‘Sharing the Road’
Last Friday, more people participated in DC’s Bike to Work Day than ever before — about 8,000. Even U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu took part, riding in on his $5,000 bike and speaking to the crowd. Now, my bike cost just a wee bit less than that and works just fine, but kudos to him for bucking the Secret Service and commuting carbon-free.
Perhaps by now you’re jazzed to commute by bike, or you’ve pulled out your spiffy fuschia spandex and are ready to zip along the city streets for kicks and giggles.
What do you know about playing in traffic? Anything?
Luckily for you, folks are willing to teach you the rules of the road — and you might be surprised by what you learn.
Across the Metro area there are classes on how to ride on the road, safely. Sure, that may seem like a no-brainer. But I took one of these a few years ago, and I learned great tips.
For example, you should keep your distance from parked cars, so that if somebody suddenly opens a door to get out, it won’t hit you. Of course, painted bike lanes run alongside parked cars, so you do the math. Visually. As you ride.
‘Busy Bike Lane’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’
I also learned you may be safer on the road than on the sidewalk, because drivers expect to see fast-moving vehicles on a road, and they may not be looking for a bike zooming along a sidewalk that crosses a driveway or alley — especially if that bike is going against the direction of traffic on the street. Trees or signs may hide a biker on the sidewalk, too.
These classes are also where you can learn about laws that get drivers red in the face. For instance, in some circumstances a biker can take up the whole lane. And it’s legal to ride in the road even if a bike path parallels the trail. If you’re getting red in the face right now, sitting there at your computer, take a moment to read The Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist. It’s a wonderful, thoughtful post.
Now I have to be fully honest and tell you my personal interest in getting you into a class. Several years ago, in a sleepy Arlington neighborhood in the middle of a weekday, my beautiful ruby red bike and I were parted forever by a Toyota Corolla. I flew over the hood, my bike flew down the street, and people came running from everywhere. I recovered, eventually, but my bike did not. I had taken a class.
Afterwards, I had to ask — had I followed everything I’d been taught? I had the right-of-way concept down pat (legally it was mine; the oncoming driver made a left-hand turn into me). But I hadn’t done a couple of things my instructor recommended. While I was watching the car, I hadn’t made eye contact with the driver to know if he’d seen me, and it didn’t occur to me to make a right-hand turn at the corner in the direction he was going, in an attempt to evade him on the side.
‘The Cyclist’
courtesy of ‘Bogotron’
So, in the spirit of the thought “It may be that the only purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others,” I highly recommend you get yourself ed-u-cated.
Check out our own Ben Rome’s Talkin’ Transit: Rules of the Road for an overview. The booklet Safe Bicycling in the Washington Area is also a great start.
Classes that give you lectures and on-road instruction are even better. Here are upcoming ones that will teach you what to watch for on the road, and help get you safely to work and home.
May 23
Arlington
Confident City Cycling, Level 2
Washington Area Bicycling Association (WABA)
June 13
Arlington
Confident City Cycling, Level 1
Washington Area Bicycling Association (WABA)
June 16
Fairfax
Cycling with Confidence
Fairfax County Public Schools, Adult and Community Education
June 17
DC
Confident City Cycling, Level 1
Washington Area Bicycling Association (WABA)
June 20
Bailey’s Crossroads
Introduction to Road Cycling
REI
July 11
Arlington
Confident City Cycling, Level 1
Washington Area Bicycling Association (WABA)
July 15
Arlington
Smart Cycling – Traffic Skills 101 (almost full, snag it quickly!)
Arlington Public Schools
July 25
DC
Confident City Cycling, Level 2
Washington Area Bicycling Association (WABA)
Aug. 4
Arlington
Smart Cycling – Traffic Skills 102
Arlington Public Schools
Check out these classes, wear your helmet, and have a great time out there!
It hurts to see your image of the helmetless cyclist riding in urban traffic. His most important asset is vulnerable to even slow-speed accidents, perhaps his own mistake, that crashes his brain-box to the curb. Scrambled brains are ugly and very costly. A helmet is cheap. Last weekend I saw two riders who went down on a high-speed descent on a tandem. They were left unconscious and had to be life-flighted to a hospital. But they were uninjured. Their helmets took the trauma.
Be smart: in traffic wear a helmet.
Hi, Adam.
You make a great point, and thanks for highlighting this. I agree that helmets are critical, and not just in traffic. The speed a person’s head gathers falling from the height of a bike can do damage even without a car involved, so riders should wear helmets all the time, on the multi-use paths, too.
It’s not unusual to see people without them, though–from folks on beach cruisers to guys like the one in the picture who, from the rest of their gear, seem to spend a lot of time in the saddle.
Methinks they all are perfect candidates for a cycling class.
1. Helmet, always, especially when you think you don’t need it
2. Ride on the left side of bike lanes – doors will hurt you quicker than cars
3. Street is safer – you have more room to maneuver and time to react than sidewalks
4. Always make eye contact – its the only way to know they’ve seen you