1. As a cyclist your #1 responsibility is to protect your life and be safe.
2. As a cyclist your #2 responsibility is to know the law
3. As a cyclist, your right to the road is equal to that of a motorist’s right to the road
As obvious as these 3 points are, it is interesting to discover that many people, motorists and cyclists alike, lose focus on what these really mean and how we should, as cyclists, conduct ourselves on the road.
Let’s look at the first point:
1. As a cyclist your #1 responsibility is to protect your life and be safe.
This means that your actions and behaviors on the road directly affect your safety. To be unsafe is negligent. You have a responsibility to yourself, your kids, and your family to come home from a ride alive.
There are certain behaviors that I find unacceptable from cyclists that oppose common sense safety judgments:
· Not wearing helmets
· Riding against the flow of traffic
· Failing to signal turns
· Running stop lights
· Crossing into the other lane (over the yellow line).
· Unpredictable riding (sudden swerves, weaving, sudden stops, etc)
· Oblivious cycling (not being dialed in to the surroundings)
· Failing to ride in a manner that is consistent with other traffic (using turn lanes).
There are other safety practices that fall more into a grey area because they are dynamic and may require changing depending on the condition of the road and your environment. Many of these dynamic conditions are misunderstood. For example, most motorists feel that cycling to the far right of any road is the safest option. This perspective is wrong much of the time. Let me show why.
Scenario #1 depicts a road with a bike lane and sidewalk. Where should you ride?
A. In the roadway
B. In the bike lane
C. On the sidewalk
While this answer seems obvious, in the bike lane (B), there are questions we need to ask ourselves as cyclists and have a basic understanding of those questions as motorists. A bike lane does not represent a legal requirement to ride in it. Nor, are cars (in some states) legally prevented from driving in it.
What do we do and where to we go when road debris exists in the bike lane? Broken glass, rocks, gravel, often get swept into our lane. Do we stop? Do we ride through it? Do we hop onto the sidewalk? The correct answer is to check behind you, signal, and move over into the traffic lane (A) and avoid the debris.
What do we do and where do we go when cars are parked in our lane? The correct answer is to look back and move into the center of the traffic lane (A) far enough from the parked cars to avoid being hit by a door opening.
What do we do and where do we go if the lane is closed due to construction? Depending on the activity of construction, we can stay in the bike lane, but, we may need to prepare ourselves to move into the traffic lane (A).
What do we do if we are approaching another cyclist or pedestrian occupying the lane? In many cases we will overcome another cyclist riding in the bike lane. Going around them is the same thing as in the other events, look, signal, move over, pass, and get back in your lane.
If we are in a group, we should remain single file, or, if room dictates, we can ride side by side and stay in the bike lane where appropriate and follow the rules above.
Scenario #2 depicts a road with a wide paved shoulder and for the most part, cycling on the shoulder is recommended as it is usually the safest place to be, but, unlike scenario #1, the shoulder presents more hazards than what you typically find in scenario #1, including, more broken glass, blown out tires, larger rocks, unmaintained section (potholes), etc. Again, cyclists are not required by law to stay on the shoulder (check your state law), but, are encouraged to use it when appropriate. When riding in groups, a wide shoulder is great because we can ride side by side with a fair amount of safety.
Scenario #3 depicts a road with a narrow shoulder, let’s call this a shoulder of 1 foot or less. Where do we ride? (A) On the shoulder. (B) In the roadway. (C) On the white line. The correct answer is, it depends.
1. As a cyclist your #1 responsibility is to protect your life and be safe.
The factors that dictate where you should be depend on a number of thing:
· How fast are you going?
· How fast is traffic?
· Is the road winding or straight?
· What is the condition of the road?
In many cases, a cyclist will have a shoulder and then have no shoulder, the shoulder will just end leaving a small ditch to fall into should they veer off the road.
The single most important part of cycling in this environment is to be predictable. Ride a straight line. If you are on the narrow shoulder and are finding that you need to constantly move over into traffic to avoid debris, potholes or changes in the shoulder width, this is unsafe. Most professional cyclists, including myself, assert that the safest place to ride is 3 to 4 feet from the edge of the road. This:
· makes you more visible to motorists
· gives you some breathing room
· allows you to ride predictably
· prevents you from being “dismissed.”
The last point is very important.
3. As a cyclist, your right to the road is equal to that of a motorist’s right to the road
To be anything less than traffic is to invite danger.
1. As a cyclist your #1 responsibility is to protect your life and be safe.
Sometimes inconveniencing motorists is necessary to stay safe. If you are cycling riding in the traffic lane (3-4′ from the edge) this is what will happen:
· Cars will slow down
· Cars will give you a wider margin by crossing into the other lane
· motorists will yell at you and honk their horns
If you are cycling on the shoulder or on the white line:
· Cars will not slow down
· Cars will attempt to pass without moving into the other lane
· motorists will yell at you and honk their horns
This is how people get hit by mirrors or forced off the road or simply hit and killed.
Of course, there is room to amend this practice. For example, if a car is approaching and slows down behind you, you may then want to move to the far right and give the motorist a wave of thanks and allow the pass.
If you are riding with a group of cyclists:
1. As a cyclist your #1 responsibility is to protect your life and be safe.
How you ride under these conditions, scenario #3 and #4 is also dynamic.
o How big is the group?
o How fast is the group?
o What is the environment of the road?
Group riding carries some inherent risks including, restricted visibility, collisions with other cyclists, and the unpredictable nature of independent sentient humans on self powered vehicles. But, it also carries added safety bonuses, improved visibility on the road, faster speeds, more “respect” from motorists, safer vehicle passing’s, etc. How we ride as a group is as important as how we ride as individuals with the added responsibility of communication. We must use both verbal and hand signals to communicate with our friends up front and those behind. Pointing out road debris, potholes, manhole covers and the like are absolutely necessary. Yelling, “Car back!” or “Rider up!” lets the group know what is going on around them. You also have a responsibility to reprimand group members if they break the law or do something that affects your safety whether it be running stop lights, not signaling or crossing over a yellow line into oncoming traffic.
Another judgment call of the group and you as a member of that group is whether or not single file cycling is the safest option.
3. As a cyclist, your right to the road is equal to that of a motorist’s right to the road
In this scenario, riding single file may not be the safest option.
Now, remember, as we discussed the safest place to ride is about 3-4 feet from the edge of the road. This dictates that a motorist leave their lane and pass in the other lane. In many states it is perfectly legal for a motorist to cross a double yellow line to pass a cyclist. In some states, it is required by law for them to do this. So, either way, if you are riding as a solo rider or as a group, the motorist should leave their lane and pass in the other lane. So, if there is no shoulder, the safest configuration for a group of riders, in most cases, is not single file, but, side by side. This practice:
· Improves visibility for the cyclists in the group – seeing road debris, obstructions, potholes, etc.
· Improves the visibility of the group to motorists
· Improves the safety of a group ride (touching tires, minimizes oscillations, minimizes braking)
· prevents you from being “dismissed.”
This is not to say that if you have a line of cars waiting to pass that you cannot move over into a single file line and make that convenient. However, it is not your responsibility as a group or as a solo cyclist to make it convenient for cars to pass. It is your responsibility to be safe. If the conditions are safe to warrant moving over, given that you have a lane or a wide shoulder, then do so. If not, stay as you are and ride predictably.
There was a video posted on You Tube that demonstrated the frustration that some motorists have when a group of cyclists ride side by side. In this video, the motorist filmed his road rage as he passed a dozen cars at high speeds, then the group of cyclists, while filming, cursing and honking his horn. Impatient, frustrated drivers are a reality of our society and regardless if they are waiting behind a slow granny with blue hair, a slow tractor or a group of cyclists, this type of driver exists in almost every environment. There is not much you can do as a cyclist to control road rage, nor is it your responsibility to try to do so. However, since many people feel that it is irresponsible for a group to ride side by side, I would like to address this particular incident and demonstrate why side by side cycling, in this instance, is indeed safer and more responsible than single file.
· The group was composed of about 20 cyclists
· The group (based on testimony) was traveling about 30mph
· The road had no shoulder
· The road was straight with passing lanes
· Speed limit is 55mph with no minimum
Figure 5.
Using figure 5, cycling at 25 mph, a safe gap between the front rider is about 3-4 feet. This will of course oscillate to more than that or less than. Let’s use 3 feet as an average. If 2 cyclists are riding single file, the length from end to end is about 15 feet (give or take). That’s comparable to one car length. So, like passing a slow car, passing 2 cyclists is easy enough to accomplish. If riding side by side, 4 cyclists can still ride as one car length, but, single file, that length doubles.
Now, add a group of 20 cyclists and remember:
3. As a cyclist, your right to the road is equal to that of a motorist’s right to the road.
If 20 cyclists were riding single file, that line would stretch out to over 150 feet. This again, requires the car to move over into the other lane and pass. But, consider that the cyclists are moving at 30 mph and you are passing at 50 mph. How much distance is required to drive in the oncoming traffic lane to pass this group? Don’t worry, I’ve done the math for you. To pass safely would require a distance of about 375 feet in the oncoming traffic lane. But, if the cyclists were riding 2×2, the distance required to pass is only about 185 feet. So, in this scenario, not only is it safer to ride 2×2 for the cyclists due to increased visibility and collision prevention, it is also safer for the motorist to pass (less time and distance in the oncoming traffic lane).
The frustration, however, is that most motorists want to try and pass a cyclist without varying their driving speed and without moving out of their lane. It is inconvenient to slow down and wait to pass safely. Cyclists present that inconvenience.
Not to long ago I had a run in with a ride leader and an argument ensued. Arguments are okay to have and it’s very important to open a line of communication with riders around you and, deadly, to keep things important to yourself. We left as a group up Deer Canyon Road, a windy road with not much of a shoulder that pitches into a pretty respectable climb as the ride continues. We left as a group and as the ride matured, people naturally became separated as ability levels left some riders behind, and others up front. For the first time in a long time, I was up front, pacing up the climb with a guy who was equally capable. We left the group behind. When we arrived at our rest point, him and I stopped and waited for the group. While waiting, the group leader came charging up the hill furious that we outpaced the group and yelled at us that, “this is a no drop group ride!” We looked at each other, apologized, and went back down the hill to hop on with the group. The group was about 20 riders long all riding single file up hill at about 6-8mph. It oscillated and a few times the line snapped. Some people would pass the riders who fell off making up the gap and filling in the hole. Then, a car would approach. Winding curves and a narrow road, the driver sat behind us at 8mph. Then, at an opening, the driver would accelerate and try to pass all 20 of us before the next blind corner. This happened 2 times and I determined that a group ride in this environment was simply stupid. I raced up to the front of the group and caught up with the ride leader who seemed oblivious to the danger and obstruction that they were causing and confronted her. I explained that this was an unsafe environment to have 20 riders strung out over 300 feet on a road with blind corners and narrow roads and I “encouraged” her to rethink her “no drop” policy. I told her that I was unwilling to risk my life and the other riders around us and took off. Later, I posted my objections to the president of the group.
Cyclists are a minority on the road, and like any minority / majority argument, the minority is seen as the group that needs to accommodate the majority. But,
1. As a cyclist your #1 responsibility is to protect your life and be safe.
2. As a cyclist your #2 responsibility is to know the law.
3. As a cyclist, your right to the road is equal to that of a motorist’s right to the road.
Paul Gallas
www.cyclingvideosonline.com
btbop@cyclingvideosonline.com
