The next time some well meaning, yet naive media commentator starts pointing fingers about perceived errant cyclist behaviour or plain ‘ol anti-cyclist crap, please bear in mind this frequent series by NY’s Streetsblog:
Streetsblog: The Weekly Carnage:Fatal Crashes (25 Killed This Week; 444 Killed This Year)
Greenburgh, N.Y.: Sprain Brook Rollover Kills Driver (Journal News), Manhattan: Pedestrian, 42, Struck Crossing West Side Highway* (Villager)Brooklyn: DWI Charge After Speeder Kills Good Samaritan (Daily News, NY Post), Queens: SUV Smashes Into Parked Motorcyclist, Killing 1 (NYT, NY Post),Clinton, N.Y.: Rye Cyclist, 41, Hit from Behind and Killed (Journal News),Bristol, Conn.: 4 Teens Killed, 3 Injured in 2-Car Wreck (AP/Newsday)Hardyston, N.J.: Brooklyn WTC Survivor and Wife Killed in Crash (Star-Ledger),Lakeview & Hewlett, L.I.: Separate Crashes Kill 2, Injure 4 (Newsday) Stamford, Conn.: Pedestrian Killed; Driver Gets Manslaughter Charge (Advocate),Wyandanch, L.I.: Driver Arrested for DUI After Passenger Killed (Newsday),Chappaqua, N.Y.: Chess Master, 76, Killed in Head-On (Journal News), Sag Harbor, L.I.: Teen Driver Dies as BMW Slams Into Trees (Newsday),Coram, L.I.: Woman, 21, Trying to Pass SUV Killed in Head-On (Newsday),New Brunswick, N.J.: Man Killed as Car Swerves and Hits Pole (Star-Ledger), Carle Place, L.I.: Motorist Killed Veering Into Path of Truck (Newsday),Long Island: 2 Motorcyclists Killed, 1 Injured, in Three Crashes (Newsday),North Amityville, L.I.: Man, 36, Killed After Car Hits Tree (Newsday),Dix Hills, L.I.: Man Charged in Swindle Dies in Motorcycle Crash (Newsday) etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc
Footnote in NB link: “Trend: ‘Bicyclists Posing a Safety Hazard on Our Roadways’.” suspend disbelief before this bit
An Australian version would be a interesting concept to research, although rather depressing to media monitor, as doing the regular monitoring for WoJ can be daunting enough for me. Like many I’m all for higher levels of compliance and cyclists following the road rules, but a bit of perspective & balance wouldn’t be a bad idea to pursue … ah shit that sounds too much like uncommon common sense.
Now back to the gardening.
