This morning as I was exiting the post office to turn left, I was approached by a bicycle going the wrong way. As I slowed down and swerved to avoid the bicyclist, a skateboarder shot off the sidewalk into the road to follow his friend. Neither kid was even a little bit aware that there was a potential for disaster in their actions.
This, of course, isn’t an isolated incident. I would guess that well over half the drivers in town have had a similar incident several times a year. Most of us have learned to be a little more vigilant when we see someone on a bicycle anywhere within our sight. We assume they’re going to do something illegal and we are seldom wrong.
I have been frustrated because the police haven’t enforced bicycle rules of the road. Unfortunately, I know why they don’t. The first time they give a ticket to an errant bicycler, they will be deluged with “Don’t you have anything better to do?” comments and our new borough manager will be bombarded with demands that he or she straighten up the police department. (That sounds familiar.)
I don’t have a workable solution to this problem. Nothing will be done until somebody’s child is badly hurt or killed. Then, after weeping and gnashing of teeth, a committee will be formed to study the problem and its recommendations, if any, will be stuffed under the short leg on somebody’s desk.