Cyclists cause 10% of car-bike accidents

[Eden]

Oh, no, I don't think bad drivers should be given a pass at all. That's not what I'm saying. Just since we are not in control of how anyone else is driving or riding, we must take extra care of ourselves. Sometimes that means giving up your right of way. Maybe that is giving the car a pass, but I see it as giving myself the security of getting where I want to go in one piece. I see it as outsmarting the bully.

She made a left across my path after I had already entered the intersection.... it was pretty cut and dry that she did something that she should not have. I do believe in being alert and keeping a close eye on other traffic and its kept me from having any serious interactions with cars for 25+ years until just two months ago. Yes, you cannot control the way others drive, and I do believe that you can do a great deal to keep yourself safe but I also think its completely bogus to just say oh well I'm small and vulnerable, if someone hits me I should just accept that it was my fault for being there. NO - it was not my fault - roads have never been the exclusive province of the motor vehicle and motorists need to accept much more responsibility than they do. They are the ones who have the most capacity to cause harm, so they should bear the most responsibility to conduct themselves safely. Just because that is not what actually does happen doesn't mean that it should not be that way, nor does it mean that we should not work towards it actually happening. Yes, I totally believe in never trust a driver and always be alert and ready to react, put your own safety before anything else, but I am not willing to blame cyclists for collisions that I think cars are responsible for just because they are smaller and more vulnerable and I'm not willing to say well this is the way it is and it just can't change, so accept it. I want change - I want laws that mean more driver responsibility - I want laws that remove licensing from poor drivers.