Bikes n' Cars

I'm not sure if it's the latest tragedies that have prompted the need for cyclist & driver education on how to be safe on the road, but whatever the cause, it's always good to keep safe riding in mind...

A fabulous video for DRIVERS: http://www.dothetest.co.uk

This email was sent to me from Velo Bella Cycling, and I think it's a solid reminder of what we're required to do, and have the right to do as a cyclist.. enjoy:
(now if only drivers would watch it too!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU4nKKq02BU
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You know how, as a child, you were taught never to bicycle in traffic and to stay out of the way of cars? Well, a new video on the rights and duties of bicyclists has just been posted on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU4nKKq02BU. Among other things, it shows bicyclists how to ride in traffic, including controlling the lane and using left turn lanes to turn left. An acquaintance of mine, Dan Gutierrez (an experienced bicyclist and a satellite engineer), posted this video in an attempt to counter those ideas you were taught as a child. Basically, he is teaching adult bicyclists that they should act as drivers of vehicles. If they are traveling slower than the prevailing speed of traffic, then they should ride to the right if they can do so safely. But if not, then they need to ride in the middle of the right lane. And when a bicyclist needs to turn left, he needs to change lanes and move to the left, just as the driver of a vehicle would. Dan's point is that if the lane is too narrow to safely share side by side, then it is better to ride in the middle of the lane. That way, the bicyclist avoids opening car doors, motorists who try to squeeze by without changing lanes, and right hook accidents. That's the way I ride, and that's the way that the League of American Bicyclists instructors teach their students. But I wonder how many motorists, people on bicycles, or, for that matter, bicycle advocates understand that. And if they understood, how many "bicycle facilities" would we really need?

Please take a look at the video and let me know what you think. I will pass any comments on to Dan.

Robert M Shanteau, PhD, PEConsulting Traffic Engineer
(you can post a comment if you'd like a comment to be passed to Dan)
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A little Q & A:

Ed wrote:
Raja,

I practice 95% of these techniques, but always wondered what the "protocol" was for the narrow lane situations where there are no shoulders, bike lanes, etc. So, "hogging" the right lane so to speak is safer until you can move over. This always seemed to be the right move and I've done it when the lane was extremely narrow, but now I'm empowered with the "law"/rules.

The only item I noticed the video left out was the situation of car sensors at traffic lights. It's true that some cities insert bicycle sensors too, but overall, if you do as the video suggests and you're first in line at a light either to go left or straight, chances are the car(s) behind you are not "tripping" the sensor so the traffic light system does not know anyone is present and may never change unless they're set on timers.

So, common logic may suggest (?) the cyclists should move forward/to either side/into the crosswalk (a bit) to allow the car to inch up onto/into sensor range, assuming they're paying attention and understand the technology. This is tricky however, because as you know (and I recognize), inching forward/sideways could put the cyclist in a less than safe situation. I think it's a gray area and unique to each situation, but I thought I'd ask if there's anyone weighing in on the subject.

Thanks. This was helpful,

Take care,
-ed

>>Dear Ed,

Good question! I forwarded your question to Dan... I'll let you know what the response is when it is received. When I'm out riding and am sitting at a light waiting for it to turn.. and waiting.. and waiting... I usually smile and get overjoyed a car has pulled up behind me. I usually just roll forward a bit, turn around, give the driver a great big smile, and wave them forward so they're triggering the light. They usually have kept a safe cushion behind me and don't want to crowd me, so it usually takes some coaxing to get them to move forward. If I point to the pad, then point to the light, they usually get it and pull forward. Then they get the big thumbs up and "Thanks!" from me... Always thank drivers who are courteous... they really don't know how much they are appreciated.

Cheers,
Raja

Ty wrote:
Raja,

Great video - thanks for sharing. I am new to cycling and I was wondering what you do if people honk at you? I've cycled down the 101 through Solana Beach and Leucadia and at times people honk if I'm controlling right the lane. Ignore them? Travel in groups only?

Regards,
Ty

>>Dear Ty,

Well, the natural reaction is not always the best (usually involving birdies and some french)... So I usually try to "kill em with kindness"... and just wave to them to acknowledge that I hear them. Your safety is the most important, so above and beyond what any laws state, do what you need to do to be SAFE. There are a TON of aggressive drivers out there who will do what they want to do in order to "own" the road. In this case, some of them really do try to get as close to you as possible to make their point (for some odd reason, they're usually driving pick up trucks or expensive cars) - which is HIGHLY illegal and VERY dangerous, so if you're confronted with one of these drivers, just move to the far right to get out of their way, your safety is more important than a bruised ego. I'm all for getting license plate numbers and reporting it to the police. These are the drivers that will one day accidentally come too close and injury or even kill a cyclist.

There are also a TON of clueless, oblivious drivers who have no clue how close they are to you, and don't understand that you really do need more than 6 inches clearance... I wrote on my blog about a women who honked at us and thought she was doing us a favor.... oh my...
There are also a TON of very considerate drivers, and I usually try to give them a thumbs up and smile so they know I am thankful for their respect.

Whatever you do, don't ignore drivers. Probably not the best idea to fly them a birdie, but at least let them know you've acknowledged their presence... and if you need the entire lane, take the entire lane, just be clear with your hand signals if you plan on turning, or what your intentions are. If I have to merge into traffic because a car is parked in the bike lane (often on PCH), I make merging gestures with my left hand advising drivers I will be merging left.

Please let me know if you have any questions... I'm not a pro, nor an authority on the law, but I can speak from experience...

Happy Safe Riding,
Raja