Speeding Thru a School Zone...on a bicycle!

[LTD]

what part of cyclists are required to abide by the same rules of the road as vehicles do the physics majors on here not understand its pretty simple no weights or measurements involved

[Atomoa]

Given how much effort drivers have to put in to avoid free-for-all cyclists its depressing some cyclists (and posters) don't seem to have the same concern and courtesy towards children.

It's amazing that all summer there was no epidemic of cyclists mowing down children playing in the street/yards. With children out of school and running wild across Kelowna with a 50-80 km/hr speed limit city-wide, it's mind boggling why that wasn't a child death or casualty every week due to cyclist/child collisions. There are bikes and children everywhere in July!

[WeatherWoman]

But the kids out playing in the summer were not in groups of 250-400.

[Atomoa]

But the kids out playing in the summer were not in groups of 250-400.

Easier to see and avoid the large clusters of children.

Kids don't play in groups in the summer? 250-400 children cross the road at once? Why is the speed limit reduced all day for a danger-time of only a few minutes?

[GordonH]

Why is the speed limit reduced all day for a danger-time of only a few minutes?

The few extra seconds it take to travel the lenght of school zone at 30kms/per Hr. What the hell the big deal.

[spooker]

You want to get hit by a small adult on a bike that's doing 30 kph?

Of course not ... but given the choice of where to put enforcement effort I'd rather have the focus be on a vehicle going over 30kph instead of worrying about the cyclist going over 30kph ... I think the ratio of instances is going to be 50:1, and that's being generous ...

what part of cyclists are required to abide by the same rules of the road as vehicles do the physics majors on here not understand its pretty simple no weights or measurements involved

Where on here is someone saying that cyclists should get a free pass? I haven't read it that way and I won't say to ignore cyclists who are breaking the rules ... but as I said in my answer to Bman, a cyclist speeding through a school zone won't have the same impact in a crash as a car, thus it makes more sense to make sure the drivers are the focus when the situation is the same

Can you bike riders explain why [after the city sppends thousands of dollars on bike paths] and you ride on the sidewalk.

Personally I can't directly answer you ... the sidewalk scares the crap out of me ... my best chance to live is to make myself as visible to vehicles as possible, and that means being within your sightline, not on the sidewalk ...

People that I've talked to, just say they don't trust drivers ... they see too many drivers with phones in their hands ... they've been hit on the road previously ...

When there is separated infrastructure, like Cawston, like Ethel, like Clement ... you'll see more cyclists since they all feel more comfortable to be away from speeding cars ... sadly places like downtown Bernard don't help cyclists feeling safe since you're caught between drivers looking everywhere for a parking spot and drivers opening doors without paying attention

Thats why some of us wont ride with our back to traffic, on roads that are curvy with poor sightlines..ie High Rd between Clifton and Glenmore..

If anything happens, getting hit from behind is much more survivable than having a head-on collision ... and are you that certain that you'd throw yourself to the sidewalk in time if you did see someone crossing the line?

[WeatherWoman]

Easier to see and avoid the large clusters of children.

Kids don't play in groups in the summer? 250-400 children cross the road at once? Why is the speed limit reduced all day for a danger-time of only a few minutes?

Are you serious?

Do you argue for the 30km dawn to dusk for parks?

Did you know a child hit at 50km has an 80% chance of dying and a child hit at 30km has an 80% of surviving?

I have 30+ staff of crossing guards who some of them had to jump for cover from cyclist whipping through school zones. They have a right to safe work environment.

[Atomoa]

What the hell the big deal.

Drive past a dark and empty school at 4:45 pm at 30km/hr just incase a kid is on the sidewalk, meanwhile all summer I drive around at 50/60km/hr with children everywhere.

We need activated school zone lights that flash lowered speed limits at loading and unloading times. 7-8:30am and 2:30-3:30pm. This is common in the US. Anything outside of those times carries just as much "potential danger to children" as driving around a city all summer.

Are you serious?

Yes I am. Kid's are not allowed off school property during the day. Keep better control of children and don't design schools right next to bust roads and we won't have to watch out for random kids running in the street at 1pm.

Everyone's time is valuable.

[GordonH]

Drive past a dark and empty school at 4:45 pm at 30km/hr just incase a kid is on the sidewalk, meanwhile all summer I drive around at 50/60km/hr with children everywhere.

What a hardship for you

[WeatherWoman]

We need activated school zone lights that flash lowered speed limits at loading and unloading times. 7-8:30am and 2:30-3:30pm. This is common in the US. Anything outside of those times carries just as much "potential danger to children" as driving around a city all summer.

Can we see the stats for this?

[Atomoa]

When all the children are in class they are not in the street. Kids are not allowed off school grounds. During class and recess all the children should be contained in the school or on the property.

In the summer time kids are everywhere. In the street and in the park and on sidewalks selling lemonade down the street and drawing chalk designs in the street. In the summer time city-wide there is a much higher risk of hitting a child because they are everywhere at all times of the day and the weather facilitates outdoor play. Despite this we do not have a city-wide lowered speed limit.

...we only lower speed limits during the times when all children legally should be contained indoors. Also it seems when the weather does not make outdoor play a highest priority for children.

The danger times are loading and unloading times. The speed limit should reflect that danger at those times.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

This in response to , would you really want to get hit by an adult on a bike at 30 kph ?

hat would have felt a lot better than that *bleep* in S Dakota that hit me on his motorcycle at 70 kph or more.... Ruined a lot of things for me..

[WeatherWoman]

So what about the families with younger children that use the playground or the daycares that walk to the school to use the playground. What about the school with strong start which is a preschool program that operates at less hours then school. The families who coming in the middle of the day yo volunteer or attend special programs.

What about parks zones where the speed limit is 30 from dawn to dusk? There is inforced limits in play area throughout all the seasons.

[spooker]

Is it really a big deal to slow down to 30kph for a little bit? There can be the odd kid or two that will need to leave the grounds during the day ... and I'd never begrudge someone who has the future in his/her hands a little time out of my day ... I'd be that much more inclined to ruin my life if I was the cause of anything happening, as we know there is a 4 times greater chance of killing someone at 50kph than at 30kph ...

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

Spooker two come to mind that were hit from behind and killed.. They may not even had time to try to avoid it or even knew they were about to be mowed down.
Seeing as I know what its like to be run over and spend a year in plaster, it would not take me long to make that choice..possible death ..or roadrash.. ..hmmmmm ..