I bet you my horse you wouldn’t catch me riding a bicycle on the streets of Sioux Falls.
Should we be just a bit concerned that an elected official in one of the fastest growing counties in the United States is anti-bicycle? Yes we should.
Sitting on several boards as part of my duties, I’ve been learning more about the new bicycle lanes that have cropped up around town. I couldn’t be more concerned about the hazardous conditions these create on our streets.
I’ve been around enough to know the arguments before I even hear them, that safe drivers and safe bicyclists doing what they’re supposed to should make for a happy mix. That’s pure fantasy.
Bikes and vehicles shouldn’t share confined space, period.
Well Dan, I’m not going to pull any fancy statistical math out of my butt, but I will pull some stats from my personal experience. The safest place for any bicyclist is on the street, riding with traffic and obeying the same laws as motorists. Bicyclists should also wear bright clothes, have lights and a helmet. I have been riding on the streets/sidewalks/bike trails of Sioux Falls since 1993. Guess how many accidents I have been in riding on the streets? Zero. Guess how many I have been in riding on the bike trail or sidewalks . . . I have lost track. I have broken my elbow trying to avoid a pedestrian on a sidewalk, I have been bumped numerous times by vehicles coming out of approaches while riding on the sidewalk, I almost dislocated my shoulder while hitting a curb, riding on the sidewalk (that one destroyed the entire front of my bike). I have also gotten a fat lip from eating my handlebars after going off the curb, while riding on the sidewalk. Besides the occasional ‘F’You!’ from motorists riding on the street or the honk of a horn and a middle finger, NO one has ever hit me either intentionally or accidently riding on the street. Why you ask? BECAUSE MOTORISTS CAN SEE YOU! It really is that simple.
I’d hang my hat on the premise that South Dakotans employ a larger degree of logic and reasoning. Unfortunately, bicycle lanes are planned by a tiny group of elected officials and paid planners/consultants.
I probably wouldn’t hang my hat there when it comes to planning bike lanes, and while I often cringe when public officials hire ‘consultants’ I guess I would much prefer a bike/traffic professional planning our bike lanes then farmer Joe. You don’t go to a Chiropractor to cure Cancer, you go to an Oncologist (that’s the fancy word for Cancer Doctor, BTW).
I’m concerned that the vast majority of Sioux Falls motorists will have no idea they’re coming till they turn onto the new streets.
I would agree that that is unfortunate, but as I tell all of my friends who are getting into bike commuting and riding on our streets, RIDE DEFENSIVELY and CARRY A BIG HORN! The same goes for driving a car or walking across a street, always be aware of your surroundings. Do motorists get a free pass because they drive a much larger heavier vehicle? They can just plow people over if they don’t see them? That is about as ridiculous statement as it comes.
I’ve raised my concerns, and probably a couple tempers voicing these thoughts in board meetings. I’ve hit a brick wall in doing anything about it myself.
Dan, you have probably hit a brick wall because YOU ARE WRONG and people are tired of arguing with you and all your ‘wrongness’.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to let my fellow drivers know what’s coming. Be safe folks, on two wheels or several. Logic and reasoning were both left untouched in the toolbox on this one.
I would also like to take this opportunity to tell the same folks to NOT re-elect Dan King to the county commission. Logic and reasoning were obviously left untouched in the ballot box when he was elected to his first term.
We need bicycle lanes on our Sioux Falls streets, it just makes sense.
From the looks of him, he probably would be pro horse lane.
Probably, since he seems to be governing like it is the 1880’s.
I am not against sharing the streets with bike riders operating safely and in accordance with rules of the road. The problem is that this describes less than 5 % of the bike riders I encounter
Which is ironic Matt, because I could say the same about motorists in this town.
I rarely see bike riders stop for stop signs and traffic lights unless there happens to be cross-traffic.
Which is also ironic anon, because I see several motorists doing just that all of time.
That’s the point of bike lanes in the streets folks, treat both the same.
I choose riding a bicycle over a horse. There’s the leash law and I don’t have a bag big enough to pick up horse pies. Horses are more practical when made into dog food or glue to keep this cowboy’s mouth pasted full of skoal.
Tried using a bike for street transportation many moons ago. Got clobbered by a Suburban. Took a long time to recover. Not going that route again. Bikes are just for fun riding away from cars for me.
Look at his LinkedIn page, Mr. King makes a living with vehicle-based mobile marketing. How clever. He’s thinking he could make more money if he got rid of all the cyclists.
Maybe he could get create a platform for mobile marketing on a bicycle;
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankingmobilemarketing
Speaking of mobile marketing; How about shipping the VW’s that don’t meet emissions to Cuba and bring back some 1950’s classic cars? Recall cars for recall memories.
So…… He thinks it’s a bad idea to mix bikes and cars on the streets. I wonder how he feels about mixing pedestrians and cars on the streets. Is he in favor of forcing all the small towns in Lincoln County, and all the “rural residential” developments to put sidewalks and/or bike paths on all streets and roads??? I’d be in favor of and support him in that effort. Of course it would get him un-elected ASAP.
How does he fit that hat up his ass?