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Bikes vs. Cars: Traffic Riding Safety

By Katie Hawkins

We are currently at war, but not the type that first comes to mind. These days it seems that two- and four-wheeled commuters are commonly battling on the streets. In shedding some light on traffic safety for both bicyclists and motorists, we hope to reduce the conflict, taking drivers’ hands off the horn and placing riders’ middle fingers back on the handlebars.

Photo by Bicycle Paper

While at a stoplight, position yourself in the thru lane to allow motorists and other cyclists to use the right turning lane.

Though transportation planners like that fewer cars are clogging up the streets, environmentalists enjoy fewer greenhouse emissions, and doctors like to see healthier patients, with the surge of new bicyclists in recent years, there is still one major problem: many cyclists and motorists are undereducated concerning bike laws, safety, and the basic rules of the road.

Oftentimes, drivers accuse cyclists of having a blatant disregard for the law, especially when it comes to stop signs and red lights. Cyclists exclaim that drivers act as if bikers don’t exist. Unfortunately, the good riders are lumped in with the bad ones, as most drivers remember only the scofflaws and those making bad decisions, effectively creating a stereotype of all cyclists. And so the infamous “bikes versus cars” saga continues.

A 2010 Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) survey of 4,000 members found that 65 percent of members attributed “traffic incidents” to lack of infrastructure. Sixty-three percent pointed to cyclists’ lack of familiarity with the road rules. About half of the respondents said increased traffic volume factored in, and the same number said incidents between cars and bikes are due to the inattention of both motorists and cyclists. Since then, education for both groups has increased, but may come as an out of pocket expense.

Large organizations such as The League of American Bicyclists charge anywhere from $25-85 to learn basic skills, urban cycling techniques, and tips for commuting. Smaller organizations like the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation in Seattle charge between $40-$80 for classes, but intermittently offer free classes and has scholarship opportunities for low-income riders.

Portland, on the other hand, offers free safety classes through programs managed by the Portland Bureau of Transportation such as Portland By Cycle and Women on Bikes in an attempt to encourage people to consider cycling for more than just recreation.

“Our number one goal for the 2030 project is to make 25 percent of the commuting trips by bicycle,” says Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesman, Dan Anderson. One way the city plans on doing this is to create more safe and comfortable bikeways by separating drivers and riders. Portland is in the process of developing more neighborhood greenways, or bike boulevards, that parallel busy roads. They also held a 2010 summer safety campaign called “Street Smart” to reframe the “war on cars” issue. The bike advisory board, president of the truck association, AAA, and the members of the pedestrian coalition were in attendance.

“Safety is our number one priority,” says Anderson. “We are all in this together. We all have to share the road.”

Portland is also offering the “Share the Road Safety Class” (SRSC) that drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists can take to possibly erase a traffic citation for being in the wrong place on the road, failure to yield the right of way, or defective equipment or non-use of safety equipment. The class focuses on traffic law and safety, teaching how to share the public right-of-way in a safe and lawful manner.

The 2010-2011 legislative agenda of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington’s Boardhelped pass a bill that requires driving schools attended by motorists who have received a traffic ticket be taught the Department of Licensing’s approved curriculum for safe driving around cyclists and pedestrians.

As of summer 2008, the Washington State Department of Licensing requires drivers’ education classrooms to discuss bicycle safety and sharing the road in the curriculum, and also demands that at least one question about bike safety is included on the comprehensive test.

Photo by Bicycle Paper

One of the ways to signal a right turn.

This year, Idaho is requiring a video of bicycle and pedestrian safety be shown in driver training classrooms. Idaho has also just released “Rules of the Road” cards, which illustrate traffic scenarios on one side and describe what to do if you are a driver, pedestrian or cyclist on the other.

In Canada, the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition (GVCC) publishes Bike Sense, the official bicycle operator’s manual for the province of British Columbia, which ensures that cyclists understand their rights and responsibilities as users of the transportation system.

Bike safety isn’t just being talked about. Infrastructure projects are underway to make the roads safer for both cyclists and motorists. Portland is going strong with their 2030 plan, hoping to build and improve upon 700 miles of bicycle trails and roadways. Vancouver, B.C., also has big plans for the future, where the bicycle infrastructure budget has doubled, protected bicycle lanes have been added, and more car-free days have been included to the schedule within their aggressive 2040 plan for a more sustainable city.

However, some motorists complain that bike safety comes at their expense. Anderson explains that motorists should be supportive of these projects, as the more cyclists there are on the road, the better off motorists are; there are more parking spaces, less congestion, less pollution, and shorter lines at the gas station.

It isn’t just drivers who are frustrated with ignorant riders, it’s fellow cyclists as well. Unfortunately, when a motorist hits a cyclist, the driver is considered bad; but when a cyclist violates a traffic rule, ALL cyclists are seen as being bad. So, if you don’t want everyone on the road upset with you — after all, you represent all cyclists — it would be wise to follow these rules.

Safety Tips:

- Protect your dome and wear the chrome! Though it is not against some state laws, many cities require cyclists to wear helmets.

- Don’t ride wearing headphones. Hearing is almost as important as sight. You need to be able to hear cars or other cyclists. Having anything other than hearing aids in or over your ears is illegal in Vancouver, B.C.

Photo by Bicycle Paper

Designated bike lane.

- Don’t ride on sidewalks — you are invisible to motorists. Canadians also made this illegal. If you are riding in a place where it is legal and choose to ride on a special sidewalk that is safe to ride on (really long, no need to frequently cross streets, and free of driveways and pedestrians), then slow down before you cross a street or driveway and check the traffic in all directions, especially behind you if you’re riding with the flow of traffic.

- It is illegal to ride more than two abreast, but if you really don’t want drivers angry with you, we recommend riding single file. Nothing upsets motorists more than riding in pairs when there is only one lane available!

- Don’t ride against traffic. In most areas this is illegal. Besides,how would you make a right turn?

- Make yourself visible to drivers. Though it is stated that a cyclist must ride to the right, it is often smarter to take the lane. Don’t move in and out of parked car lanes. You may think you are getting out of the way, but this makes it more difficult for drivers to see you. Stay away from parked cars, as someone could open their door in front of you, and you’ll be less visible. If you ride too far to the right, motorists coming from behind may pass too close, and you will have nowhere to go, literally running out of road.

- Make yourself heard! When overtaking a cyclist or pedestrian, announce “on your left,” or ring a bell before you pass so they don’t suddenly move into you.

- Cyclists can and should use turn lanes. To be courteous to drivers who are turning right, don’t sit in the turn lane if you are waiting to go straight. Instead, wait in the forward lane. Use the blue or green bike boxes if available.

- Never pass a car (or another cyclist) on the right. This will prevent them from accidentally making a right turn into you and left turning vehicles from running into you at an intersection.

- Never move left without looking behind you first. Some motorists pass cyclists extremely closely. Practice holding a straight line while looking over your shoulder. If you aren’t able to keep yourself straight, think about getting a mirror.

Laws:

The two- and four-wheeled machines are not so different from each other. The law states that bikes have the same rights and responsibilities as cars. Just like drivers, cyclists who violate traffic laws may be ticketed.

Bicycles:

- Riders, like drivers, are required to signal before turning. To signal a left turn, extend the left hand and arm horizontally beyond the side of the bicycle. To signal a right turn, extend left hand and arm upward beyond the side of the bicycle, or right hand and arm extended horizontally to the right of the bicycle.

- Stop when you see red. Both motorists and cyclists are required to stop at stoplights and stop signs (unless you are in Idaho, where they have the Idaho Stop Law, stating that cyclists can treat stop signs as yield signs if the intersection is clear. NOTE: It is called the Idaho Stop Law for a reason: It is the only place where this is legal!).

- Riders must keep at least one hand on the handlebars in order to have full control at all times, just like a driver on the steering wheel [this pertains to riding in traffic, as there are times when may be necessary to ride sans hands].

- Similar to the seatbelt law, cyclists cannot carry more riders than a bike is safely equipped to hold.

- A rider cannot follow another vehicle too closely.

- Cyclists must yield the right of way to other vehicles or riders.

- Lights are required at night: white in front, red in back.

Motorists:

- In Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, it is illegal to drive while talking or texting on the phone.

- It is illegal to enter, leave, or open the door of a motor vehicle on the side adjacent to moving traffic unless is safe to do so and can be done without interfering with traffic.

- Motorists cannot drive in a bicycle lane except to execute a turn, and must yield to cyclists!

- Drivers must pass a cyclist with at least three feet of clearance.

- It is illegal to pass a stopped car that is waiting for a cyclist or a pedestrian.

It is also evident that some bikers and motorists don’t understand what painted symbols on roadways mean. This is for you:

Painted Lanes: Highlight areas where bicycle and cars cross paths. Motor vehicles should yield to bicyclists in those lanes, and cyclists should be alert and watch for crossing vehicles.

Bike Box: Provides a place for cyclists to wait for lights to change in front of vehicles. These have greatly reduced intersection collisions.

Bike Lanes and Sharrows: Bike lanes are four to five feet wide dedicated solely to bicyclists. Sharrows are shared lanes where a motorist can still drive, but should expect to see and share the road with bicyclists. Sharrows are used on streets that are not an adequate width to provide separate space.

Contraflow Lane: Provide bicycle lanes that head the opposite direction of motor vehicles on one-way streets where there is no parking.

Loop Detector: Tell when a motor vehicle or bike is waiting for the light to turn green. Bike specific pavement markings indicate where to position the front wheel in order to change the signal. NOTE: Most roads don’t have this sensitivity. If you are a cyclist and come to a light that doesn’t sense you’re there, press the cross walk button. If there is no crosswalk button, look both ways for cars before crossing traffic. You are still required to stop. Bike Dots: Pavement markings for signed bike routes, not intended to provide guidance on positioning, but a tool for direction.

Buffered Bike Lane: Provides a striped cross-hatched area between cyclists and motor vehicles.

So until we all become educated, cyclists and motorists, let’s ease the tension, abide by traffic laws, and remember these safety tips. The more battles we avoid, the closer we are to ending this conflict and making travel more enjoyable for everyone.