Making the case for better behavior on the road

Last week, Brent Cohrs, a blogger for Chicago Now, wrote an insightful series of blog posts making the case for better behavior on the road for people riding bikes and driving cars.

Here are a few tidbits from the posts that went up on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday last week.

Whether you're a pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist, or motorist, if you're not obeying the rules of the road or acting in a predictable manner, you're increasing your own risk for getting injured. Your bad behavior is also increasing the risk for others.

And…

It is difficult to wage a campaign for the right to share the road safely when some riders we seek to protect exhibit no regard for their own safety or the safety of others.

While emphasizing the importance of everyone following the rules of the road and being courteous, Cohrs points out that motorists who drive recklessly warrant the most concern. The potential for injury and even death, he explains, is exponentially higher when motorists behave badly.

The greatest threat to the safety of a pedestrian is a motor vehicle. The greatest threat to the safety of a cyclist is a motor vehicle. The greatest threat to the safety of a motorist is a motor vehicle. When driven improperly, a motor vehicle is a lethal weapon. Let's not lose sight of the fact that driving is by far the most dangerous activity that any of us partakes in on a daily basis.

PS: Active Trans is glad that Cohrs is asking his readers to sign our petition in support of installing protected bike lanes in the Loop. If you haven’t signed it yet, please do so right away.