Cyclists vs. Cars – Who’s the Bigger Menace? [POLL]

Weather’s great and the roads are full of motorists going to the shore, mountains, wherever.
And so too are the cyclists.

You see them, especially on weekends taking advantage of the beautiful weather and just enjoying nature.
But there’s one problem.

Too many cars and cyclists and not enough road.

That’s why the Assembly is passing new legislation to insure that cyclists can have the necessary safety they need to negotiate narrow roads.

But in doing so, do they make the roads less safe for the cars with whom they have to travel.
No they don’t.

I know – I try, and I realize that to swing out of the way of cyclists can put you in the path of an oncoming car, especially if you’re in a blind spot.

According to this from nj.com

Drivers would have to give cyclists and pedestrians at least four feet of space on the road under a bill that passed the state Assembly today.

The bill (A1577/1600) passed 49-21 with 6 abstentions.

Some Assembly members said four feet is too much on some roads.

Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-Hunterdon) said his district is full of narrow, winding country roads with a lot of blind spots. Peterson said a better solution would be to apply to cyclists the state’s current law on overtaking those riding horses.

“Horses can get spooked by traffic. It says you proceed with caution and at 25 miles per hour, no matter what the speed limit is on the road itself,” Peterson said. “I think that’s a better way to handle these situations than to try to determine how you’re going to do a four-foot berth between you and a bicycle.”

Drivers who violate the bill would face fines of between $100 and $500.

The Assembly also passed a bill (A2090) that would establish an additional fine of up to $500 for a driver who commits a motor vehicle violation that results in collision with a cyclist. It passed 74-3.
Both bills would need to pass the Senate and win the approval of Gov. Chris Christie to become law.

Sigh – another law, another fine, and another problem as to how to enforce this new legislation.
These are the things that are rarely, if ever, thought out.

Who do you feel are the bigger menaces: cyclists or cars?

While cyclist safety, as well as pedestrian safety, is always going to be a concern – should it result in possible injury and maybe even death to a motorist?