Action Alert: Accidents Involving Pedestrians Rise In Balt. Co.
[B' Spokes: This article makes my blood boil, too many pedestrians and cyclists are "at fault" because the road was designed only for cars and dangerous for everyone else. Part two what's the point of having laws to protect cyclists rights to the road if police never learn them or even bother to read the law as they pertain to cyclists? After the fold is the email address of Baltimore County Police.] ************************************************************************************
By Suzanne Collins
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ...
...
Pedestrian accidents, especially fatal ones, are way up in Baltimore County.
They involve bicyclists, joggers, and people on foot.
From 2006 through 2008 an average of 15 people were killed [per year.] Last year that rose to 19.
In the first four months of this year already eight have died. If that rate continues, there could be 24 deaths before year's end.
"What we're finding is, of those accidents involving a pedestrian, that generally the pedestrian is at fault," said James Johnson, Chief Baltimore Co. Police.
The police report shows the truck driver in Tuesday's crash may not be at fault.
Police say the bicyclist wasn't wearing a helmet [as the law allows,] and they believe he was riding in the middle of the car lane [***as the law recommends.***] They also say the driver probably had a blind spot when he came over the hill [as if the hill makes the cyclists at fault.]
A group promoting bicycling says its riders observe traffic rules, but drivers need to know of a new law.
"Drivers need to know to give cyclists three feet when passing, which is a safe passing distance," said Carol Silldorff, One Car Less.
And if it's a narrow road, Silldorff still says drivers should be accountable.
"You wait, just like if you were passing a child," she said.
Because of the rising number of fatals, county police have been out giving warnings to pedestrians who violate traffic laws. They will kick off an education campaign soon.
"Certainly both the pedestrian and the motor vehicle operator have responsibility here. Obviously a pedestrian has responsibility to obey traffic laws not cross in areas that are dangerous," said Johnson.
In two bike fatalities so far this year and several serious injuries, they were riding outside the beltway mostly on rural roads without sidewalks.
The county also is working to engineer its roadways to accommodate both forms of transportation. <a href="http://wjz.com/local/pedestrian.accidents.2.1679674.html">http://wjz.com/local/pedestrian.accidents.2.1679674.html</a>;
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If you are as outraged as I am e-mail: bcpd@baltimorecountymd.gov and cc'ing the County Executive would not hurt either, jimsmith@baltimorecountymd.gov
The laws as applicable to this case:
§ 21-1205. Riding on roadways or on highway.
(a) Riding to right side of roadway.- Each person operating a bicycle or a motor scooter at a speed less than the speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing on a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable and safe, ***except when:***
(6) Operating in a lane that is ***too narrow*** for a bicycle or motor scooter and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane [such as Belair Rd]
§ 21-1207.1. Helmets required.
(a) In general.-
(1) The provisions of this section apply:
(ii) To a person ***under the age of 16*** who is riding on a bicycle, including a person under the age of 16 who is a passenger on a bicycle:
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