Avoiding large high speed roads is a good
idea.
Most drivers just do not know that a bicycle is
allowed on the road. If you ride your bike legally on a
large high speed road, most people will consider you suicidal.
Get a good insurance policy. If you really are suicidal,
this is a good way to get your surviving family big money.
This only works if you follow the rules
of the road.
Be careful to follow all traffic
laws. Maintain a nice straight, predictable line, in
your lane. The law requires the bicycle to stay as close as PRACTICAL
to the right edge of your lane. This does NOT mean
"hug the curb". Give yourself enough room to operate
safely ! Stay at least 3 feet away from parked cars in case a door
opens unexpectedly. You should never have to swing left
to go around an opening car door. Remember the rear passenger of a
parked car does not have a mirror to see you, and drivers who are
parked cannot be bothered to look for you.
Ring your bell to warn people you are coming. A bell or horn is
legally required on your bike. You can even get large air
horns which are louder than a car horn !
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If a lane is too narrow for a bike and a car to
travel beside each other, hog more lane. Force the
cars to change lanes to pass you. It is the only safe way
to do it. If you try to "help them out" by hugging the
curb, they will be tempted to squeeze past you.
Don't worry about a hit from behind. Getting rear ended is very
rare if you follow a predictable straight line in
your lane, just like all other vehicles. When traffic comes to a
stop, stay behind the vehicle ahead. Do not pass on the
right or "park" against the curb. Simply stop in your
correct lane position. You have a right to be there. Do not
be intimidated. If you move to the curb when traffic stops,
you must get permission to resume your proper lane position. You
are in effect merging to the left each time you leave the curb.
You are tempting the vehicle behind to squeeze you off the road.
Don't tease the harried drivers like that !
Wear a black and white helmet with a badge like shape on the
front. An authoritative look works wonders. This may be a
bad idea when dealing with the anti-social personalities.
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Display confidence and good judgment. Make eye contact and communicate
with other road users. Most people really do not want to call
attention to themselves by messing with a cyclist who is clearly in
control and operating completely legally.
If a lane is marked right turn only, use the first lane on the
right that is marked for straight through traffic. Never
try to go straight in a lane marked right turn only. The exception
to this rule would be at a bike legal freeway exit. At
these exits you are require to dismount and become a pedestrian
to safely cross the freeway off ramp. This can be done at any
intersection with a right lane exit. If you feel more
comfortable, move off the road to the right by signaling a stop
and walk across the exit lane at the marked pedestrian
crosswalk. Many freeways do not allow vehicles incapable of at
least 40 mph.
A similar method is very effective for left turns. Stay right
and cross to the far side of the intersection. Then walk
left as a pedestrian and rejoin traffic flow when it is safe. Never
enter the traffic flow unless you check your left rear
first. Get a mirror to help keep an eye on your rear.
Don't trust others to look out for your safety.
Dismounting and becoming a pedestrian can be a
wonderful tool to get you safely past obstacles in the urban
environment. Do not be afraid to walk beside your bike for a
moment if it will get you safely on your way. Remember a mounted
rider has no right of way in a crosswalk. Become a
pedestrian for a moment, have a drink, a fresh piece of gum, and
carefully rejoin the traffic flow when it is safe. Using
crosswalks can provide you with some wonderful new routes to your
destination. Use fun routes which are not possible with a
car.
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This is one of the most
common and annoying mistakes that cyclists make:
When the traffic flow stops for any reason, like a red light
for example, resist the urge to pass on the right
side. Passing is done on the left. If you continually
pass on the right at red lights, do you think those same vehicles
will pass you safely ? If traffic flow stops or
slows, follow the rules and flow with it. Keep your proper
lane position and stay behind the vehicle ahead of you. Other road
users will usually respect your safety if you follow the rules. If
they do not, they will pay the penalty. Be sure you are the one in
the right.
There are many drivers out there who are operating in a temporally
insane condition. Heavy city traffic can be very stressful and
frustrating, especially when a driver is running late. If
you break traffic rules, one of these time bombs may one
day take you out. If you break the rules,
you or your surviving family will not get a dime. The
driver of the vehicle which kills you may even sue your family
for mental duress caused by your unlawful actions.
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Better yet, use quiet alternate routes !
Use a map to plan back road routes.
Transit Bus routes are usually excellent. Why put up with
high speed/high volume traffic when quiet peaceful routes are available
nearby?
If you do ride on the sidewalk to get past obstacles,
you give up your rights as a vehicle and you have no rights
as a pedestrian. To get rights as a pedestrian you
must get off your bike. Think about it. Walking your
bike for that first 6 feet of the crosswalk can be the difference
between life of death. Also if you are walking, you have all
the many wonderful rights of the pedestrian. While walking you may
collect millions if injured. If you think you have
pedestrian rights and privileges while riding in a
crosswalk, you will be lucky to be sadly surprised,
when the police deliver to your hospital bed, a ticket for riding on the
sidewalk. You will also be sad to find you are not entitled
to those millions of dollars because you were not a pedestrian at
the time of the accident.
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Breaking the rules to make your ride safer only works if you know what your rights are.
Don't expect to be treated like a pedestrian when you are riding on the
sidewalk, across crosswalks, alleys or driveways. These are places
where cars cross the sidewalk to reach the larger roadways.
The reason you are not allowed to cycle there soon becomes obvious if
you exceed walking speeds. If the sidewalk has many blind
spots where cars can appear unexpectedly, you must slow to
walking speed so you can stop quickly. Anyone walking
on the sidewalk has the right of way, you are illegal on your bike
unless you have small child size wheels.
Designated bike trails are a completely different story.
You will notice there are very few of the hazards noted above on a multi
use trail.
Use normal sidewalks only to get past large high speed
roadways. Sidewalks can be very dangerous if you think you have
pedestrian rights. You have no rights when riding on a normal
sidewalk. You are completely illegal and may get a traffic
ticket delivered to your hospital bed.
