And SB isn't all that great at avoiding "scare" dialogue either, with its constant demonization of all motorists. As a cyclist, the vast majority of motorists I encounter every day are paying attention, following the rules (better than most cyclists do), and watching out for other people's safety. Rides of silence and ghost bikes also have mixed results in terms of encouraging new cyclists vs. scaring them. So yes, whether you want to call it "skils" or "safety" or "knowledge", it's important and makes a difference when cyclists have it & use it.

Response

Cycle tracks down the center of streets:

1. Prevent u-turns on two-way streets.

2. Mitigate dramatic lane changes and high speed driving since excess space is taken away from cars.

3. Mitigate complexity and conflicts at curbs where double parking, pulling away from the curb, and loading vehicles make for a more dangerous environment.

Honestly, its safer biking here than you might think:
http://ibikenyc.com/2009/04/06/believe-it-or-not/

reponse:

No, a clunky Cannondale bike with knobby tires that is way too big for me but, I tend to be late all of the time.

Geez. Do you ride a fixed gear or something?

If people are to put themselves in harms way -- which is the current situation in this city -- they should know how to cycle for the conditions and cycle for their own abilities. The more people cycle the more they learn to mitigate the dangers and cycling can be quite safe.

But, to ignore the dangers is totally irresponsible. And, people will not believe you when you tell them it is safe.

I agree entirely.

"Ghost Walkers" would nail home the level of violence perpetuated by the current transportation system on the people in this city. The fact that the very young and old predominate would make a very strong state which should not be ignored.

Response:

Cycling is deadly and I cycle all the time. City cyclists have to constantly be aware of the grave danger otherwise they can be killed. It is a lie and foolish to say that it is not dangerous, or ignore it, or make believe it is not dangerous. And, people have to lobby to make it safe. It is just that simple.

Ghost bikes serve a very useful purpose. And, if you like, they can be retired them when the streets are safe which, is not now.

Many people have the coordination, reflexes, conditioning, and youth to continually dodge the bullet and cycle the city in cavalier ways. Many others do not and can be seriously hurt or killed if they do not take the extreme care that is warranted under the current conditions which will improve tremendously as more people cycle.

Maybe it's time to stop being offended and take note of the fact that ghost bikes scare the crap out of lots of New Yorkers and probably help ensure that they will never ever ever get out there on the street and ride with us.

Don't get me wrong. Ghost bikes were an incredible art project. They had their moment. They served an important purpose. But now that City DOT is, essentially, functioning as a bike advocacy organization and the ghost bikes have been featured in the NYT and a zillion other media outlets, they are no longer all that powerful as art or useful as advocacy. Ghost bikes, as you might say, are boring. They're over.

If we want biking to continue to be considered a kind of cool, exclusive, predominantly young, male club in NYC then ghost bikes probably help achieve that goal. If we're looking to get more older people, school kids and parents riding bicycles, ghost bikes' constant re-enforcement that CYCLING IS DEADLY, just doesn't help.

Sorry if that's offensive to you. But that's the way a lot of people see ghost bikes.

Missouri Bans Texting for Drivers 22 and Younger

Does that mean it's not a bad idea for people 23 and older to text while driving? Are older texters more responsible about how they take their eyes off the road?

I think I'll keep that helmet on (OK, I lied about not wading in, but I'll bet drivers in Copenhagen or Amsterdam don't text while driving, and they don't drive their SUVs down city streets at 60 mph, either). Not that the helmet would save me from that kind of driver.

The Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany all have cycling fatality and injury rates that are much lower per 100,000,000 km cycled.

Killed, Injured
NL - 1.1 1.4
DK - 1.5 1.7
D - 1.7 4.7
UK - 3.5 6.0
USA- 5.8 37.5!!!!!

Source: John Pucher; Ralph Buehler - Making Cycling Irresistible: Lessons from The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany, Transport Reviews, p506
http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/Irresistible.pdf