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Are Better Bike Lanes Needed in Kentucky for Urban Bikers?

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and His Concern to Urban Bikers

United States Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood expressed on Tuesday (May 10, 2011) his concern about the safety of urban bikers. LaHood and his Department are looking into measures to encourage automobile drivers to observe better safety standards when dealing with bicyclists using the roadways.

Secretary LaHood appreciated the efforts of several American cities reorganizing transportation policy and constructing bike lanes in order to accommodate more bicycles on the road. The more bicycles on the road come with extra risks.

According to a 2009 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, there were 630 "pedal cyclists" killed due to traffic accidents. It was noted that 70% of pedal cyclist fatalities occurred in urban areas.

This is LaHood’s statement in an Interview with the Huffington post, showing his concern over how bikers are treated on the streets:

“I’m concerned that people that are driving cars have a level of respect for bikers, and that’s the reason that we have these bike lanes,” said LaHood. “Bikers have as much right to the streets as anybody driving a car and I am concerned about [their safety]."

When HuffPo's Sam Stein, the interviewer, confronted him about his possible hipsterdom, LaHood "professed genuine confusion" and told Stein "I don't even know what that term means."

Well, never mind about him being uncertain of hipsters. He had a good point on his concern. His encouragement of more urban biking has even won the hearts of local lawmakers. In Chicago and New York, administrations have planned to construct bike lanes and create a “world-class bike network

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