Bicycling Safely.

People are hitting the streets in droves--on bicycles!

And bikes aren’t only for recreation anymore. With rising gasoline prices, more and more people are turning to bicycles as an alternative form of transportation. More and more cities and towns are creating recreational bike paths, and many have incorporated bike lanes into their infrastructures.

With this increased bike traffic, there seems to be some confusion over rules and safe riding habits. I’ve witnessed some near misses lately, many of them involving cars--situations that rarely affect bicyclists positively. I thought a refresher might be useful.

First and foremost, bicycles are wheeled vehicles. They are to travel with traffic, not against it as pedestrians do. The same rules that govern other wheeled vehicles apply to bikes. Cyclists are to stop at stop signs and traffic lights, they are to yield to pedestrians, and they are to signal, using their left hands, when slowing down, stopping, or changing direction.

Bicycles belong in the road, in the right lane. Many places restrict bicycle use of sidewalks. Some ban it altogether, others regulate by bicycle size (usually allowing for smaller children to ride on the sidewalk).

Groups of cyclists may ride two-abreast, when there is room, but should ride single-file when traffic is thick, and never more than two-abreast.

Helmets, contrary to popular belief, are not required by law, though are undoubtedly a good idea.

Safety is another matter, the aim of laws, but not always achieved by laws, a point made by the website BicycleSafe.com. It offers some very specific tips to combat specific scenarios, and warrants a visit. It also offers some basic common sense suggestions for safe bicycle riding.

Visibility is paramount to staying safe on a bicycle. BicycleSafe.com recommends wearing bright clothing and using a headlight--even in the daytime. Night riders need taillights too and lots of reflectors, including reflective clothing. (Some of these things are, in fact, law for nighttime riding.)

BicycleSafe also suggests people have mirrors, horns or bells, and that they avoid other vehicles’ blind spots.

Bicycling is a good thing--good for the environment, good for the pocketbook, and good for the waistline--but only if it’s done safely! I’m hoping these tips and reminders help bring that about.