Experienced Philadelphia Bike and Car Accident Attorney and Bicyclist Gets Slammed By Fellow Bicyclists
As an avid bicycle rider for the past 48 years and a person who often bicycles in excess of 30 miles a day when the season permits, I have come under attack lately by bicyclists responding to my legal blogs due to the fact that I have been asking car drivers and bicycle riders to balance and respect the needs of each other. Many of the cyclists and my readers are aware that City Council has made proposals that would impose additional laws and restrictions upon bicyclists together with added fines. Those who are responsible and safe bicyclists should not worry about the same. I believe as an experienced Philadelphia car accident and bicycle accident attorney, who handles some of the most serious catastrophic injury and death cases involving the interplay of cars and bikes, that a minority of cyclists act irresponsibly as indicated in the deaths of two Philadelphia men who died last month after being struck by cyclists. Of course, as is the case with other vehicle operators, this thankfully reflects a minimal percentage of cyclists.
When I walk down the streets of Center City, I am often times almost struck, and in the past have been struck by messenger services or other bicyclists riding illegally and irresponsibly on the sidewalk against or behind pedestrian traffic rather than operating their bicycles in the lanes that are designated for bicyclists.
Philadelphia bicycle laws, regulations and penalties are set forth in Chapter 12-800 and one can link here to make sure that you know what the regulations state before criticizing me or the laws. Bicycling is a healthy, low cost environmentally friendly form of transportation and recreation. Bicycle accidents and ridership have been on the upswing in Philadelphia for the last few years. Unfortunately without rules and regulations, as more Philadelphians use their cycles for pleasure or as a viable means of transportation, more injuries, accidents, and fatalities will occur.
Rules and regulations are seemingly directed to the rogue cyclists who believe that they can do anything - riding on the sidewalk and not following traffic laws. This small minority believe they are immune from following the law because they are on a bicycle. Many times in a bicycle accident, offenders often flee the scene and last year only 14 tickets were issued to bicyclists compared to more than a quarter of million for car drivers.
This experienced bicycle accident attorney and cyclist who has handled the most serious of bicycle accident cases is not opposed to the enforcement of existing laws regarding bicycle riding and believes that enforcement of the same will create a more orderly system of transportation and less bicycle accidents with pedestrians or other vehicles. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a bicycle accident, please contact one of our experienced bicycle accident attorneys for a free consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.
