Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
Even though the rider who hit that woman in the other thread wasn't cited, it was still their fault. The rider/driver/even runner overtaking always has the responsibility to avoid whatever is in front of them. Would you want the rule to be any different if you were the one being rear-ended?
Of course it's the cyclist's responsibility to avoid hitting who or whatever is in front of them. I didn't say anything to the contrary, I didn't complain that going slowly is a PITA, and I didn't say a word about other path users behaving responsibly. Those are indeed familiar themes in TE discussions, but not one of them was mentioned by me.

I simply pointed out that going slowly, by itself, is not guaranteed to prevent a collision in very crowded situations. I did not say that collisions are inevitable. In extreme cases, cyclists should dismount, and in all cases they should be aware of ambient noise levels.

Cyclists occasionally use whistles in NYC; I had no way of knowing this would be a radical or provocative topic to introduce. I am a slow and careful cyclist; my interest in a signal that can actually be heard should prove that I am particularly concerned with safety.