To Whom it May Concern,
While I am aware of the existing bicycling infrastructure in extensive bike paths-rated in the top of the country-I feel that this city has not addressed the issue of motorists and bicyclists coexisting.
While I enjoy making use of the off-street bike paths part of the reason behind why I bike is in order to save on gas and to lessen my carbon footprint. It is also a nice way to get back and forth while enjoying the little sun and warmth we get in a year. However, many times I am put off of biking because I do not want to have to deal with motorists who pass too closely and do not recognize my rights on the streets. Since bicycles are considered to be vehicles and are supposed to ride on the street it is important that motorists be aware of the safety measures and laws regarding bicyclists.
There has been one too many times that if I only drifted to the left by a few inches I would have been hit by a mirror, or to have to stop so quickly I nearly tip my bike when a motorist did not notice me and drove right in front of me. Many motorists are also not aware of the hand signals used to denote "right", "left" and "straight".
In order to address this problem I would like to see more Public Service Announcements similar to the ones concerning motorcyclists. Many of the problems I've experienced are that of motorists not being aware of bicyclists on the road, or of the signals used to communicate. The problem with that arises from the fact that the motorists are operating vehicles that are several thousands of pounds heavier than the bicyclists, which does not make for a safe match if there is confusion about the rules. I hope that this issue can be addressed and I can start to feel safer on the road.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen
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