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HOW
I RIDE
By
Gene Richards
Click
here for response from members
The
Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee has been discussing road safety
with the Fresno Police Department (Andy Hall of the Traffic Division)
and would like to continue this general topic with other departments and
officers and patrolmen, etc. There
have been suggestions to begin ticketing cyclists and pedestrians for
various infractions of the Vehicle Code.
We have also wanted to give our input on this and, in the
process, educate the public as well as the police.
I thought it would be a good idea for cyclists to talk about how
they ride, what they consider safe or unsafe practices by cyclists.
Of course, most of us are well aware of what constitutes unsafe
motoring as we have run up against these over the years, and rest
assured we have mentioned these to the police also.
But how SHOULD we ride?
I'll
open by giving my opinions from many years of cycling in the Bay Area,
in Fresno, and overseas in China, but this should be a forum and the
more cyclists and pedestrians that share their ideas, the better.
The best way to do this would be on a listserv, and even though
the FCBC Website is finally becoming a reality, we don't have a listserv
yet. So I'll begin through
regular email and you can respond through the FCBC email address (see
below) and Louise Mar can forward messages to everyone else.
Or come to a BPAC meeting (see below) or send us a note.
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First,
some general remarks. We
are all ambassadors for cycling and what we do out on the mean streets
reflects on cyclists generally, especially in backward Fresno.
So, I would say that, basically, we need to follow the law,
because it is the law that we expect motorists to follow.
Most of my points are from this standpoint.
First
rule: turn left from the
left turn lane, with traffic, with the light.
This is simple, efficient and not dangerous if you move into the
left turn lane carefully. It
also lets motorists know that we know what the hell we're doing that
cyclists are expected to be out in traffic sometimes.
It's a very visible move.
Of
course, ride with traffic, on the right side of two-way streets, as
close to the curb as is practicable AND SAFE.
That means stay away from the door zone of parked cars, and
obstacles like stopped buses, potholes, cars turning right, etc.
That's the law in California and that's what is safest.
Even though it seems risky to ride out in traffic when cars are
parked along the curb, statistics support the fact that many more
accidents occur from cyclists being hit by car doors opened into them
than from being hit from behind. Motorists
behind you can see you (see below about being visible), but parked
motorists may not. Along
with this, you have to come out into traffic in the travel lane nearest
parked cars gradually, not shoot out at the last moment as you get near
a parked car. I recommend a
rearview mirror, which I have mounted to my helmet and a tiny one I have
on my cycling glasses.
Never
run a red light. It's
dangerous and it pisses motorists off.
Not that our job is to make motorists happy, but it doesn't hurt
to have them on our side. Which
most of them are willing to be, if we ride responsibly.
Running a red light is a very visible transgression which irks
them, at the least, and leads to the oft heard "THEY don't
follow the law so why should we look out for them!?"
Stop
signs are another matter, and I have often brought this up with the
police. I say, slow down at
all stop signs and be ready to stop at any stop sign where the motorist
has the right of way, unless it's obvious he's waiting for you to go
through first. I'm often on
back streets so this is how I ride.
On major or crowded streets this is even more important,
especially about being ready to stop.
I know that there will be a lot of disagreement about this but
this is my method. And I
always thank motorists who let me ride against their right of way.
In
fact, that's another good general rule: be as polite as you can be;
never flip off a motorist. Oh,
I do have my various hand signals and I do get angry for really
egregious errors but generally the worst thing I do is to just point to
my head (meaning: use your head). Motorists
who honk at me get a wave (as in: oh ... you're honking ... you must
know me or like what I'm doing ... yea!).
You could be getting a situation like the one a we had on the way
home from a Bike Hop or meeting or something and about four of us are
headed north on Van Ness somewhere below McKinley and this guy and his
buddies beep at us and pass by, but giving us a wide berth, and the
passenger shouts out (and we're ready for some sacrilege):
bikes rule way more than f___ing cars!
And waves his hand at us. Wow,
way cool. So, it could
happen at any time, that voice in the wilderness.
Be ready.
Never
ride on a sidewalk. It's
dangerous for the cyclist because motorists don't expect to see you
there and don't look there when they're pulling out of a parking lot
until they've already got their noses over the curb.
Bikes are coming much faster than pedestrians and often coming
the wrong way. And
encourage everyone else in town not to ride on the sidewalk.
It's illegal to ride on a downtown sidewalk or on Fulton Mall,
and you're likely to get a ticket.
Be
visible! I used to think
that a rear light was enough. It
ain't. I'm on Fruit Avenue,
coming home from some party one Christmas or New Year's Eve and it's
really foggy and pretty close to my house and this guy jerks out from
the curb right in front of me and makes a U-turn.
Of course I scream at him but he lowers his window and says
something like, "Sorry ... Merry Christmas," and I realized he
couldn't see me. So now I
got my Cat Eye on the front and a nice flasher on my seat and I'm pretty
well set. Spoke reflectors
are good and reflective strips on your helmet and reflective vests, too.
And get others to do the same because most cyclists are not
covered for night riding. We
can't ask for decent treatment if they can't see us.
It doesn't help for the real bonehead drivers but it puts the
odds much more in our favor for everyone else.
Remember about being ambassadors.
Do
I fudge the rules, even self-made ones?
Yep. And I'll bet
you do too. But that
doesn't make it right. Talking
to the cops made me realize that most of them would like to do the right
thing and save some lives out there but absolutely can't do it without
everyone pitching in. They
have found that giving tickets usually results in about a year of good
behavior; all other measures are less effective.
One
more thing, right turn lanes very confusing, especially if they were
not designed for cyclists, which is 90% of them.
I try not to get in the right turner's way if I can avoid it,
usually by getting between the right turn lane and the right thru-travel
lane, if there's space. I
don't move out of the right turn lane until I'm just up to the
intersection. If this is
not possible, I get over to the curb and hope they don't run me over
when the light changes. It
always amazes me that a motorist will wait through a complete red light,
even when there's opportunity to turn right, and then take off right in
front of me when it changes to green, but they do.
Last
advice: if you see some
problem with a bike lane in Fresno (pothole, junk, branches, etc.), call
the City Public Works Department at 621-1492 and explain it to Stacy.
---
Respond
to:
Fresno
County Bicycle Coalition - fresnocobike@aol.com.
By
Gene Richards Political Relations Chair of FCBC and BPAC member gene1@cvip.net.
Bicycle-Pedestrian
Advisory Committee usually the 4th Thursday of each
month, at Room 4017, Fresno City Hall, 5:30 7:30pm.
Or send a letter to ndpaladino@sbcglobal.net.
On any streets other than Herndon or Clovis Ave. the speed limit should be 30 max. and strictly enforced.
You will have to address the state legislature with this. Speed limits in residential districts are 25. However, in non-residential/business districts (and some other notable exceptions), the speed limit is 55, unles a survey has been done authorizing a lower limit. This is state law and cannot be pre-empted by local code.
As to enforcement, I cannot believe that FPD could do any stricter or more comprehensive job of enforcing the current speed limits and still have time to work on murders, rapes, and robberies.
Also, since you mentioned eliminating parking, I think we should seriously revisit our aversion to bike lanes between traffic and parked cars. We are going to have to accept this as reality if we want more bike lanes. Where there are parked cars, we are riding in that place anyway, why not get some stripes on the road? They do it in SF all over the place. Why can't we?
Looking forward to seeing you as a continued active FCBC member in 2005.
Kendall Simsarian
FCBC
Membership Coordinator
Cyclists will be aware of and adhere to the rules if they are required to register and license their bikes annually.
Also, half the time I see people riding off the road I think they're doing it for added safety. We'd all be dead if we trusted the motorists to give us room.
Pete
Greetings-
You have described one way cyclists think they are doing the right (safe) thing, but they are not. There are many others. I think the most effective way to change behavior is through public service announcements on TV. Is there still such a thing? I truly believe the city may be persuaded to sponsor one of these. Do we still have a committee that focuses on edumacation?
Kendall Simsarian
FCBC
Membership Coordinator
My response to the recent "How I Ride" email (if you missed this or want it re-sent to you, send a reply to this email at: fresnocobike@aol.com):
Education might go much further than ticketing in changing behaviors. I see lots of cyclists on sidewalks, on the opposite side of the street, crossing streets between intersections (as opposed to "at" intersections). I think that these cyclists believe that they are doing the "safest" thing, by staying away from cars. (I used to think that way and sometimes still do!) Both cyclists and motorists need educating on how we "should" ride and why. There are laws for cars and bikes and where the twain meet, but so very few people know them.
It seems that the Coalition (us) should be educating folks... leaving brochures on handlebars of parked bikes, promoting safe riding, talking to cyclists we see doing dangerous things. Perhaps all driver's education courses and driving classes (for ticketed drivers) should include some significant portion about being on the road with bicyclists. Perhaps we can look into these courses and make sure that "bicycle sections" are mandated.
From the "How I Ride" email:
"The Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee has been discussing road safety with the Fresno Police Department (Andy Hall of the Traffic Division) and would like to continue this general topic with other departments and officers and patrolmen, etc. There have been suggestions to begin ticketing (let's start with warnings, but consistent warnings) cyclists and pedestrians (how about motorists - I've never seen a motorist ticketed or even warned for jeopardizing the safety of a cyclist). for various infractions of the Vehicle Code."
Does anyone have any suggestions for education programs? Perhaps every cyclists should get a copy of the California codes that pertain to bikes.
This information can be found primarily in the Vehicle Code though there is some ancillary information in the Street and Highway, Public Resources and Public Utilities codes). You can find all California Codes online at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
Once there do a search on "all" codes with the search term: bicycle. The primary information is in: Vehicle Code Section 21200-21212. You can go directly to this site by coping and pasting:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=35779318359+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve
Now beyond the danger of cars, how 'bout those dogs. Hard to make eye contact with them. Any suggestions?
Louise Colbert-Mar
Thanks Gene for putting this out--I agree that there needs to be some serious discussion about traffic safety in Fresno...SERIOUS discussion. Let's just be honest--the only threat that exists on Fresno's streets comes from cars and trucks and buses--not bikes, not pedestrians, not anybody else. Once we've seriously addressed the real safety threat, then we can begin to look at ticketing cyclists. To do anything else is to feed the car only viewpoint--what some have termed "automania."
I would start with the issue of the city's discussion of electric vehicles. The city is grappling with the problem of how to deal with the "Gem Cars"--golf cart type electric vehicles that only go up to about 25 miles an hour. Technically,this is below the minimum on Fresno mean streets with their 40 mph speed limit. So should they be allowed on the streets or what?
The answer to this problem is OBVIOUS. Lower the speed limits and engage in strict enforcement of the speed laws. On any streets other than Herndon or Clovis Ave. the speed limit should be 30 max. and strictly enforced. No one needs to go any faster than that on streets with pedestrians, bicycles, wheel chairs, school kids, homeless people, pets, wild animals and other living, non-motorized beings. It is an easy choice--a lower speed limit that will add a few minutes to each car trip or a higher rate of injury and fatal accidents.
The BPAC, the FCBC, and other concerned groups should take the lead on reduction of traffic speeds; IT WILL SAVE LIVES.
The second issue is facilities. All of us who have been involved in this issue for any length of times know that automania not only means unsafe speed limits, it also means that the convenience of car drivers takes precedence over any other consideration. Gene is right that riding on the streets is far safer than riding on sidewalks. It is also the law, and the law allows the bike right of way if there is insufficient lane width for cars to pass by bikes safely. In practice this means that a cyclist must actually go out in front of traffic when there is an insufficiently wide lane to establish his/her right to the lane. That's fine for long time commuters and road warriors like me and Gene and other stout souls. But is this really the cycling/walking environment we want to create? Do you really want to send your kid into such a cycling environment? All major roadways must have bike lanes, period. Parking must give way to bike lanes except in very narrow circumstances (e.g., where a business or home has NO other parking available).
Now, all of this obvious and common sense for anyone who wants to deal with traffic safety in a SERIOUS manner. But we know that, in the current climate of corporate/state neo-fascism, the powers that be and the liberal interest groups will talk on and on and have endless meetings and sing hosannas to cycling and walking and then guess what. When all of this sound and fury signifying almost nothing is over and "our representatives" get hold of the issue, oil and automobile interests will prevail. It is a lot like "clean air."
Don't get me wrong, I take my hat off to folks like Gene and Nick and Theresia and Lori and everybody else pluggin' away at this issue. I think you will probably make a few small strides. But remember, I began this e-mail suggesting that we be serious about traffic safety. Something like what I have outlined is serious. Anything else is just compromise so that selfish people in dangerous machines can imperil the public.
Good luck.
Michael Becker
I have been bike commuting for several years and enjoy it most of the time. Of course the short days of late Fall to early Spring make it challenging. I ride on Cedar Ave from Kings Cyn to/from Shaw Ave. The safety and quality (how comfortable and relaxed I feel) of the road varies tremendously. There are parts of the ride that have bike lanes and are lighted which are great. Other parts without lights or bike lanes or even curbs are a different story!
I have taken to attaching multiple reflectors to my backpack and flashing LED lights on the bike, backpack and the back of my bike helmet (which is almost all covered with reflective tape). For the front I have two LED lights; one on flashing mode. I feel that wearing light colored clothing and my bright yellow vest makes me much more visible.
I feel most car/truck drivers that are able to see me are careful to avoid me. There have been a few instances of someone zooming to pass me and then making a hard braking deceleration as they pull into a driveway right in front of me. This has happened 3 times in the past 5 years and have been very disconcerting.
I avoid riding the bike if it is raining. I will usually ride the bus.
RE BIKIE SAFE RIDING SUGGESTIONS
but I would add that on the left turn lane item, you will do yourself a
major favor if you form the habit of staying to the right side of the left
turn lane, and when you get the green, go straight for at least half the
width of the intersection before you start your turn. This will encourage
the cars behind you to make their turn inside of your path. Most bikies use
the left portion of the left turn lanes, and are passed, and stranded, as
cars from behind, pass around them, thus stranding them with nowhere to go.
Thanks for your activist efforts.
Sincerely, Richard (20+ plus years of local bicycle commuting without a
scratch) Darby...
ps Since most riding leaves you with time to kill, try passing a little of
it by practicing memorizing the liscense numbers of vehicles which pass you.
Like most things, this skill will improve with practice. Get good at it,
then hope you never have to use it to help catch a driver who nearly killed
you!
Hi,
Unless my body is in major recovery from training, I commute mostly along Blackstone to work. This works out to about 80% of the time. I also, on my training rides, ride from my house to get to the foothills.
I pretty much agree with what the original author wrote. In terms of stop signs, on roads with visible traffic, I tend to do a track-stand for a stop. If there is no visible traffic, I slow up to a crawl at the stop sign and proceed accordingly. I also agree that traffic doors, along with flat inducing debris is a cause for me to ride more to the left. In terms of visibility, I at least have head and tail lights, often reflective clothing. Hope this helps.
___o
_`\ <,_
(*)/ (*) "As long as I breathe, I attack"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ - Bernard Hinault -
Steve Grusis
(Arts/Action Sports Cycling Team)
Programmer/Analyst
State Center Community College District
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