Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on June 24, 2013 at 4:17am

This fact has been well-documented by you.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Yeah, I thought that was a very subjective answer. I am not required by law to pull over and allow motor traffic through. Plus, swerving back and forth constantly is not safe.

peter moormann said:

On riding on narrow roads:

"If you hold up traffic more than a short time, pull aside when it is safe and let traffic pass."

B.S. Wrong answer!

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 24, 2013 at 4:27am

Oh thanks, I forgot I posted that.

Kevin C said:

This fact has been well-documented by you.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Yeah, I thought that was a very subjective answer. I am not required by law to pull over and allow motor traffic through. Plus, swerving back and forth constantly is not safe.

peter moormann said:

On riding on narrow roads:

"If you hold up traffic more than a short time, pull aside when it is safe and let traffic pass."

B.S. Wrong answer!

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Permalink Reply by Ed Barsotti on June 24, 2013 at 5:52am

(From Ed Barsotti, LIB, main developer of the quizzes)

Thanks, everyone, for your comments.  Seeing your concerns will help us improve the quiz questions and explanations.  Most of you know much more than the vast majority of the people we hope to reach.

For background:  we developed this resource to help bridge a big gap in knowledge of these issues in the general public and in what is being taught to young bicyclists and new motorists (not much, right now).  From years in advocacy, I know that this is a serious obstacle to improving bicycling in Illinois, and that it leads to a lot of extra tension between bicyclists and motorists.

As a statewide organization, we’ve tried to create a resource that can be used throughout Illinois.  Some questions/illustrations deal with heavily urban (e.g. Chicago) issues, some with rural riding, and others with suburban-style (no/little on-street parking) roads common in the ‘burbs, smaller metro areas, and even mid-sized towns.   

Responses to some of the specific comments:

1) Adult Bicyclist – Bronze #2, most-to-least visible cyclists at an intersection:  the ordering used is based on aggregate crash data studies, which show that contraflow off-road (sidewalk, sidepath) cyclists are involved in the most crashes with cars.  Perhaps the numbers may be different when restricted to dense urban areas where motorists are accustomed to stopping at the stop line and to seeing crosswalk traffic.  However, in less dense areas, motorists see far fewer crosswalk users – so they aren’t looking there as much or stopping at the stop line.  Because of this disparity, there are not two answer choices only differing in the ordering of the two contraflow users.

2) Adult Bicyclist – Bronze #4, “if you hold up traffic more than a short time, pull aside when it is safe and let traffic pass”.  It’s true, the law doesn’t require this.  And we’re definitely NOT suggesting one should swerve constantly or allow a motorist to “squeeze by” unsafely.  We’re only suggesting that IF traffic behind you has been unable to pass for awhile due to a constant stream of oncoming cars, and IF there’s a safe and convenient opportunity to do so (e.g., as S says,  “…among other things, just pulling into a bunch of contiguous empty parking spaces and slowing down to let the cars go by.”), to do the polite thing.  A little kindness (by both bicyclists and motorists) can go a long way.  Still – we might look at re-wording to clarify.

3) Re-ordering answer choices on the second and third pass (Liz’ comment):  we’ve provided easy-to-use functionality for school teachers and driver ed instructors to assign their students the appropriate quizzes.  One main reason for randomizing the answer choice order is to help reduce student cheating.

We look forward to further feedback.  The quiz has important info to get out to the public, and we want it to be the best it can be.

ALSO – we hope many of you will come to the website launch press conference this Thursday, 9:15am, Thompson Center – to better leave an impression with the state officials who are attending!

 

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on June 24, 2013 at 6:24am

Ed,

Would love to attend, but I will be at work!  Unfortunately, that time is probably a difficult time for many of us to duck out of the workplace. 

And thanks for trying to educate!

Ed Barsotti said:

<snipped>

ALSO – we hope many of you will come to the website launch press conference this Thursday, 9:15am, Thompson Center – to better leave an impression with the state officials who are attending!

 

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Permalink Reply by Liz on June 24, 2013 at 6:48am

Ok that makes some more sense if its for actual students, I would recommend having a passing criteria (like 80%) to not re-take the quiz, since each of the questions are reviewed immediately after answer. 

Ed Barsotti said:

3) Re-ordering answer choices on the second and third pass (Liz’ comment):  we’ve provided easy-to-use functionality for school teachers and driver ed instructors to assign their students the appropriate quizzes.  One main reason for randomizing the answer choice order is to help reduce student cheating.

We look forward to further feedback.  The quiz has important info to get out to the public, and we want it to be the best it can be.

ALSO – we hope many of you will come to the website launch press conference this Thursday, 9:15am, Thompson Center – to better leave an impression with the state officials who are attending!

 

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Permalink Reply by David Barish on June 24, 2013 at 6:54am

Will do my best to show up at the press conference. I am in the building that morning and will hope to get out for a few minutes.  Will you be in the auditorium? Main floor?

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Permalink Reply by Ed Barsotti on June 24, 2013 at 7:05am

Thanks, David.  Outside of the main door, in the plaza, with podium and chairs set up.  Crossing our fingers for no rain. 

David Barish said:

Will do my best to show up at the press conference. I am in the building that morning and will hope to get out for a few minutes.  Will you be in the auditorium? Main floor?

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