A Call for New Bicycle Safety Laws

[Editor's note: The following letter was sent to local elected officials and media. What's your thought on bicycle safety laws? Be sure to post your comment below.]

Dear Elected Officials,

I write to you on the sad occasion of the death of Peter Wezenaar. Peter was a life-long resident of Port Washington, a devoted husband, a great father, an outstanding soccer coach, and an active participant in the affairs of the Port Washington School District. Peter died in a bicycle/automobile collision in Westbury.

Could Peter's death been avoided?  I don't know. What I do know is that the "law" which mandates bicycle riders to RIDE with traffic probably did not help Peter. I don't know of any avid bicycle rider who actually LIKES riding with traffic; but I know most bike-riders, Peter included, follow the law.

But the law mandating bicycle riders to ride WITH traffic appears to no longer make sense in our day and age. When these regulations came out (50 years ago ?), our society was in a different place - no texting ... no cell phones ...etc.  When I Googled the history of biking laws, the arguments for riding WITH traffic seemed like they applied to 50s and "Father Knows Best" and not current day 21st century living.

Please, let's try to make sure that tragedies like Peter's no longer occur in the Town of North Hempstead or Nassau County. How can we update the law or study the statistics to make biking safer for everyone? Maybe riding WITH traffic is safer; but I do not think so. It just seems to me, like it seems to most people, I would rather see the car driving at me then end up like my dear friend, Peter Wezenaar. 

Respectfully,

Jonathan Zimmerman

Read what Syosset residents think about cycling safety.