Comment 26358

By Frank (registered) | Posted August 13, 2008 at 10:24:43

Ryan, I may have used the wrong word and either you're being facetious or you're not thinking today. So let me explain - A 100N force exerted over an area of 450 sq cm (35cm by 15cm about the width of a thin person (me) by the height of a small bumper) is .19N/sq cm. It would only take 5.7N exerted over an area of 30 sq cm (2cm by 15cm about the height and width of one side of a handlebar) It's a direct ration of area to force required. This would be the philosophy behind things like sports pads (check out the Discovery TV show "Sport Science")

kevlahan, regarding your bike boxes, great idea but there should be a bike lane. As a general rule our streets don't have bike lanes and if there's no bike lane there should be no riding past cars because it's unexpected behaviour. The only way to minimize any type of accident is make sure that everyone makes as few unpredictable movements as possible - hence the rules of the road. Drivers shouldn't pass cyclists without changing lanes which is why I don't think a cyclist should stick to the right of the lane (not to mention the potholes). If a cyclist used the lane lets say from the centre left that would force drivers to make complete lane changes in order to pass them. Now of course with a bike lane that wouldn't even be necessary. Quite often I will move to the right of my lane to discourage a cyclist from passing me at a stop light not because I don't want to get stuck behind them but because I know that there's going to be one time that some driver up ahead doesn't check before turning right and takes out said cyclist. So no...don't pass when vehicles are stopped at a stoplight. You can't expect others to obey the rules but give yourself carte blanche in the same breath!

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