jimrich

Hi:
I keep meeting ignorant, unlicensed and careless bikers who ride on the sidewalks here (Tarzana, Ca) and when I tell them it's illegal they basically tell me to stick it!
IMO, it would be a tremendous benefit to all of society to require ALL bicyclists to pass a test for a license and be forced to have insurance - just like other motorists have to have. The bike is almost as dangerous a vehicle as a car and the operators should have insurance to cover any damages or injuries their vehicle can cause.
I biker ran me down several years ago and I sure wish I could have taken him to court to collect a settlement for the injuries his bike caused me.
I'd image there are a lot of unlicensed and uninsured bikers out there who need to be held accountable - yet they are NOT! And I'd guess they cause the rest of the "biking community" a lot of grief just like uninsured motorists do to us car drivers.
Wouldn't you like to see all the bikers become more responsible under the law?

CACycling

Why stop there? Skateboarders, roller skaters, rollerbladers, scooter riders, the list goes on. Heck, I've been walked into by pedestrians too busy texting to watch where they are going. Add in requiring testing and licensing for the pedestrians (and require insurance - they could cause injury or property damage due to their inattention) and everyone else who uses public streets, sidewalks, MUPs, etc. and I think you have a plan.

rebel1916

Oh dearie me you are really beside yourself.

prathmann

You could have if you'd bothered to get contact information and/or witnesses. Sounds like it was your own fault if you didn't.

Jed19

Bikers are the people who ride motorcycles, cyclists are the people who ride bicycles. Just saying.

Wilfred Laurier

BS

The size and speed of an automobile makes collisions far far more likely to cause serious injuries or fatalities. People do get seriously injured or killed in bicycle crashes but this is the exception and not the rule.

TrojanHorse

I'd like to see more people be responsible for their own actions... on a bike or not.

Frankly, I think we should license people to have birth and the rest will probably sort itself out.

trailangel

Catholics don't need no license.......
It's not against the law to ride a bike on the sidewalk...... in Tarzana.

Pamestique 

Well sortof... most mountain bikers call themselves bikers as opposed to roadies being called cyclists; but the general public does confuse the terms.

Frankly just as there are good and responsible car drivers there are just as many idiots out there who even with a license should not be driving... same with cyclists. Trust me a license will not change bad behavior nor is a license going to increase good behavior. Assuming you were a pedestrian when stuck, I hope you got the cyclist's information so you can file a civil lawsuit; that is your remedy. Hopefully you just didn't step off a curb without looking... walkers need to be cautious and use good judgement as well.

Nachoman

You just lost all credibility.

PhotoJoe 

Welcome to A&S from SoCal.

genec

Nah, we don't want him either. Probably wants us to be licensed to get on the 'net... " 'cause you might hurt somebody."

kickstart

I'm not biting, this smells of a fake nube troll.

genec

Yup, two posts so far, and both are idiot subjects.

FBinNY 

WTF has happened to American society that so many people these days think that every human activity has to be licensed and regulated.

Further, why assume that insurance makes people more responsible, when common sense says the opposite is true. Insured people are insulated from the consequences of their actions, whether it's driving, health care, civil liability, or any other action. Folks who aren't insured aren't protected if their negligence has monetary consequences, so who's more likely to act responsibly.

In fact, in many applications people are arguing just the opposite from the "more insurance" idea and trying to pass laws that remove the protections that insulate the irresponsible.

As regards bicycles, there's absolutely nothing even remotely resembling a compelling state interest in regulating bicycles any more that they already are.

jimrich

LOL, I'd much rather be hit by an UNINSURED, DISTRACTED pedestrian than by any pathetic FOOL on a vehicle, insured or not!

jimrich

We need more folks with the power and will to ENFORCE the laws. The indifferent bikers (cyclists, for those who don't get it) I talk to could care less about any "law" and the just tell me off and then go on their ignorant way since I am not empowered to enforce any law.
There are enough laws, rules, standards, etc. in society BUT very bad and ineffective enforcement so the bad and unlicensed cyclists just go on being bad and ignorant since nobody can touch them.

jimrich

Look up the code!

caloso

As a matter of fact, I do have a license. It says Cat 3 Road; Cat 4 Cyclocross; Cat 5 Track

jimrich

... Oddly, at the time I was knocked to the pavement, I was more worried about that young guy and his bike than myself. I became extremely enraged the next day when my ribs began to HURT and they just got worse over time! That's when I realized how ignorant and WRONG the cyclist was.

Hopefully you just didn't step off a curb without looking... walkers need to be cautious and use good judgement as well.
... I stepped out of a drugstore door way at night and had about 1/2 second before the racing cyclist hit me full on. Even if had "seen" him coming, it was too late to do anything at all! Folks can turn and twist my story all they want to make me responsible for what happened while finding excuses and "reasons" for the cyclist's bad behavior but it won't change the fact that enforcing laws is the weak point and we are all pretty much on our own for defenses and protection from ignorant, careless vehicle operators.

jimrich

LesterOfPuppets

There doesn't seem to be one.

LA County Cities? Sidewalk Riding Ordinances (Code) | LACBC

The people you yell at for riding on the sidewalk probably wish you would mind your own business.

You should have called the police when you were hit by a cyclist. Unfortunately even if you were hit by a car and called the police they probably wouldn't bother to do anything unless you were taking an ambulance to the hospital.

Cars get away with killing pedestrians and cyclists all the time. Cyclists killing peds is much more rare, but does happen. I'm not sure how many get away with the "I didn't see them. They came outta nowhere." defense.

jimrich

badger1

jimrich

... I don't "yell at" anyone for doing anything but those I try to tell about THE LAW not only want me to mind my own business, they make it clear that they are willing to hurt me if I don't SHUT UP! That is why I now carry some forms of self defense since I am not authorized to enforce any law!