Tell us what you think: Cyclist safety and sharing the road

How do you feel about sharing the road with bicyclists? Do you think drivers should be more mindful of cyclists, or do you think bikers cause a lot of the traffic problems?

Share your comments below, and we will use some of them Tuesday on 10News at Five.

Cyclists push for enforcement

As the government encourages drivers to use alternative methods of transportation, some East Tennessee bicyclists say there should also be an increased focus on safety.

Tim Patterson could be the poster boy for non-motorized transportation. The Blount County man pedals back and forth to his job at Cycology Bicycles.

"I can make my commute a 10 mile ride or a 60 mile ride depending on which route I want to take," said Patterson. "There's no place I can't get to on a bicycle. Probably 99 percent of my time I spend on the road with the cars."

Patterson said during the warmer months he bikes between 200 and 500 miles per week. This week he is currently on vacation and relaxes by cycling hundreds of miles with friends visiting from out-of-state.

"We have some of the best riding in the world right here in east Tennessee." Patterson added, "The hills are great and the scenery is beautiful."

Earlier this week, Patterson spent a portion of his long-awaited vacation mourning the death of a dear friend. A memorial service was held Monday for Patterson's cycling buddy, 77-year-old John Daugherty of Oak Ridge.

A truck swerved out of its lane and hit Daugherty while he was riding his bicycle on the shoulder of State Route 58.

For Patterson, Daugherty is one of several friends who have died riding bicycles.

"After John, I can no longer count them on one hand. It's six close friends that I know that have been killed, including my sister-in-law," said Patterson. "It is just a bunch of senseless accidents where someone wasn't paying attention."

"When I found out John Daugherty was struck and killed by a car, it made me mad. Very mad," said fellow cyclist Dave Penagar. "John was an extremely safe rider who had everything from helmets, mirrors, reflectors, and lights on his bike. He had some of the best safety certifications a cyclist can obtain. This is ridiculous."

Penegar said drivers are increasingly inattentive to their surroundings, leaving cyclists to fend for themselves on the roads.

"I already wear a reflective vest and bright clothing." Penegar added, "I was actually thinking about creating a jersey that said 'Please Don't Kill Me.'"

Penegar says drivers ignore a Tennessee law that was passed after a truck killed Maryville cyclist Jeff Roth in 2006. The law says drivers must give bicycles three feet of clearance. When vehicles come dangerously close to hitting a bike, cyclists call the experience being "buzzed."

"I've been buzzed and they're going 50 miles an hour and they're not even aware they came close," said Penegar. "Sometimes drivers get angry because my bike is in their lane, but I am a taxpayer who has a legal right to use that pavement."

Penegar and Patterson agreed safety and courtesy is a two-way street.

"As cyclists, we have to be aware of vehicles and prevent accidents," said Patterson. "But we need drivers to realize we have just as much right to the road as any other vehicle. I'm not there to interrupt your day."

"Whether it's a group of cyclist riding together, realize there are motorists behind you," said bicyclist Lindsay Holland, "And if you're a motorist, realize other cyclists are human beings out there. I think when people get in a vehicle you tend to view the other vehicles as machines instead of people."

"I'm someone's father, someone's husband, someone's best friend," said Patterson. "If people just pay attention and obey the traffic laws, safety is not that difficult."

Patterson says the Jeff Roth Foundation is working to increase safety education among cyclists and motorists. The cyclists also seek increased enforcement by patrolmen when it comes to the three-foot protection law for cyclists.