WOSU Public Media
WOSU radio news featured a story this morning about bicycling advocates working to get more questions about cycling on the State of Ohio Drivers' License Examination.
Local League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor Patricia Kovacs was interviewed by WOSU's Mandie Trimble for the story. Kovacs, many of you may recall, is the advocate whose efforts resulted in Columbus being named a League Bike-Friendly City two years ago. She is also an Ohio Bike Federation board member.
Kovacs and the Federation have been trying for two years to get more bike-related questions onto the State exam. As most cyclists will point out gladly, many drivers do not know the rules for dealing with cyclists on the road nor their rights and responsibilities. The State's response has been inconsistent.
"They were receptive, but then that person left their job and someone else just started. So it's like a slow process," she said.
The State's response is that they put questions on to deal with the biggest issues on the road. And right now, that biggest issue is car-on-car deaths, not car-on-bike deaths. Motorcycle-on-car and pedestrian-on-car deaths also outnumber bicycle-on-car related deaths.
Lindsey Komlanc, speaking for the Ohio Department of Public Safety, acknowledges that many motorists do not know how to deal with bikes on the road, and points out that the State is in the process of revamping the Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws to add more bike-related content. But the very nature of the Digest being a "digest" means that not all laws will make it into the publication.
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