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affrecaOne of the first things I read this morning was a call for writings for a 'zine on the Lawrence LJ community. The 'zine's focus is on how not bike safe Lawrence is. Which annoys me. Because I'm more likely to rant about my fellow cyclists doing stupid shit than the drivers. I really only deal with one stupid driver a day. So, I put it on my own LJ. Suggestions of what to add, or how to smooth are welcome. But you probably know this is a subject I feel strongly about.
Don’t take this the wrong way. But we, as bicyclists, have primary responsibility for our safety. Before we castigate the car drivers about driving safely around us, we need to make sure we’re biking safely. And we don’t always.
I have two basic rules that I live by when I bike. They are be courteous and be aware. Let explain and expand.
I’m a Midwesterner, so I find courteousness to be one of the most admirable traits to have. It is the grease that allows society to work. Do onto others as you would have done to yourself, and all that jazz.
So follow the rules of the road. If you act like a car, drivers will treat you like one. They will know what to expect of you. So stop at stop signs, even if means loosing your precious momentum. With that, take your turn. The rules for a four way stop sign apply to you, to.
Signal your turns. I learned the bent left arm in elementary school. Later, when I took driver’s ed, I found out that the same arm signals are used by car drivers. That’s why you use your left arm, so the driver can lean out his window.
Stay in your lane. Sometimes it helps to not be all the way to the side of the road (in the potholes). Use turning lanes. If you want to make a left turn, move to the center, so a car doesn’t try to get on your left, and want to make a right turn. He’ll win. Also, even though you can turn on a dime, don’t make sudden U-turns.
Stay off the sidewalk unless you need it, especially on campus. There is much less traffic on the street than the sidewalks. Watch for body flingers. They all have headphones on, so won’t hear your bell. I’ve tried for years. Walk your bike if you need to be on the sidewalk.
Be visible. Wear light colored or reflective clothing at night. Lawrence has a law about bicycling without a light at night. Even though it isn’t enforced, there is a reason for it. Not for you to see, but for you to be seen. Rear lights are also helpful. Again, being where cars expect you helps.
Try to catch the eye of the people around you. I love that I recognize people on my route to work. I don't know anything about them, but I smile and wave at them as they wait for their bus. Or wave as they bike towards their own destinations. Do not leave out the car drivers. Eye contact is the closest thing we have to telepathy. When you smile at each other, you know you have seen eachother. It is not an us vs. them world. I might be the driver facing you in a four way stop sign. And it is friendly. Smiles are meant to be shared.
One of the reasons I bike is to not be locked into a box all day. I work in a basement. Riding down off the hill each afternoon is my outside treat. Take advantage of this and notice your surroundings. Be aware.
Hearing is your best friend. Cars aren’t silent (well, hybrids are, but they’re nice in their way). Don’t plug your ears with headphones. If you need music for your commute, only put one earbud in.
Visibility is also better on a bike than in a car. There is no roof above you. There is not glass to get fogged up (except your glasses). Swivel. If you hear something odd, look at it.
Part of being aware is being aware of your bike. Listen to the noises it makes. Does it shift smoothly? How well do your brakes work? Is there something caught in your spokes? Check the tires. Make sure it is adjusted to your height and comfort. A well tuned bike is much easier to control.
Realize what your most vulnerable part is. See, I’m a helmet fanatic. I have reason to be. My father died when I was an infant because he hit his head in a bicycle accident. No cars were involved. A helmet saved my boyfriend. I’ve got a couple spares if you can’t afford one.
See. Easy rules. I’m not saying that drivers to not have a responsibility to drive safely. I just think that our safety starts with us taking responsibility.
Don’t take this the wrong way. But we, as bicyclists, have primary responsibility for our safety. Before we castigate the car drivers about driving safely around us, we need to make sure we’re biking safely. And we don’t always.
I have two basic rules that I live by when I bike. They are be courteous and be aware. Let explain and expand.
I’m a Midwesterner, so I find courteousness to be one of the most admirable traits to have. It is the grease that allows society to work. Do onto others as you would have done to yourself, and all that jazz.
So follow the rules of the road. If you act like a car, drivers will treat you like one. They will know what to expect of you. So stop at stop signs, even if means loosing your precious momentum. With that, take your turn. The rules for a four way stop sign apply to you, to.
Signal your turns. I learned the bent left arm in elementary school. Later, when I took driver’s ed, I found out that the same arm signals are used by car drivers. That’s why you use your left arm, so the driver can lean out his window.
Stay in your lane. Sometimes it helps to not be all the way to the side of the road (in the potholes). Use turning lanes. If you want to make a left turn, move to the center, so a car doesn’t try to get on your left, and want to make a right turn. He’ll win. Also, even though you can turn on a dime, don’t make sudden U-turns.
Stay off the sidewalk unless you need it, especially on campus. There is much less traffic on the street than the sidewalks. Watch for body flingers. They all have headphones on, so won’t hear your bell. I’ve tried for years. Walk your bike if you need to be on the sidewalk.
Be visible. Wear light colored or reflective clothing at night. Lawrence has a law about bicycling without a light at night. Even though it isn’t enforced, there is a reason for it. Not for you to see, but for you to be seen. Rear lights are also helpful. Again, being where cars expect you helps.
Try to catch the eye of the people around you. I love that I recognize people on my route to work. I don't know anything about them, but I smile and wave at them as they wait for their bus. Or wave as they bike towards their own destinations. Do not leave out the car drivers. Eye contact is the closest thing we have to telepathy. When you smile at each other, you know you have seen eachother. It is not an us vs. them world. I might be the driver facing you in a four way stop sign. And it is friendly. Smiles are meant to be shared.
One of the reasons I bike is to not be locked into a box all day. I work in a basement. Riding down off the hill each afternoon is my outside treat. Take advantage of this and notice your surroundings. Be aware.
Hearing is your best friend. Cars aren’t silent (well, hybrids are, but they’re nice in their way). Don’t plug your ears with headphones. If you need music for your commute, only put one earbud in.
Visibility is also better on a bike than in a car. There is no roof above you. There is not glass to get fogged up (except your glasses). Swivel. If you hear something odd, look at it.
Part of being aware is being aware of your bike. Listen to the noises it makes. Does it shift smoothly? How well do your brakes work? Is there something caught in your spokes? Check the tires. Make sure it is adjusted to your height and comfort. A well tuned bike is much easier to control.
Realize what your most vulnerable part is. See, I’m a helmet fanatic. I have reason to be. My father died when I was an infant because he hit his head in a bicycle accident. No cars were involved. A helmet saved my boyfriend. I’ve got a couple spares if you can’t afford one.
See. Easy rules. I’m not saying that drivers to not have a responsibility to drive safely. I just think that our safety starts with us taking responsibility.
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no subject
Date: 2007-02-22 04:47 pm (UTC)One problem I have is being too shy to say... "with traffic, not against it" or "please don't cut through the line of stopped cars and then run the red light".
no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 01:09 am (UTC)