Happened abroad -> cyclist dragged under car for 4 km

"Cyclists are not dangerous; cars and car drivers are; so cars should take the responsibility for avoiding collisions with cyclists. This implies that car drivers are almost always liable when a collision with a bicycle occurs and should adapt their speed when bicycles share the roads with motorists"

This sounds very much like the law in Norway. The thing that worries me, is that it seems to cause certian pedestrians and cyclist to be very reckless. Although the effect it has on motorists is debatable. You'd have to be pretty fecked up to aviod killing/hurting people with your car, because of liability worries alone.

I personally came within a hairs bredth of knocking down a cyclist a couple of months ago. I came off a roundabout, and was about to cross the badly placed pedestrian crossing directly after, when a lady on a bike swerved off the pavement and onto said crossing. I did an emergency stop and missed her by a foot or so. I sat there pretty freaked out, trying to see how I fecked up (I hardly ever drive, so figured it was my fault). I could'nt help but picture the car hitting her. I snapped out of it when I realised my son was crying in the back. He was unhurt by the incident, but it scarred the hell out of him.

After thinking about it I realised that this womans 'I'm just going to cycle into the road because cars have to stop by law' atitude. Could have seriously hurt my son and caused him to spend a fair amount of time with a father in prision.

I totally agree that motorists should be made to be as careful as possible, just not at the expense of pedestrian/cyclist caution.

Ideally we'd all drive/cycle/walk in manner that best avoids the kind of tragic events descibed above, regardless trivial matters such as legal liability.