There is a problem in our society in which many bikers do
not feel safe on roads or do not feel safe riding at all. This fear is caused by poor/reckless driving
from car-owners and from failure of large cities to provide necessary room and
lanes for bikers to feel safe enough to ride their bikes. A clear place where change is occurring is in
the City of Chicago. Bikers that would
like to bike in the South and West parts of town have expressed their concerns
through a petition that wants the city to provide safer bike lanes in these
parts of Chicago. A study by an avid cyclist
in Chicago showed that only 38 percent of suggested bike routes in the City of
Chicago are protected from or separated from traffic. The other 62 percent of bike routes can be a
danger to bikers in the city that would just like to enjoy their hobby without
the danger.
Another case of cycling safety
occurred in Lubbock, Texas. A girl in
Lubbock has gotten hit twice by cars while riding her bike and now her dad, Tim
Phiffer, has taken his complaint to the Lubbock Board of Health. These people are advocating for safer bike
lanes and more rights for the cyclists in order to make it safer for these
cyclists. If biking becomes safer in
these area, then more people would go biking in the city of Lubbock. Another case of bicycle safety in local
governments occurred in Winona, Minnesota.
The local citizens would like the city to provide the area with safer
paths as well. The three main streets in
Winona are looking to be changed and the city council is currently taking ideas
for improvements to these bike paths.
All of these changes in these areas are perfect examples of how citizens
can influence and help create public policy in government. In Chicago, they used their power to petition
to get the city’s attention, while other areas went directly to the government
with complaints. Public policy can be
influenced heavily through the use of citizen’s ideas and the voice of the
people. Biking safety has become a large issue in many big cities and the
citizens have the right to demand the government to change areas/streets to make
the bike paths safer for all cyclists.
Sources:
http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/safer-streets-solutions-for-pedestrian-and-bicycle-safety-aired-at/article_244b7fe7-f65e-5209-81b7-a13abb5749b2.html
http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2015-04-17/lubbock-board-health-hears-argument-more-safer-bike-lanes
http://depauliaonline.com/news/2015/05/10/chicago-bikers-petition-for-safer-lanes-on-south-and-west-sides/
