Don't blame the pedestrians and bicyclists

"Blame the victim" seems to be the not-so-subtle subtext in The Acorn articles on car versus pedestrian and cyclist accidents in recent weeks.

Two weeks ago we read of Mr. Zhang in Westlake Village, whose life was ended by the driver of a 5,500pound SUV. The spokesman for the sheriff's station helpfully points out that although "it appeared" Zhang was on the curb, he wasn't walking against oncoming traffic. Well, that certainly balances the fact that the driver failed the sobriety test.

Last week we read that a bicyclist was hit by a truck in Agoura. If you read past the headlines intoning "lack of visibility is cited" and "cyclists are hard to see," you see that they refer to a study that shows no such thing. Instead, the study finds that drivers had little brain reaction to cyclists. And this, somehow, is the cyclist's fault?

As an avid cyclist, I feel keenly for the man. I myself was cut off a few months ago by a local fire truck, no less, which did not properly merge into the bike lane when attempting a right turn. Yes, this is So Cal, where the car is king. But being king doesn't absolve you from responsibility. Pay attention, drivers. James Prieger Agoura Hills UGLYDon't rep818+* Stone Housema05B17D

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