Bikes Are Just Like Cars

I see complaints from time to time that people who ride bicycles don’t behave just as if they were driving cars.  I know, the law says bicycles are the same as cars.  But when I think of comparisons between bikes and cars, I can’t come up with any (other than the penalty the operator will receive for disobeying the “rules of the road”) in which bikes and cars come out roughly equal.  

Here are some possible comparisons:

• Space vehicle occupies on the road
• Ratio of driver’s weight to vehicle weight
• Distance the vehicle will travel if the operator falls asleep or dies
• Risk that vehicle will go up in flames if it crashes
• Maximum speed
• Typical speed
• Ability of vehicle operator to remove the vehicle should a person become trapped under the vehicle
• Distance the vehicle operator can carry the vehicle if the vehicle becomes disabled

Officer's Car Crashes into Building, Seattle P-I, 1/30/2007

I’ll give you a gold star if you can think of one where bikes and cars come out roughly equal.