Feel like a kid on your bike, but don’t act like one

Most of us begin learning to drive in our mid-teens as we prepare to get the official state license that signifies our driving privilege.

When do we learn to bicycle? I’ll risk another generalization and say most of us learn how to stay upright on two wheels well before we’re 10 years old.

Some of us, licensed or not, never learn to drive well or safely. The same is true for how we operate our bicycles. Some of us never learn.

We carry our childish ways dangerously into our teens and even into adulthood when we weave helmet-free through traffic or ride the wrong way down the street; when we ride on sidewalks and barrel carelessly through high-traffic intersections; when we flout the laws that we expect motor vehicle operators to follow.

Cyclists are a diverse bunch. They are children pedaling around their neighborhoods – or, not often enough, to school and back. They are adult commuters on their way to work, and trail users out for a little fresh air, or racers working out, or recreational riders on their way to breakfast in a nearby town.

When we’re on the streets and highways, though, we’re all the same in this: How we act affects not only our safety, it could affect our very “right” to be there. We would do well to learn how to bicycle safely and lawfully.

There’s an interesting discussion on bicycling.com about whether bicycling is a right or a privilege and how cyclists can sometimes be their own worst enemy.

Take a look.

Iowa DOT asks for input on passenger transportation in Hiawatha 4/30

Passing along a note from the Linn County Trails Association:

Please considering coming to this important event to speak about the need for bike-to-work lanes and trails.  Iowa Department of Transportation seeks your input:

Iowa DOT public meeting this Thursday, 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Hiawatha City Hall

The Iowa DOT is presenting Iowans with a golden opportunity to encourage sustainable transportation and land-use before April ends. Whether you feel we need more bike-to-work lanes, passenger rail options, or goals to address climate change – this is your chance to be heard. Six meetings are being held across the state to seek the public’s input on transportation needs.

The Statewide Passenger Transportation Funding Study is seeking your input to identify gaps between current public transit, carpool/vanpool programs, intercity bus and rail services, and what you and your neighbors believe are transportation needs. Using the information from these meetings and through other sources, plans will be made to address Iowa’s future transportation plans.

Some common causes of bicycle traffic accidents, and how to avoid them

A cycling instructor told me recently that one of the biggest causes of bicyclist-motorist collisions is bicyclists riding against traffic.

That’s something I rarely see – except for young kids who aren’t wearing helmets, which makes them even more vulnerable to serious injuries.

What seems to work well for runners (most of whom I see are going against traffic), doesn’t translate well for cyclists.

One reason: Cyclists, as you may have read here previously, are traffic. We need to go with the flow of traffic, be visible, law-abiding and courteous.

Some more on avoiding accidents here at bicycling.com.

Pedal on.

Sharing the roads: Use simple common sense and courtesy

Some recent discussions of Iowa’s proposed bike safety legislation became quite contentious and more than a bit confusing.

Whether or not it passes (look for an update soon), motorists and cyclists alike would do well to follow what the Iowa Department of Transportation says about bicycling on Iowa roads. It is reproduced below.

You can find the same information here.

SHARING IOWA’S ROADS
WITH BICYCLES

Under Iowa law, bicycles have a right to use Iowa’s roads.

SAFETY TIPS FOR MOTORISTS

• DO NOT HONK YOUR HORN AT BICYCLISTS. They may be startled and lose control.
• USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN PASSING BICYCLES. Move entirely into the left lane; on a two-lane road, don’t pass a bicycle if oncoming traffic is near.
• BICYCLISTS MIGHT SWERVE TO AVOID ROAD HAZARDS. Common road hazards for bicyclists are potholes, debris, drainage grates, railroad tracks, and narrow bridges.
• BE CAREFUL WHEN OPENING YOUR VEHICLE DOOR. Road widths often force bicyclists to ride close to parked vehicles where they may be injured by an opening door.
• WHEN IN DOUBT, YIELD TO BICYCLES

SAFETY TIPS FOR BICYCLISTS

• ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET
• RIDE ON THE RIGHT. Ride in the right lane, except when passing another vehicle, preparing for a left turn, or avoiding hazards.
• NEVER RIDE AGAINST TRAFFIC. Always ride with the flow of traffic.
• OBEY TRAFFIC SIGNS AND SIGNALS. Use hand signals to advise motorists you plan to turn, change lanes or stop.
• MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH MOTORISTS. Never assume a motorist sees you or that you have the right-of-way. Expect the unexpected such as: parked vehicles pulling into traffic; vehicle doors opening into your path; and debris on the road.
• AT NIGHT USE A HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT AND REFLECTORS

It isn’t all that complicated, is it?

Pass that along to your motoring and cycling friends, and pedal on.

Now read this: That’s a turn lane you’re in, dummy

Someone please read this to the helmetless guy who was pedaling his bicycle down First Avenue East in Cedar Rapids this afternoon, seemingly oblivious to the traffic whizzing by him in both directions.

That’s a left-turn lane, not an express lane for dummies.

That means you turn, you don’t ride down the middle of First Avenue block after block giving other cyclists a bad name and daring motorists to run you down.

And you motorists: Don’t laugh. It isn’t an on-ramp for dummies, either. You’re going to hurt someone pulling that crap.

Maybe they should still call it a suicide lane.

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The shame of stationary bicycles and another resolution

This pathetic scene was captured just today in an Eastern Iowa garage.

No way to treat a bicycle

Let’s all resolve to keep our cruisers, mountain bikes, road machines, hybrids, tandems and other two-wheeled contraptions out of such places as much as possible in 2009. Yeah, you three-wheel people, too. Everyone has a role to play.

Pedal on.

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Throw drivers in jail for attacks on cyclists

My Aug. 12 post about how to avoid raging motorists didn’t directly address the overt criminal assault on cyclists portrayed in Saturday’s CNN story, which my friend Larry talked about in the Hawkeye Bicycle Association Forum.

A couple of ideas, though:

• Until you’re certain otherwise, assume that someone who cuts you off is going to stop short in front of you, and prepare to stop quickly to avoid a collision. It’s unfortunate, but this involves the same principal that applies to owning the right of way: It isn’t really yours until someone gives it to you. Assume nothing when you’re dealing with a couple of thousand pounds of metal and plastic and an unknown quantity behind the wheel.

• Encourage legal authorities to prosecute drivers who commit overt acts that endanger your safety.

This isn’t just an L.A. thing. The same sort of attack alleged in the CNN story happened over the weekend in our fair corridor, according to a post on BikeIowa by Ryan Jacobsen. The cyclists in that case were fortunate to escape injury.

I’ve said it before: Maybe drivers will start to be more “friendly” after a few of them are prosecuted, fined, sued and jailed for being careless, mean and worse. Too many of them are endangering lives. The law needs to get their attention.

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Eight ways to avoid anti-cyclist road rage and survive in traffic

News reports over the past few months indicate more people are buying bicycles and riding them to work because of high gasoline prices. Maybe you saw the recent Newsweek magazine article about “road rage” incidents involving cyclists and motorists.

In the interest of reducing the chances that you’ll be run down by a motorist, I’m offering these tips for bicycling in traffic (proven effective so far in 14-plus years of road cycling) and avoiding the ire of those who choose to be propelled by internal combustion:

1. Be visible. That means wear bright colors every time you ride. Use a headlight and blinkers to make sure drivers notice you when it’s dark or getting dark. It’s easy to leave the headlight at home when you take off for an early evening ride, but you don’t know for sure that you’ll be home before dark. You might decide to ride a little farther, stop for ice cream or a beer, or get delayed by a flat tire, a sudden storm or mechanical problem.
2. Look around. Check both directions before crossing through an intersection — even if you’re crossing a one-way street. A good friend once announced a street was “clear” just before he pulled out in front of a wrong-way driver, who missed him by inches. Fortunately for me, I saw the car before I got in the way. (Don’t take someone else’s word for it that a street is clear, by the way. See for yourself.)
3. Ride in a straight, predictable line so drivers know what to expect from you. An acquaintance argues against this, on the theory that a motorist coming up from behind will give a weaving rider more room and pass more carefully. I’m afraid I’ll read about him in the newspaper some day after he gets run over.
4. Ride in the bike lane if there is one. Some argue that bike lanes don’t make riding safer, but if there are designated bike lanes that’s where motorists will expect to see you. Use them.
5. Use a mirror — always. Check it frequently for traffic coming up behind you. Get in the habit of glancing in the mirror every few seconds.
6. Be ready to bail out. When you look in your mirror and see that a motorist overtaking you isn’t going to go around, get off the road. Quickly. Even if you crash in the ditch, you’ll more likely to be able to get back on the bike than if a speeding car ends your riding days permanently.
7. Obey the law. In my experience, few things anger motorists more than seeing cyclists flout the law by ignoring stop signs and red lights. If you expect motorists to follow the rules of the road, it makes sense that you should do the same. It’s safer for everyone.
8. Wear a helmet.

Pedal on.

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