optimal way to generate road rage, impede traffic, and endanger your own life.

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• taiyang@lemmy.world ⁨8⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  Seconded, but not on an ebike. And still use an abundance of caution when crossing the street (I’ll even dismount and walk if I think visibility is low). I try to minimize that by finding a bike path, but you can’t always live next to a bike path.

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