BICYCLING SAFETY

In the section above about choosing a route, I suggested that you don't think like a motorist. Well, that's mostly true. However, when you're out bicycling on the street, the safest way to travel is as if you're operating a vehicle. The California Vehicle Code (CVC), and generally the traffic regulations in most other states, essentially considers a bicycle to have the same rights and responsibilities as a motor vehicle. That's something too many cyclists forget.

Many beginning cyclists think that riding on the sidewalk is safer than riding in the street. They couldn't be more wrong. Cycling on the sidewalk means you have to dodge pedestrians, pets, scaffolding, garbage cans, parking meters and signs, vehicles exiting driveways and garages, landscaping, trees and leafy debris, motorists turning off the street, pedestrians leaving buildings without expecting a high velocity traveler sharing their space, and police officers with a ticket quota to meet.

Ride in the street. It's safer. Bicycling on the sidewalk also creates unnecessary enemies for bicyclists. Respect pedestrians, seniors, people with handicaps. Keep out of their space when you're on your bike.

Be assertive. You have the same right to the road as an automobile. Despite the best efforts of General Motors, the streets still allow pedestrians, bicyclists, farm equipment, horse drawn carriages, and other forms of public activity. If you don't assert your rights, you lose them. Many cyclists ride as close as possible to the parked cars on their right, frightened that an overtaking vehicle won't see them or won't wait until its safe to pass. Problem. The most frequent accident for urban bicyclists is "dooring," a collision with an open car door.

Many prospective cyclists are justifiably concerned about safety. However, the perception of danger is generally far greater than the reality. In my experience, probably 98 percent of the motorists I encounter are truly not a problem. There are some "road raging" jerk drivers out there, but for the most part, they're rare (fortunately.) You can further minimize the risk from motorists by doing a few obvious things:

1) Be Visible: wear bright clothing, ride out in the lane away from sight-blocking obstacles, and, if cycling at night, use lights and reflectors.
2) Be Predictable: maintain a steady line, so that overtaking and oncoming drivers can anticipate your course and pass safely; don't weave.
3) Communicate: use hand signals to indicate a turn; make eye contact; wave when a motorist yields to you; smile and show how much more fun you're having commuting by bike.

Again, be assertive. Take the lane! Traffic law doesn't require a cyclist to pull over every time a car approaches from the rear. You only have to be as far to the right as you consider necessary to safely operate your bike. If there's road debris, broken pavement, another cyclist or anything in the extreme right that makes you uncomfortable, move to the left. You have the right to the entire lane! Take it. You're far safer having the cars behind you than crowding you while they pass. Give yourself a cushion. Define your space. Don't be timid. Assert your rights.

Special Safety Considerations for Women

Resources:
Handling a collision - Bike Commute Tips Blog
Riding Predictably Video - produced by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
Bicycling Safety Tips for Adults - video from LAB/NHTSA
Cyclist Reflective Gift Pack
BicycleSafe.com
John Allen: Street Smarts
John Forester: Effective Cycling

NEXT PAGE