Bicycling in traffic doesn’t have to be scary. When bicyclists drive their bicycles as vehicles, they are most visible and predictable and other competent drivers know how to treat them.
Bicyclists have the same rights to the road as motorists. Bicyclists also have to obey the same, rules such as driving on the right hand side of the road, stopping for stop signs, signaling turns and yielding right of way.
Bicycling in traffic requires some special skills needed to safely interact with cars on the road. Riding in traffic, a bicyclist needs be able to start and stop smoothly, ride straight while scanning for traffic around you, and give clear hand signals if you want to move sideways, turn, or stop.
Since bicycles are narrower than cars, cyclists can choose from many lateral positions in the lane. Choosing the correct position in a lane can prevent confusing and angering motorists.
Bicycles are usually slower than cars so bicyclists usually ride to the right side of the lane. However, there are times when riding to the right of the lane can confuse other drivers. For example, when making a left turn, going straight through an intersection or passing other vehicles, cyclists should signal and move left into the lane to communicate their intentions to other drivers.
Consider a left turn. If a cyclist wants to make a left turn, he or she should make the turn from the left side of the lane. Making a left turn from the right side of the lane could result in getting hit from behind by an overtaking vehicle. To move from the right side of the lane to the left side of the lane, the cyclist should scan beside and behind, give the appropriate hand signal and if another vehicle is occupying the space into which the cyclist wants to move, negotiate with the driver until he or she indicates by slowing down that they’re yielding the space for the cyclist to move left.
Similarly, when going straight through an intersection, if a cyclist stays to the right side of the lane, he or she risks a driver overtaking him or her and then turning right in front of him or her. This is called a “right hook”. To avoid a right hook, at a sufficient distance from the intersection, the cyclists should scan beside and behind, signal that he or she is going to move farther left in the lane, negotiate with any drivers that may be occupying that space, and then move into the middle of the lane to go through the intersection. Once through the intersection, the cyclist can move back to the right side of the lane.
Even when the cyclist is most visible and predictable, he or she may need to stop or make a sharp turn very quickly to avoid another vehicle that cuts in front of him or her. For example, if a motorist cuts off the cyclist by pulling out of a driveway or side street into the path of the cyclist, he or she may have to stop suddenly. To stop in the shortest possible distance, firmly apply both your brakes, front more than back; shift your weight to the rear and lower your torso to avoid skidding or going over the handlebars.
If a motorist passes a cyclist and then cuts right in front of him or her or if a motorist makes a left turn right in front of the cyclist, he or she may have to make a quick turn to avoid colliding with the car. Making the quickest turn possible actually involves first turning your handlebars opposite the direction you want to go to make the bike lean and then leaning into the turn and turning into the direction you want to go. Practicing these crash avoidance maneuvers makes them available when needed.
Being able to handle your bike, obeying the laws and being most visible and predictable prevents most crashes but if a crash happens, wearing a helmet and gloves can reduce injury. Bicycling in traffic requires more knowledge and skill than driving a car. Bicycling in traffic with the knowledge and skills that you can learn in Morgantown’s Confident City Cycling program can transform what seems scary to some of us into a safe and enjoyable experience.
An edited version of this article was published in the Dominion Post on August 5, 2010 page 1-D as Bicycling in Traffic.
Frank Gmeindl is a League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructor and Chairman of the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board.
Marilyn Newcome is a League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructor and member of the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board.
No comments:
Post a Comment