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March 22, 2008
Top Ten Wishes for the 2008 Bike Riding Season
Being a pretty frequent bike rider (I logged about 1,500 miles mainly on Butte County roads last year), I have lots of opportunities to witness the best, and worst in drivers. Here is my top ten things that I wish every car driver would do (from a bike rider's perspective):
1. Please show a little courtesy when you go by us. Contrary to popular opinion, automobiles do not have a god given right to half of the roadway. If the roadway is rough on the edges, a bike may need to move into the travel lane. If so, wait until it is clear and the move into the opposing lane and pass us. We are no different than a slow car, a tractor, or a disabled vehicle... If we are in the lane, you must go around us when safe.
2. When you go around us, please give us a little room. My bike is a little squirrelly at high speeds, especially in the wind or on rough roads. It's not unusual, in a strong wind, for my bike to be blown a foot or two sideways. If you are going by and only giving me two feet clearance, and the wind pushed me over at the same time, we are going to have a problem. I say we, because, while I will probably end up dead, you will likely be cited for manslaughter, have to deal with all that, and you will have to live with the thought that you took the life of another human being, just because it was a little inconvenient to move over across the centerline of the road a foot or two.
3. If we are going really fast (like down Neal Road) keep in mind that all the bikes have separating us from the roadway is a tire that is about ¾ of an inch wide. Unlike a car, we can not hit potholes or ruts and survive, so we have to move around the lane a little bit to avoid the problem areas. Again, a little extra room when you pass us would really, really be appreciated.
4. When you go around us, please do not “jump in the throttle” to get around, unless really necessary. We are out here trying to keep healthy, and your tail pipe points right towards us as you go around. On a calm day, a diesel pickup with an operator that “stands on the throttle” will give us diesel fumes to breath for a long, long time.
5. If you are driving a high profile vehicle (garbage truck, Semi truck/trailer, or RV) please give us some extra room when you come up behind us and pass. Your vehicle pushes a huge wall of air at 40 or 50 miles per hour, and if you pass us close, you may very well blow us right off the roadway. I’ve came close to having this experience on Neal Road, and it really was not fun.
6. I try to pay attention to the traffic, and know where the cars are at all times. However, if it is really windy, I may not be able to hear you approaching. All you have to do is move over a bit and put a tire on the dots bots near the centerline. The tire going over the little reflective things makes a very distinctive sound that is music to a bicyclist’s ears. When we hear that, we then know that you see us, you are going to pass us, and that you will give us a little room as you go by.
7. When you see us out at nighttime, remember – you really need to dim you lights for bicyclists as well as other motorists. I have had oncoming cars literally blind me for 10 or 15 seconds as they went by…. And that is downright scary, especially if you are not intimately familiar with the roadway. In fact, the new Steve Harrison Bike lane that paralles Skyway is a great example - Friday morning, the downhill Skyway traffic made it impossible to see, as I was headed up the trailway towards HoneyRun Road.
8. Lots of new people are joining this sport, for the health benefits as well as trying to reduce their ever increasing gas bill. New riders may do some unpredictable things, so again, please be sure to pay attention as you approach us.
9. As you approach a bicyclist, or group of bicyclists, ponder this thought… What would you do if you knew your son, daughter, or grandson/grandaughter was in the group of cyclists? I bet you’d slow down quite a bit, and give them a very wide berth, to make sure that there is no possible way you could hit anyone in the group. All I ask is that you give that group of spandex clad bicyclists the same compassion you would give your family members. That group more than likely includes a neighbor or two of yours, and they are all sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, with significant ties to the community.
10. Think about this – every bike you see on the roadway is one less car, that means the air we all breath is just a little cleaner, that means that one less person will become morbidly obese and a drag on the US Health care system with Diabetes, that means one less person is filling up at the corner gas station, that means less demand for gas, that means YOU save money. So see, we are all really in the together!!!!
Posted by Dennis at March 22, 2008 03:26 PM
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