I read your article from 9-July regarding “How to lower risk of riding accidents” and quite liked it. Especailly ” My rule of thumb is that my safety depends entirely on me” seems to be the only thorough accident avoidence strategy. In this regard, it would be interesting to write about the phenomena that large numbers of riders ride in jeans and T-Shirts (with friends or oven their children on their back seat in the same “fashion”).

It does not matter what type of bike you ride or how fast, hitting a vehicle with 35Km/h followed by unforgivable ashphalt puts medical personal to work.

Only thing I didn’t like was your comparison in regards to birth control in comparison : “But that’s like depending on the man to take responsibility for a woman’s birth control: A great idea in a perfect world, but not very smart in the practical one”. Times have certainly changed today. There are enough responsible man and women in todays modern world that regard birth control for each party as important as responsible motorycle riders carry propper gear. But you are right in terms of your message: acquiring and practising safety skills as well as beeing one step ahead in the traffic is important . I hope that my daughter is never ever sitting on the back seat of some irresponsible person but get her own bike, gear and depend on her own skills.

Anyway, thanks for picking up on motorcycle issues in the TC.

Regards,

Harry

Thank you for your very prompt reply!

Re: the notion noise increases their conspicuity/presence – yes, I’ve thought about that and can see their point. If I were a rider I’d want to make sure that cars were aware of me, too!!

But, as a driver, I think the key issue is for cyclists to drive sensibly! As a driver I’m concerned when cyclists zip up and in and out in traffic, driving much faster than the flow of the other cars! To me, it’s unpredictable and I don’t know what they’re going to do. So what if I hear a roar? It’s gone in a flash.

As a pedestrian, I watch cyclists race up toward yellow lights, trying to beat the light. Sure, they make a loud roar, but will the cars waiting to move ahead on their green light hear it and know where it’s coming from?

I’m not sure if I’m making myself clear, here, but let’s just say I have some concerns about how some cyclists ride/drive so I’m so happy to see your column in the paper!!

Every time I see a cyclist with good, safe driving skills on a quietly humming bike I bless them!! LOL I wish they were all like that!!

On another note, I thought it interesting you began the column mentioning Daniel Lanois. I’m an admirer of his work and the initial news story in the paper caught my eye. Riding on a bike looks like so much fun, but at the same time cyclists are so vulnerable. We all (drivers, riders, and pedestrians) need to do our part to keep roads safe.

Thanks for considering my request about noise. I really appreciate it.

Have a great weekend,

Ann

Thanks for your suggestion! In an upcoming article, I do make the point that 80% of all input is visual (and not auditory), but you do raise an excellent point. There are in fact noise bylaws, and there are bikes out there that are in violation of those laws. Unfortunately, they are often not enforced, although in Vancouver they have started to ticket the odd rider.

I’ll keep it in mind for future articles, and look for ways to weave it in. Some argue that the noise helps to keep them safe as it increases their conspicuity (their presence) in traffic. I’ve observed, though, that we tend to hear noises ahead of us more so than those behind us, which reduces that argument somewhat. But I’ll need to look into that further.

Thanks, Ann, for reading the column and taking the time to share your thoughts!

All the best to you,
Britt Santowski

I read with interest your column on motorcycle safety in today’s Times Colonist. I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle (not brave enough), but think bikes are a great method of transportation in cities (e.g., take up less space on the road, easy to get around in, easier to find parking, energy efficient, etc.) plus I’m sure they’re fun to ride.

I do have a major concern with some cyclists and their bikes, though, and I’m wondering if you could address it in a future column.

Although many bikes purr quietly, I am greatly concerned about bikes that are extremely loud and contribute to noise pollution.

I live on Cook St. in Fairfield and although I don’t mind the steady hum of car traffic, loud motorcycles on the street are extremely annoying and irritating. Sometimes I hear them coming from several blocks away. They drown out stereos, TV, and conversation. Noisy cyclists disturb the peace at night and wake people from their sleep. One night a few weeks ago I heard a deafening roar about 11:45 PM. I got up and looked out to see what the commotion was. Twenty (!) cyclists were riding in pairs and made their way south on Cook St. before turning right onto Fairfield Road. The noise was incredibly loud.

Noise from motorcycles is a frequent topic of conversation among my neighbors and others who live, work, and shop in Cook St. Village. It’s actually having a negative impact on quality of life, especially in the summer, because it erodes peace and quiet in communities.

I’ve contacted both the police and my city representative and although they agree it’s a real problem, they both said by-laws are difficult to enforce.

It seems to me it now must be up to the motorcyclists to regulate themselves and apply peer pressure on those who’ve made their bikes extra loud by actually spending money and paying someone to put on a louder muffler.

I realize this is not a direct safety issue, but I do wonder if riders aren’t susceptible to hearing loss when they choose to ride such loud bikes.

Thanks for listening!

Sincerely,

Ann H