San Diego is a beautiful coastal town with miles of beautiful sand to occupy the most leisure of bicycle rides. This progressive city is bustling toward a more greener and environmentally friendly surroundings by creating a plan to get more people to bike to work by 2035. Currently only 1 percent of the population in San Diego bike to work. This isn’t because only 1 percent live near their job, but because there are multiple roadblocks in the way to encourage people to ride their bikes, and the increasing risk of bicycle accident is one of those roadblocks.
CicloSDias is a yearly event where the city shuts down a stretch of a major roadway on a Sunday to encourage alternative transportation like bicycles, unicycles, walkers or joggers to get around town. The intention is to create a more alternative transportation culture that will motivate people to ditch their cars and pick up their bikes. The leaders of this mission have an impressive goal of persuading 772,000 people who live within a half a mile of a transit station to use public transit. They also want at least 18 percent more people walking and or bicycling to work. Not only would this reduce the number of cars on the road, but also it would decrease the number of pollutants as well as encourage the population to be healthier and stay fit.
This ambitious goal is embraced, but there are some catches. Cars, trucks and SUVs are still a dominant force on the road and they do not look kindly to bicycle riders. Often bicycle accidents that occur result in some major injury depending on how fast the vehicle was going or where the collision occurred. The most common places for bicycles to get hit are:
- Vehicles crossing bike paths
- Cyclists riding off pavement and colliding with a car
- Cyclists and vehicles moving in the same direction side by side
- Vehicles unaware of cyclists turning from a major road to a minor road
- Vehicles driving too fast and colliding with child cyclists who lose control
In a battle between car or bicycle, guess who walks away unscathed? Not the cyclist. This is a giant problem and can cause serious life-changing events. Do not feel intimidated by motorists. You have just as much right to the road as motorists. You are not in the wrong for choosing alternative transportation, and you deserve just compensation.
WHAT TO DO
If you were hurt while bicycle riding then do not hesitate to consult with an attorney at Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, in San Diego. Since 1993, we have defended clients from the greater San Diego area and they have received just compensation for their injuries. The insurance companies do not have a set list of prices for particular accidents. Like any business, it is a negotiation. Thankfully our attorneys at Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, in San Diego have the resources and background to be great negotiators. Call or click here to start a conversation with us today.