Re: Brian Hudnell's March 10 commentary, “Bicyclists must be mindful of hazards�:
Mr. Hudnell states that cyclists need to “stop believing that they have some God-given or governmental right to be on a public, traveled road. Period.�
Leaving God out of it, California Vehicle Code 21200 states: “Every person riding a bicycle upon a street or highway has all the rights and is subject to all the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle.�
Additionally, according to VC 21202, “Bicyclists shall ride as close to the right-hand of the roadway as possible except when necessary to avoid conditions including ... substandard lane widths.�
As operators of motor vehicles, Mr. Hudnell and all drivers are required to know these laws and respect bicyclists as legal users of our roadways. In the particular situation about which he so passionately writes, he was aware of _the upcoming hazard and should have reduced his speed. The semi-truck driver was legally obligated, according to the vehicle code, to allow the bicyclists passage and not leave his lane to pass them in a substandard roadway.
As far as the two on the bicycles being “oblivious,� Mr. Hudnell needs to understand that any cyclist geared up with helmets and neon-colored Lycra is well aware of the dangers involved in sharing the road with motor vehicles.
- Yvonne Wilber, Simi Valley
Leave a comment