Choosing an Alternative form of transportation ?
As the price of gas continues to rise, more and more people are choosing alternative forms of transportation in hopes to off set the high cost of fuel here in the United States; bicycles being the number one alternative to motor vehicles. Over the last 10 years, the U.S. has seen an overwhelming increase in bicycle traffic with minimal infrastructure development to support that growth.
The Problem:
Last year (2013) in the US, there were 48,000 accidents involving both cyclists and motor vehicles with a total of death count of 677. Due to this conundrum, California, as well as many other states, have introduced laws specifically designed to protect cyclists not only from motor vehicle operators but also from themselves. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, cyclists are considered motor vehicle operators and must abide by the same regulations and rules of the road as someone driving a car. With that being said, due to California’s ban on cell phones while operating a motor vehicle, the use of cell phones while cycling has also been banned.
