New Haven Personal Injury Law Blog

Keeping cyclists safe isn't something that can be effectively done if only the bicyclists are trying. A partnership announced by Uber and the League of American Bicyclists is a step in the right direction when it comes to keeping people riding bikes safe.

During the 2020 National Bike Summit, which was held virtually, these two entities noted that the safety partnership is going to work toward keeping everyone on the roads safer. This is an issue that definitely needs to be addressed because of the increase in cycling crash fatalities that's occurred in recent years, namely 2018.

When you ask drivers about the animosity that often exists between them and cyclists, one thing they may note is that cyclists break traffic laws "all the time." There is this perception among drivers -- often unfounded -- that cyclists do whatever they want and do not care about traffic laws, and drivers use this to excuse their bias against cyclists.

For instance, one of the most common things they'll complain about is cyclists running red lights. They feel like they have to stop and wait at a red in their car, even if no one is coming on the cross street, while cyclists will just look both ways and then ride through the red light as if it does not apply to them.

One reason for the conflicts between cyclists and motorists is a simple misunderstanding of what cyclists really are. Cyclists, of course, think of themselves as drivers. They get to share the road with other vehicles because they too are using a vehicle. Yes, it's smaller than a compact car and takes body power instead of gasoline, but it's still a vehicle.

Motorists, on the other hand, think of cyclists as pedestrians. They mentally group them in with people walking or running on the sidewalk. Since the cyclist is physically visible in a way that a driver is not, this fit feels natural. That's why you get drivers who say things like "bicycles do not belong on the road."

Bicycling on city streets is necessary for some people, however, it isn't always a safe prospect. Many drivers assume that they have full rights to the road without the cyclists having any. Those motorists might do things that place the people on bicycles in a dangerous position. The fact is that Connecticut law provides equal road use rights to bicyclists and motorists.

One thing that cyclists and drivers have to remember is that they all have to follow applicable laws. When anyone violates these, bicyclists may face a crash that leads to injuries or death.