Everyone who bikes regularly in traffic has considered the possibility and consequences of a crash. For many cyclists, it’s their biggest fear and for some it prevents them from riding on the road at all. This, despite the fact that you’re more likely to be involved in a crash in an automobile than on a bike. Perhaps it is just our extra feeling of vulnerability, being exposed and relatively small compared to the motor vehicle.

In today’s episode of Go By Bike, Dave (of the Banana Ride fame), talks to me about bike safety and perspective after a recent crash with a car. Find out what happened and why Dave still considers biking safe and enjoyable.

I’m very glad that Dave was (more or less) ok after his recent incident, and was willing to talk about it on camera. As he mentioned on screen, his main message is to be more visible. It’s a good reminder to those of us who travel regularly by bike to re-assess our strategies to visibility and safety. Keep in mind that Dave was riding in the dark in the very early morning when drivers may or may not be awake or paying attention. The number of crashes with cars during the daylight hours are less because (surprise!) we’re generally more visible then.

Now that the daylight is changing quickly but the weather still relatively warm (at least here in NC!) it’s a good time to think about your lighting systems and other items you use to be visible at night, as well as your assumptions about your visibility. I think a great strategy is to aim for high visibility with front, back AND side lights, but assume people can’t see you well in the dark and ride extra defensively as a result. That way you get the most of both sides of that coin.

Leave any comments below. Have you been involved in a crash before? Does this kind of interview make you more scared to ride or offer some utility? Thanks for your feedback.

Ride On!

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

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Teaching Kids to Ride

Over the weekend, I had a great opportunity to work with some middle school aged kids and their parents. The kids wanted to ride their bikes to middle school and we spent a couple hours talking and practicing some road safety skills.

I had a great time seeing these young people who are the next generation of bike transportation advocates! In this video, I go over 4 critical areas to teach young bike riders when they’re learning to interact with traffic. And I even throw in one extra area that I noticed when watching the kids interact.

The 4 major accident areas for young riders are

1. entering traffic from a driveway without looking

2. riding on the left side of the street

3. veering in front of oncoming traffic when going left, and

4. failing to stop at a stop sign.

Leave me your comments below!

And don’t forget to join our Facebook or Twitter communities for a great resource on lifestyle biking, sustainable transportation and electric info.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Get notified! Sign UP using the box to the right to be notified of new video topics and other great happenings at Cycle 9

For safe riding, be sure to watch the road surface

Most bicycle accidents are not caused by collisions with cars, they are caused by rider error. This is a good thing because it means if we learn more about riding and get better at it, we minimize our risks and increase our safety on the road. One big source of crashes, especially for newer riders, is irregularities in the road surface. In today’s video I discuss this issue and what to look out for.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Click to Sign UP for our list to be notified of new video topics and other great happenings at Cycle 9

If you aren’t riding BIG, you aren’t as safe as you could be

Riding in traffic is often un-nerving for bikers, and this is probably one of the biggest reasons people don’t bike. Fortunately, we can minimize our risks by changing our riding styles. Riding Big is one of these behaviors and it is often not intuitive. Watch today’s video to find out what it is and why I think it’s one of the best skills you can learn for riding in traffic.

For more bike safety tips, see my blog post on 7 tips for riding safely in traffic.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below

Click to Sign UP for our list to be notified of new video topics and other great happenings at Cycle 9

Try biking to work next week – It’s Bike To Work week!

Next week (May 17-21, 2010) is Bike To Work Week. This is one week in May each year where there are events and activities that encourage people to try biking to work. If you haven’t tried biking to work before, why not try it next week! In today’s video I give 5 easy tips to think about if you want to try a new bike commute.

Below are the details of events in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. In addition to the events, Cycle 9 is offering FREE inspections of your bike all week and will have some in-store specials going.

There may be events in your area. Check these web resources and your lcoal media to see what’s going on.

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/events.php

http://biketoworkweek.org/index.php

What other tips do you have for biking to work? Add your comments below.

-Elise

Events in Chapel Hill and Carrboro:

In addition to these events, if you take the Smart Commute Challenge, you could win fabulous prizes! All you have to do is try an alternate form of transportation one time during the month of May. See info at the end.

Saturday, May 15: Bus & Bike Workshops:  Information on how to load a bike onto a bus, hands-on demonstrations and information about rules of the road.

-  Estes Drive (University Mall) Farmers Market –   8:30 a.m. to Noon

-  Carrboro Town Commons Farmers Market - 8:30 a.m. to Noon

Tuesday, May 18: Bike Breakfast Workshop – 7 to 10 a.m.: Meet in the parking lot across from the Open Eye Café for bicycle inspections and small repairs, special drawings and free coffee and snacks!

Friday, May 21: Bike Chapel Hill-Carrboro – An 8-mile cycling event for individuals or families ending with food, bands and other fun activities!

-  5:30 p.m.: Registration at the Wallace Deck (no fee). Bring your bicycle!6 p.m.: Tour begins.

-  6:30: Cyclists stop for water break at Carrboro Town Commons where Chapel Hill and Carrboro leaders will make comments and join the ride.
-  7 p.m.: The group finishes on the Wallace Deck in Chapel Hill with a band, food and informational tables.

Take the SmartCommute Challenge! Use any form of alternative transportation (bike, walk, carpool, bus, etc.) at least once before May 30 and register at SmartCommuteChallenge.org. You will be entered into a drawing for $1500, laptop computers and other great prizes!

Have you read a good cycling book lately?

I like reading. It’s another of my hobbies besides bicycling. So when I come across a good book I like to share it. Today I talk about one of the best cycling books I’ve read – something that just about anyone can learn something from.

Have you read any good cycling books? What are your favorites?
-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike.

If you like this video, please  digg it, stumble upon it, tweet about it or post it to delicious or facebook using one of the links below.

The HOT debate in bicycle facility design

Most people agree that providing better facilites for biking will help more people get their bikes out. In fact, the perception of whether biking on the roads is safe or not is a top reason people cite for whether they decide to ride. But what types of facilities should we spend our money on? Separated greenways? Bike lanes on the sides of major roads? or Shareways which force all road users to negotiate for space?

The controversy brings out the heat at local meetings around here…..How about in your area? What do you think is the best way to help more people bike in the city?

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

Keep safe in back and in front.

In today’s episode of Go By Bike, I give another tip on biking safety – this one addresses a huge fear (the #1 fear?) of many cyclists – getting hit from behind.

Welcome to Go By Bike! I started this series to talk about how to ride more and use your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike. Using your car less reduces your carbon footprint, saves energy, helps the environment, keeps you healthy, and makes your community a nicer place to live, so overall most people would agree it’s a good thing.

What are your biggest fears when riding a bike?

-Elise

p.s. if you like this video, please share it with one of the links below

Welcome to Go By Bike! – Episode 2: The First Rule of Biking Safely

I started this series to talk about how to ride more and use your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike. Using your car less reduces your carbon footprint, saves energy, helps the environment, keeps you healthy, and makes your community a nicer place to live, so overall most people would agree it’s a good thing.

In today’s episode of Go By Bike, I discuss a critical aspect to biking safely in traffic. This important safety tip is something that should be thought about before you even start your ride…

What challenges have you found in planning your route?

-Elise

p.s. if you like this video, please share it with one of the links below

Riding in traffic is something many of us start into timidly and gradually get more comfortable with over time. However, some people never get comfortable with it due to fears of riding in traffic.

I’ve been bike commuting a long time, and over time have gotten to the point where I am pretty comfortable, riding even in heavy traffic if necessary. Over the years, I’ve found that educating myself on how to ride safely has helped me overcome my traffic fears, increase my confidence, and allowed me to stop feeling trapped by the necessity of driving a car.

When I started riding with my children on board, I went through another whole round of questioning myself if it was safe enough or if I should really just be toting them around in the car. My daughter’s pure enthusiasm for the bike ride, combined with our collective joy of being outside and the fact that a bike ride home was a much more enjoyable experience than a car ride, led me to continue the biking with our best safety measures in place.

Many bicycle safety groups simply emphasize wearing a helmet and “following traffic laws” in order to be safe. These are good things to do, but the simple fact is, it is critical to ride like the ultimate defensive driver and avoid having to use that helmet in the first place. Any motorcycle rider will tell you the same thing.

Fortunately, MOST bicycle accidents are caused by rider error. Not by cars hitting bicyclists, but by bicyclists themselves making errors. This is great news, because it means that YOU have the ability to become a safer rider, just by learning and working on your skills.

——–

SO, What can you do to ride more safely in traffic? Here are my TOP 7.

1. Choose Your Route (and time)

Seems obvious, but many people do not adequately think about this before they start out on a ride. The way you drive your car is usually not the best way to ride your bike. Is there another route you can take that avoids heavy traffic or narrow roads or bad intersections, even if it is LONGER? It might be a route you have never driven before. It might include bike paths (if you’re lucky), residential streets, even off-road paths.

One person I know told me he has designed a route to work that actually includes about 50% off road riding and a CANOE RIDE! That is a truly amazing commute. He says he does it because it’s like a weekend ride but he can do it twice a day.

Most of us are not that lucky. But with a little investigation, you might be able to discover a great route that has less traffic and is more fun to ride. One resource that might help you here is a website called Bikely . This is a mapping tool where users can make notes about routes they have taken that are good or bad. Depending on your area, you might find something useful to help you plan your route.

If you do have some busy sections that just cannot be avoided, consider when you are traveling those routes. Can you adjust your schedule to avoid rush hour? I have one route to work on my commute that is fine to ride when traffic is lighter, but is a true nightmare during rush hour to be avoided like the plague.

2. Watch the Street Surface

In actual fact, the biggest cause of bike accidents is not collisions with cars. It’s rider error. And a major source of rider error is pavement irregularities. The street surface may appear smooth when considered from the perspective of a car, which can ride over most encountered obstacles without problem. However, for a bike it is littered with cracks, potholes, road debris, and hazards like railroad tracks and storm drains. For those of you who ride with skinny road tires, road obstacles are a special concern that are likely to end up with you on the ground.

The best thing you can do to avoid this type of crash is to employ vigilance in watching the road. Take special note of anything that might catch a tire and not let it go, such as a longitudinal crack that runs in the direction you are riding, or a change in elevation of the road, such as if the road surface is an inch higher than the shoulder (as sometimes happens during construction). Potholes and debris piles should be avoided as much as possible as well to avoid a fall or a flat tire. Note, however, that you should never swerve out into traffic to avoid debris in the gutter – always check behind to ensure there are no cars there before you move left on the road.

3. Be Visible

If you are riding at night, use a front light, a rear light and a spoke light for side visibility. Riding at night without lights is a major cause of accidents. Even during the day, added visibility can be had with bright clothing, flags, and even lights during the day. Motorcycles are now required to use lights even during the day because it has been shown that this improves visibility.

For flags, many people think of the tall flag we had on our kids bikes. But another type of flag is one that sticks out to the side of the bike. This provides a visual cue for passing drivers who focus on it rather than on you. As they are focusing on passing the flag, they unconsciously give you just a little extra room.

4. But Ride As If You Are Invisible

Although we should do our best to make ourselves visible, NEVER ASSUME you are visible. This secret right here can save you from all kinds of common traffic collisions, especially at intersections. Are you riding in the lane and a car pulls out or turns in front of you? Are you exiting a driveway when a car is coming on the street? Are you passing on the left? These are all very common collisions, and often caused by the driver NOT SEEING the biker.

One of my friends was riding along a neighborhood street and passed in front of a car stopped at a stop sign on a perpendicular street. Before my friend made it all the way past the car, the driver pulled forward and ran over her back wheel. The driver claimed she did not see my friend even though my friend had JUST passed in front of the driver’s field of view.

So the best course of action is to never assume a car sees you. When approaching an intersection, cover the brakes and slow down if necessary so you can stop if someone pulls in front of you. Attempt eye contact with drivers, but don’t assume this means they see you or will yield to you. Keep an eye out for exit points where you can turn to avoid a car. And when approaching intersections always start scanning ahead for trouble points.

5. Use a Mirror

Would you drive your car without a rearview mirror? Would you feel like you are driving blind without it? I certainly would, and I feel that way on my bike too.

Most people fear being hit from behind more than any other type of bike accident. This type of accident is actually quite rare (only 3% of car/bike collisions). But having a rearview mirror can go a long way to alleviating this fear just by knowing what is going on behind you.

You can keep an eye on who’s coming up behind you and if they are going to give you space so you can take appropriate action. When you need to move left for a left-hand turn, you can keep an eye on what’s behind you well before your planned move, so you can find a break in traffic. In fact, now that I’ve ridden with a mirror for so long, I cannot imagine riding without one.

There are handlebar mounted mirrors or ones that go on your helmet. One is not inherently better than another, so try them out and see what works best for you, but you’ll be glad you did.

6. Ride Farther Left

Many beginning riders make the mistake of riding too far to the right of the road, hugging the curb or the ditch “so cars can get past”. I think this is probably due to the fear of being hit from behind and wanting to be out of the way, but often works counter to this purpose.

For example, I have one section of narrow road without shoulder that I sometimes ride (when traffic is low). The white line is at the edge of the pavement and to the right of that is a grassy ditch. If I ride right on the line, traffic coming from behind often will squeeze past me when there is oncoming traffic, resulting in a narrow pass for all 3 vehicles involved (me, the overtaking car, and the oncoming car). It makes me nervous because there is nowhere to go if I need an exit, except the steep ditch. Instead, I ride out about a foot from the line into the lane. Overtaking cars then will slow down to pass me, usually using part of the oncoming lane. And if there is oncoming traffic, they will think twice about squeezing by. Of course once in awhile you get the guy who wants to do it anyway, but with my mirror I can see this guy coming, and now I have about a foot of space to move into to give myself a little more room.

Even in the city, riding out into the lane a little will also put you in a position where cars tend to be looking for other cars, and thus more likely to see you. It will also put you out of the “door zone” where parked cars might open a door into you. Of course, you must use common sense, but giving yourself a little extra space by riding out often results in a safer situation.

7. Stay Off the Sidewalk

Sidewalks are designed for pedestrians that move slowly and stop at intersections. Although it may seem safe to ride on the sidewalk, cars and other vehicles are not expecting a bike on the sidewalk so are even less likely to see you. The chances of a car running into you when you are crossing an intersection or driveway on the sidewalk are actually quite high and this is a common accident type.

If you do need to ride on the sidewalk for any reason, assume that no one will see you, ride slowly, and of course be considerate of walkers who you will surprise.

——–

Follow these guidelines and you’ll be a long way towards gaining confidence and riding safely. But don’t stop here, there are many educational resources available to help you master biking in traffic. My favorite resource is the excellent book

“The Art of Cycling: A guide to bicycling in 21st century america” By Robert Hurst

This excellent book goes into many of these points and others in detail, is entertaining to read, and I found to be incredibly useful in learning how to cycle on streets. Read it, Digest it, and you’ll be a safer and happier cyclist.

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