Opinion Exchange

We hosted a live chat on bike safety today following the deaths of three cyclists on local roads.

Grand View/South Nyack Police Chief Robert Van Cura, Westchester Cycling Club President Deborah Ramsey, club member and Northern Westchester/Putnam editor Robert Brum and others discussed the proper way to share roads among cyclists and drivers.
“I think it is important to raise awareness of cyclists sharing the road,” Ramsey says. “Drivers need to understand that we are here to stay, we have a right to the road, we want to be safe. We all need to remember that ‘share’ is a two-way street.”

Some of the other points addressed were:

— Whether cyclists should always ride single-file.
— How Merrill’s Law, AKA the 3-foot rule, will be enforced and whether it is practical.
— Whether honking is an appropriate way to alert cyclists of a vehicle’s attempts to pass.
— Anecdotes of receiving hostile treatment (i.e. getting hit by firecrackers) while riding a bike.
— The dangers of wearing headphones while cycling.
— Education of motorists and cyclists as to what the rules and regulations are pertaining to road safety.

Do you have further thoughts about cycling safety that were not addressed in the live chat? Contact Nancy Cutler at ncutler@lohud.com, Robert Brum at rbrum@lohud.com or letters@lohud.com.