{"id":18526,"date":"2016-08-19T00:02:48","date_gmt":"2016-08-19T07:02:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/?p=18526"},"modified":"2017-04-05T18:48:23","modified_gmt":"2017-04-06T01:48:23","slug":"cars-important-little-kids-not-much","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/cars-important-little-kids-not-much\/","title":{"rendered":"Cars are Important – Little Kids, Not so Much"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today I saw small children in a dangerous situation. It was caused by a truck driver who was only thinking about the most important rule of the road – cars CANNOT be blocked<\/strong>. It’s like the old saying about show business – the show must go on. Similarly, the traffic must move.<\/strong> It CANNOT be impeded. Compared to that important tenet, children are almost literally invisible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This is what happened. I was walking along Hornby Street, right next to the wonderful separated bike lane<\/a><\/strong> that Vision Vancouver has installed (despite the protests of businesses that lost a few superfluous parking spots<\/a>). Ahead of me I spotted a family getting onto bikes they had just rented<\/a>. A mom and dad, and two small kids. One of the kids was on a trailer bike, the other one – about ten years old – was getting onto his own bike. He was wobbly, but determined.<\/p>\n

“How lovely!” I thought<\/strong>. SO wonderful that Vancouver offers bike lanes so safe that people from around the world come to Vancouver with their kids, rent bikes, and ride along our separated bike lanes. I see it frequently. I smiled happily, proud of my city. But as they came towards me, they suddenly veered out of the bike lane and into the two lanes of car traffic on Hornby<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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