- Except
for young children with
sidewalk bicycles, bicyclists ride on the
streets not the sidewalk. (See local and state vehicle
and traffic law for exceptions.) A bicyclist is at 1.8 times
greater risk of collision with motor vehicles when riding on a sidewalk
rather than the roadway, not to mention the risk the bicyclist poses to
pedestrians. See Risk Factors at Bicycling Life's website, Table
5,
top row, under "Risk Factor".
- Bicyclists
ride on the right, (in the USA). Just like cars and trucks. (See local and
state vehicle and traffic law for exceptions.)
- Pedestrians
walk on the sidewalk, not the street. (See local and state vehicle and
traffic law for exceptions.)
- By
law, bicyclists must obey traffic signs and traffic signals the same as
motorized vehicle traffic when riding on public roadways.
That's not all, but that is a start. After taking a bicycle
as transportation to and from work for the last few weeks I have
noticed that those are the most obviously misunderstood rules of the
road.
Besides the tips above one
of the most important is WEAR A HELMET!! Yes I know
I'm yelling, but to tell you to WEAR A HELMET it is
appropriate to yell. Not everyone on the road cares as much about
your safety as you or your family cares about your safety. I'm
not saying motorists are out to get you but the way some of them
drive you'd never know that they didn't have you in their sights. Some
of them don't even know you are there. That's true. Fortunately there
aren't many who don't even see you. There are enough who don't know
how to deal with you being on the road. So it is good that the "nearly
blind to bicyclists" drivers are so few.
I'm not using a bicycle to save the environment. I'm using a bicycle
just because I want to. I haven't gotten rid of my car either. There
are some things a bicycle doesn't do too well.
For example, I have found out that I don't prefer a bicycle over a car
when traveling through a snow storm. For one thing there is no
windshield. Cold snow in the eyes makes me blink and squint. A friend
of mine says you put one hand up
as a shield and look around the hand in front of your face.
But in spite of the snow it is spring
here and the other day a man was raking his lawn and I got to smell the
soil. I can hardly wait to smell the flower blossoms
and a newly mown lawn a bit later.
But to do so first I must survive riding a bicycle. If there
were no larger vehicles on the road with bicyclists, survival would be
easier. But there are some very large vehicles on the road with
cyclists and that makes survival more of a challenge. Just today I got
to see a driver of a car take a right turn in front of me after she
stopped behind me at a stop sign. As I started she started. Fortunately
I looked to my left as I was starting to see her taking a right turn
right onto the part of the road that I was about to proceed straight
ahead upon. I looked into her car and saw her put
her hand up to me. Like a traffic cop she was motioning to me to stop.
Of course I did stop. But now she still thinks that is the proper way
for her to take a right turn when a bicyclist is on her right and
proceeding straight ahead. What makes her think this way I can't even
guess.
But I did realize a bit of truth. It is that the danger presented is
proportional to the size of the vehicle the driver possesses multiplied
by the ignorance said driver possesses. The more a person doesn't know
about driving increases the amount of danger they present. Also, the
greater the size of the vehicle, the greater the increase in the danger
that driver presents. A driver of a tandem tractor trailer truck who
does follow the rules of the road is less dangerous
than a the driver of a sub compact car who doesn't follow the rules of
the road.
Bicycling on public streets, which is where bicyclists are supposed to
be riding if there is no separate bicycle lane, you will sooner or
later find proof that there are people driving motorized vehicles who
shouldn't be. I really don't know why some people are allowed to drive.
Maybe it is so that they don't hurt themselves walking. Bicycling is
probably out of the question for them because it demands too much
reasoning. When you find one of these driving hazards keep calm and
don't
get them any more confused than they already are. Obey the law and hope
they are soon far away from you.
To be an advocate of bicycling you must survive. Find out what
the laws are where you ride.
Obey them. Be able to ride in a straight line even if looking over your
shoulder to see what traffic is behind you. Be sure your bicycle is
properly
equipped for safety. And wear a helmet.
Disclaimer:
This not all that you need to know to safely ride a
bicycle. Find out what the laws of the road are where you will be
riding. You also need to get to be good at riding a bicycle and that
takes practice first in a safe place where there is no traffic. Learn
to start, stop, turn, and perfect your balance. Track riders do a
move that is called a "track start". They can balance with both feet
on the pedals without moving. The length of time varies with the
rider's skill. Being able to do that is helpful for street riding even
if you never
use the ability while riding on the street. It means that you have a
properly
developed sense of balance. This page is not intended as a guide to the
laws nor is it all that you will need to know to ride safely. It is
only
the beginning. See links below.
Recalls
Recalls - Search ConsumerAffairs.com for current recalls of
bicycles.
United States Department Of
Transportation
Bicycle related laws listed by state.
MassBike
(massbike.org)
has compiled a very comprehensive list of links at their
page of Bicycle Laws of United States listed by state .
Select from the list at the left of that page at their site under
"North American Laws".
Pennsylvania Bicycle Driver's Manual - Deserves
special notice
for its inclusion of "Street Smarts" by John S. Allen. Excellent
source booklet for
bicycle driving skills and law information in Pennsyslvania.
New York State Department of Transportation Bicycle
and Pedestrian Information
NHTSA
-
National Highway Safety Administration
NHTSA Bicycle Safety - National Highway Safety
Administration bicycle safety pages.
Bicycle Driver's Manual - Excellent source
booklet for
bicycle driving skills and law information in Pennsyslvania.
Misc
Bicycling Advocacy Sites
Smog
- Report says - "It's more smoggy in your car than on your bicycle".
Ken Kifer - Ken Kifer's bikepages
Bicycle Law - A website devoted to bicycle
law.
"Risk Factors for Bicycle - Motor Vehicle Collisions at Intersections"
- A report that shows risk is greater when riding the wrong way or on
sidewalks at the Bicycling Life website.