Baton Rouge is not considered a bicycle friendly city, and this may have been indicated by the 10 to 12 bicyclists killed in Southeast Louisiana during the last couple of years. In fact, Baton Rouge ranks close to the bottom as far as bicyclist safety is concerned and many bicycle accidents have occurred because of indifference for such concerns.

Part of the problem is that you have a bicyclist trying to maneuver his or her way through traffic occupied by several thousand pound vehicles. Some motorists even attempt to intimidate the bike riders to keep them off the road.

It often comes down to drivers in the area having disdain for the bicyclists in which they share the road. "We've had beer cans thrown at us. We've had some trucks buzz you can see how close they get to you without getting hit," said one bicyclist.

Operators of motor vehicles do need to keep in mind that bicyclists are not allowed to ride along the sidewalks and thus must be on the roadways if they are to ride at all. Many Baton Rouge commuters are traveling to work by bicycle for several reasons. Some do it because they live close to their workplace and would like to pay less for gas. Others ride their bikes because it is good exercise. And others ride their bikes to work simply because it's a more enjoyable way to travel than having to maneuver through traffic jams on the Baton Rouge roadways.

In any case, it's not worth having someone killed simply because a driver does not like to share the roads with smaller vehicles like bicycles or motorcycles. If a motor vehicle runs into a bicyclist, the injuries to the bicycle rider are bound to be catastrophic. And the driver that caused the accident will likely be paying civil and criminal penalties for years.

Source: 33 News, "Local cyclists concerned after Nathaniel Crowson's death, say they have rights as well," by Kelsey Scram, Jan. 23, 2012