Accidents involving bicycles are on the riseby Sarah Rice (srice@wsbt.com)
High gas prices have more people riding bicycles, and police say they're seeing more accidents involving bicyclists as a result. (WSBT photo) GRANGER — Another bicyclist has died after being struck by a car. Police say these accidents and close calls between cars and bikes are becoming more common. Multimedia Related Content
More people are riding bikes because of the high gas prices and the struggling economy. Accidents with bikes are on the rise — police say they've skyrocketed over the past few years — and so are complaints from drivers. But preventing bike accidents means both drivers and cyclists need to be more aware. Cycling is one of Patrick Kulwicki's biggest passions in life. "I ride probably 150 to 200 miles a week," he told WSBT News. But when Kulwicki hits the road, he often fears the worst. "With drivers, they're upset that you are in their way or they're not getting to work on time because you're in their way,” Kulwicki said. “It causes them to do things which put the cyclists potentially, and even the drivers sometimes, at risk by doing dangerous maneuvers in order to avoid cyclists." But cyclists aren't the only ones frustrated. Police say complaints from drivers have increased drastically. "I’ve noticed them running stop lights and stop signs,” said driver Louie O’Banion. “And they crowd the traffic quite a bit." "Kids are darting out and cars are going extremely fast,” said another driver Christina Garvey. “And it's going to lead to fatalities that are not necessary." From March 2005 - August 2005, Elkhart and South Bend police both reported just two bike accidents each. This year that number jumped to 17 in Elkhart and 19 in South Bend. Police say preventing the problem is a two-way street: Just like drivers, cyclists must follow all traffic laws. "If there's a stop sign, they have to stop,” said Lt. Ed Windbigler from the Elkhart Police. “If it's a crosswalk they have stop if it says 'Don't Walk.' They can't ride just because they want to." And drivers have to be more observant. "Just like the beginning of spring when more people start getting their motorcycles out,” Windbigler said. “You have to be aware that they're out there." And Kulwicki thinks having more bike lanes would also help cut down on accidents. "You know driving through town there's really kind of a lack of options as to where you can go in order to be safe," he said. There are plans to make room for more bike lanes in South Bend. The Bike Michiana Coalition met with the city Wednesday. They hope to have more bike lanes added sometime next month. Sunday, Aug 31 at 7:17 PM Dave wrote ...If you want to ride your bike in the streets, then do it! But don't go complaining when you get hit by a car. You could have avoided the whole thing from the get-go! "DRIVERS HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS MOTORISTS!"---what a stupid answer! Saturday, Aug 30 at 6:11 PM larry wrote ...The law is bikes must ride with traffic and in single file...not side by side. Friday, Aug 29 at 5:41 PM anon wrote ...My son and I were driving on potage south of martins A adult man rode his bike through a red light did even look. Also who is paying for the painting ana labor for these bike lanes? Friday, Aug 29 at 3:50 PM bradley wrote ...Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq3gIVGFTk4&feature=related Friday, Aug 29 at 3:27 PM Bradley wrote ..."Nearly half of all traffic movements in Amsterdam are by bike. The Dutch are proud of their biking culture and can be seen pedaling rain or shine through the city streets. Bike paths connect the entire country and cyclists are well respected on the roads, making cycling an efficient as well as healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around" (quoted from a site on biking in Holland). If they can do it there, why not here? The cyclists outnumber people like Observer!! Friday, Aug 29 at 1:15 PM dave wrote ...I always ride to the right, but not all roads are flat, and there's potholes manhole covers and all sorts of other obstacles. Is it to much to agree to try to be safe (driver's and bicycles). Just because a few morons act crazy on bicycles doesn't jusify all this rhetoric. I think a story on the rules of the road is an awsome idea. Our roads were used by bicycles and wagons long before the invention of the horseless carriage!! You car/suv drivers don't own 100% ofmy road. Pay attention Friday, Aug 29 at 12:28 PM Anonymous wrote ...If we weren't living in fear of our fellow man, many of us wouldn't bother having a car. But who wants to go through the city without the protection of a steel care? Friday, Aug 29 at 11:33 AM To William wrote ...People like YOU are the reason that there are problems in this world. One BAD apple destroys the whole bunch. I'm sorry for you. Friday, Aug 29 at 11:20 AM Myrt wrote ...Michiana needs to add more bike paths. It's obvious that more people will be riding bikes considering the gas prices. Also, maybe WSBT should do a story on the Rules of the Road; both for the bicyclists and motorists. Please include proper lane usage as well. So many people don't understand they are supposed to stay in their lanes when they are making their turns. We need to get educated and then follow the rules we learn! Friday, Aug 29 at 10:39 AM pam wrote ...I ride a bike for excercise, I think the laws need to be changed back to letting bike ride the same way people walk against traffic, this way we can see what is coming toward us and get out of the way, anything coming from behind we are blind to. I am not comfortable riding my bike with traffic and many time do ride against just to make me feel more safe, please change the laws back we did not have these kind of accidents when the law was this way, esp. since more people are out riding bikes. Friday, Aug 29 at 10:36 AM WILLIAM wrote ...I PAY TAXES SO THE ROAD BELONGS TO ME AS MUCH AS IT BELONGS TO EVERBODY ELSE. SO I WILL RIDE MY BIKE ANYWHERE I WANT ANY TIME I WANT SO TO BAD YOU WILL TO JUST SLOW DOWN SORRY FOR YOU Friday, Aug 29 at 10:24 AM Jen wrote ...I only ride my bike on the sidewalk. It's much safer. Friday, Aug 29 at 9:38 AM Observer wrote ...So bicyclist do not want to ride on sidewalks because of dangers it will create for pedestrians yet they create these same dangers by using the roads. And as far as bike paths, I rarely (if ever) see bicyclists use them - just drive down Juniper (near Douglas) and the Darden bridge area. I totally agree with "tob". If you want to bike, great but it is YOUR responsibility to do it in a safe environment. You are NOT going to change drivers. Thankfully we will have snow soon. Friday, Aug 29 at 9:35 AM Donald Dee wrote ...I am so scared to ride my bike on the streets on the parks and on the woods. Some drunk will come up suddenly and not stop on the sign and hit me and then run away. There are a lot them like this on the streets and the parks too. Them drug users and pimps that are on the lookout and drivin so crazy. Would someon tell them not to drive drunk or at least take a breathalizer before they leave the local bar. Bar owners do not allow drunks to drive without a designated driver.. please,,would you? Friday, Aug 29 at 8:15 AM N wrote ...I mentioned this the other day and it didnt get posted. In Plymouth, I watched a kid of about 12-13 years old ride into traffic and get hit. He got up, seemed ok, and rode off. 2 hours later, in the same intersection, he did it again and almost got hit a second time. Bikes, and their riders, need to learn the rules of the road. You dont ride out into traffic! Signal, stay in your lane, wear protection, have proper lights on your bike.....all of this can easily be prevented people! Friday, Aug 29 at 8:03 AM Longhaul Rider wrote ...I do beleive that riders should get over to the right in "single file", not two abreast,If a driver has to make a choice whether to hit a couple of bikes, or head on into another car, what choice do you think he'll make? and in this story, didnt the driver cross the center line anyway? Drunk maybe? Friday, Aug 29 at 7:58 AM LongHaul Rider wrote ...I ride to work daily,following the laws, and the reason I found that ppl ride the streets is because the transitions from sidewalk to street and back is too rough, its hard on our bodies and our bikes.Elkhart City has new sidewalks along W. Franklin St, and they did it right with smooth transitions, I have no problem riding there.Its sad that ppl cant do what they love without others getting crappy about it.I bet these haters could use a good long ride. Friday, Aug 29 at 7:37 AM Nancy Sawyer wrote ...All the comments here simply point to the need for more dialogue on the bike/car issue within our community. I will be creating a forum specifically for that, and I expect every driver, pedestrian, and cyclist take an interest! As far as the family of Pete goes, I would love to set up a memorial web site for him--a place where loved ones can send sincere comments. Please contact me! Go to my husband's memorial site to contact me: Pat Friday, Aug 29 at 7:30 AM Anon wrote ...According to Indiana Law bikes have the same rights and privileges as a car, but also the same responsibilities. That means slower moving vehicles need to be to the right side as much as possible. Whether bikes are technically in the right or not, they will lose the fight against such bigger vehicles. Friday, Aug 29 at 6:40 AM Eric wrote ...Maybe we should get rid of the sidewalks since they arent being used and add a few feet of road for bicycle lanes and pedestrian traffic. The next time we need to repave roads add a couple feet for a bike lane. I do want to add the sidewalks arent safe - I drive on the sidewalks all the time so watch out. Friday, Aug 29 at 6:30 AM Myrt wrote ...to Adam Bee: "If we didn't have cars and semis, we'd spend nearly nothing on road repair" -true, there would be no roads. Unreal!!!!-the law states bikes can ride two abreast as far to the right as possible. Some bikers feel they can use the whole lane. Rules of Road for cars - you shouldn't interfere with the flow of traffic, unfortunately some people on bikes don't follow that rule. To be fair many cars don't follow that rule either; eg: they pull out in front of you and don't accelerate. Friday, Aug 29 at 5:07 AM tob wrote ...With as narrow and heavily traveled as the roads are around here you'd be a fool to jog / ride a bicycle especially when it is dark out. I'm sorry for the people involved in the accidents but with the narrow roads and heavy traffic its only a matter of time before your going to get hit by a car. Is it worth your life to save a couple $ on gas. Buy a treadmill and keep your family from having to grieve. Friday, Aug 29 at 3:09 AM Amazed wrote ...Chris 8:24-I am amazed as a teacher that we are teaching people to grow into idiots. You are truly an IDIOT! First, bikes are not allowed on sidewalks. I do believe this has been a law since I was younger and I am now 34. Secondly, "Sorry about your luck"? You are a medical phenom. I've never heard of someone walking around without a heart. Sorry about your luck? This was a man with a family. To down play this incident shows you are heartless. You're an idiot, sorry about YOUR luck! Friday, Aug 29 at 12:15 AM JAS wrote ..."There are more accidents because the people on bikes think they own the road and aren't cautious of the cars on the road." And the cars are always ever sooo cautious right? Heaven forbid you have to drive the speed limit and *gasp* pay attention to slower moving traffic and even pass them? I know, its tough for drivers these days, but come on. Thursday, Aug 28 at 9:22 PM Anonymous wrote ...First I feel very sorry for the family that will miss a father. Second The roads should be shared. The rider who was run over was wearing a helmet and a vest trying to be safe. We live in a comunitee that promotes health and wellness we need more bike paths and safe zones for bikes. Thursday, Aug 28 at 9:22 PM steve wrote ...Bikes must ride with traffic... but the car did cross the yellow line. Saddly if the bike was riding on the correct side of the street he would not have been hit. Thursday, Aug 28 at 9:08 PM It's the way we are wrote ...Over time we have conditioned ourselves to exercise a whole new mentality."ME FIRST!" People cut off school buses because they don't want to get behind one. They actually hit their brakes when they see a police car coming from the opposite way because they don't want a ticket. By law bikes are to travel in the same direction as vehicular traffic so when coming up from behind one with a car coming from the opposite direction ,GUN IT! Don't even get me started on "Right turn on red but slow down." Thursday, Aug 28 at 9:05 PM G wrote ...The laws are the laws. It does not mean that there are correct, but they are laws. I understand bikes are not allowed on sidewalks. This makes perfect sense in major cities lie New York, Chicago, L.A., etc... But here, how many people do you see walking? How many sidewalks do you see empty, with a maybe not so disciplined rider making it difficult for traffic to move smoothly. Laws can be revised and changed to adapt to society and the environments we create. Just use common sense where it works Thursday, Aug 28 at 8:45 PM Mel wrote ...Is it so hard to slow down and go around a person riding a bicycle? Aren't more of us supposed to be walking and riding bicycles for our health, for the enviroment, and to save on fuel? Do we have to be so self-involved and such a hurry that we have to run over anything and everyone else on the road? I slowed down and drove around a couple of bicyclers today and it didn't kill me. If you lived around Nappanee you would learn this very quickly since many Amish ride bicycles. Thursday, Aug 28 at 8:10 PM Anonymous wrote ...There is alot of generalization going on here. The two people who were fatally hit recently were regular cyclists. They were from a community of local athletes who use the roads for training regularly. While I will not generalize myself, most people in the athletic community are well aware of the rules of the road and also of the dangers of the road. We ride with our safety, and that of others, in mind. Sidewalks are not an option for training or for safety. Education and bike lanes are Thursday, Aug 28 at 8:09 PM unreal!!! wrote ...It was unreal. I was driving Oak Road Tuesday afternoon when I came upon two guys on mountain type bikes. They were pedalling hard on that slight uphill by the state park. One of them was a third way into the lane the other was in the middle of the road. Neither moved for me. I don't know if they did'nt see me or were just not wanting to move. I had to darn near stop to avoid hitting one of them. They did'nt wave or acknowledge me. Wake-up guys, ya don't want to wrinkle those pretty bike suits. Thursday, Aug 28 at 8:06 PM Adam Bee wrote ...Cyclists have just as much rights to the road as motorists. As far as fees and taxes: 1. Bikes don't break up the roads as much as cars do. Roman roads are still in good shape because they never had heavy cars on them. If we didn't have cars and semis, we'd spend nearly nothing on road repair. 2. Taxes and fees have no connection to government expeditures. Gas taxes and license fees only decrease the property and income taxes. Expenditures are totally independent from revenue streams. Thursday, Aug 28 at 7:24 PM Chris wrote ...It's amazing here in Granger with the miles upon miles of neighborhood roads and people STILL ride down 23, Grape, Gumwood, Fir... you name it. GET OFF THE ROADS!! They were designed for cars NOT bicycles. Sorry about your luck. Thursday, Aug 28 at 7:02 PM shoppy wrote ...As a driver on tweleth street during after dark hours I am concerened about the number ofjoggers and riders on bikes with black clothing running and riding after dark with no reflecters or lights. I see a definate ordeance needs to be drafted to protect the drivers hitting one of these people or requiring all bike to be equipped with lights and reflecters Unfortunitly laws cant dictate common sense As Jeff Foxworthy says Heres your sign Thursday, Aug 28 at 6:50 PM dave wrote ...Dude, 90% of the places around the country it is ILLEGAL to ride on the sidewalk. What about people on foot? Not to mention flying across intersections on the walk...doesn't seem like a good idea. I don't see everybody's issue here. What are you talking about, walk and don't walk? Have you people ridden a bicycle? Thursday, Aug 28 at 6:43 PM anon wrote ...to drive a car you have to pay for a drivers license, pay for your plates, and in St. Joe Co. you have to pay a wheel tax. Motorists pay to use the roads, bicyclists do not. So, who has more rights to the road? Plus, I never see people on bikes stop for stop signs like cars are required to do. Thursday, Aug 28 at 6:24 PM nb wrote ...Lt. Ed Windbigler from the Elkhart Police. “If it's a crosswalk they have stop if it says 'Don't Walk.' - Even the police aren't sure how to monitor this. Bicyclists are supposed to follow vehicular traffic laws - they're not pedestrians and don't have to stop at a Don't Walk sign. Thursday, Aug 28 at 6:11 PM Dave wrote ...Why can't people utilize the sidewalks? I don't know HOW MANY times I see cyclists riding down the road, and I look left or right and there is NO ONE on the sidewalks. PEOPLE, it' safer to use the sidewalks! Remember, cars don't drive on sidewalks! If there is no sidewalk, then so be it, use the street. Unless you're riding your bike out in the county somewhere, you should have no problem gaining access to a sidewalk. Thursday, Aug 28 at 6:02 PM It will get worse. wrote ...You ain't seen nothin' yet, wait until we get 6" inches of snow over a sheet of ice. Thursday, Aug 28 at 5:58 PM Anonymous wrote ...There are more accidents because the people on bikes think they own the road and aren't cautious of the cars on the road. I don't know how many times I had to move to the other side of the rode just to make sure I didn't hit a person on a bike. They need to be more careful and considerate of cars. Add a comment |
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Tuesday, Sep 2 at 12:31 PM aberdeen cycle forum wrote ...
yes bikes and cars have to both be more alert, but especially cars, because they're the ones weighing 1.5 tonnes and travelling at 40mph.