I recently bought a bicycle and was surprised how many terrible/oblivious drivers there are out there. It broad daylight, some kid looked both ways twice, never saw me, I had noticed and slowed down and kept a watchful eye, and he turned right into me and noticed me just in time so that I did not end up on his hood.

Yesterday I had another guy pass me, but was riding parallel to me, in the wrong lane, because of me speed and it was me that had to eventually yield to him.

On another occasion, a kid motioned with his steering wheel like he was going to run me over as a joke for his friends in the car. I didn't think it was funny.

All of these incidents happened on a residential street that is clearly marked and designated as a bicycle route.

The law is to yield to pedestrians and cyclists, but a lot a people do a very poor job of it all the time.

I think it is a good idea.

 

I read somewhere that the elevated hood provides a softer cushion compared with the hard engine if ever anyone's head gets thrown that way.

Put it this way, imagine you are making out and both of you get rough ... too rough, the hood pops up so that the head isn't cracked open on the hard engine parts .