Bicycles and cars ...

... do not mix!

There are no nationwide statistics on bicycle-related injuries and deaths for the first half of 2008. But authorities across the country say they are seeing a sharp rise in the number of accidents involving bicyclists.

I like this part ...

Fischer said that “in almost every case, the bicycle was doing something that put them at significant risk.”

Yeah, the "something" was that they were on a bicycle. Sorry, but I've been down this road before, and I think a majority of these issues come down to crappy drivers. I'm not alone in this line of thought either.

“Most of the crashes that we’ve seen are a result of inattentive driving,” said Rob Sadowsky, executive director of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.

There is going to be a learning curve for both sides ... the problem is, the learning for the driver often goes ignored IMO because ... well ... because they're in a ton plus vehicle and they're not in any physical danger when confronted with a bicyclist.

So what does that mean? I think it means that local authorities need to be proactive about making their areas more bicyclist-friendly. All new roads with wide shoulders would be an excellent start.