Bicycles are, for the most part, less dangerous than cars or trucks. But reckless driving is a crime whether it's committed with a gas pedal or foot pedals.
That was the conclusion of a state appeals court in Los Angeles that refused to dismiss a felony reckless-driving charge against a drunken cyclist accused of gravely injuring a pedestrian. It was the first appellate decision on the issue, and will become binding statewide unless overturned on appeal.
Thursday's ruling came a year after a guilty plea in a fatal collision at a San Francisco intersection between a cyclist and a pedestrian that raised the same question: whether traffic rules and criminal penalties that were designed for motor vehicles should apply to human-powered vehicles that, while far smaller and lighter, can cause considerable harm and havoc.
Bikes versus cars can be a divisive issue, whether in the context of the Critical Mass cyclists who periodically take over San Francisco streets or the mutual accusations that arise when a turning motorist clips an unseen cyclist.