Month: November 2015

Look Ma, no hands!

There is a special law applying specifically to bicyclists; it often gets repeated as

You must have at least one hand on the handlebars at all times

Which is what appears both on the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (AZ GOHS), and the City of Phoenix websites, it is a misrepresentation.

While this is the law in some places, e.g. Utah (41-6a-S1112); the law in Arizona actually reads:

ARS 28-816. Carrying article on bicycle

A person shall not carry a package, bundle or article while operating a bicycle if the package, bundle or article prevents the driver from keeping at least one hand on the handlebars.

So, while you should and must ride under control for safety’s sake, it’s not intrinsically illegal to ride with no hands.

 

 

World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims

November 15, 2015 is World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims. Right here in Arizona in just the last year , 884 persons were killed in Arizona traffic crashes. This includes 589 motorists, 157 pedestrians, and 28 bicyclists. Many thousands more were injured.

This year the theme is “Crash Not Accident” – an initiative focused on changing the way we think and talk about crashes. Most crashes are not “accidents”, rather they should  be viewed as preventable incidents. Yet, the “A” word which connotes some level of innocence, is the ubiquitous term used in describing these incidents by media, some highway safety officials & others. Negligent, and even criminal, drivers hide behind the word, as if “lack of intent” absolves them of their actions and the hurt that they’ve caused. #CrashNotAccident