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Drivers' Ed for Bicyclists

Many people fear riding bikes on roads with traffic. However, after a few times, your comfort level will increase and you will realize it’s not as difficult as you’d expected. Just as young drivers of motor vehicles have fewer skills and more minor accidents than experienced drivers, a little “drivers'” education for cyclists, along with practice, will help you ride more safely and be more comfortable on the road.

Meanwhile, the thing to remember is that cars do not want to hit you! To avoid accidents, the key is to make yourself visible while assuming that you are invisible.

Here’s some great advice on how to avoid the most common accidents:

Speaking of driving, under Washington state law, bicycles are vehicles, and you are required to follow traffic laws. Obeying these rules keeps you safer, too.

  • Don’t ride while listening to your iPod. It is illegal and takes away your ability to hear cars approaching from behind.
  • Don’t ride on the sidewalk, especially against traffic. Studies show you are more likely to be hit there. See the 'My Own Experience" article below.

Safe Cycling

Follow Lane Markings
When going through an intersection, use the lane marked for your direction of travel. Do not use a right turn lane when going straight. Signal before turning or merging.

Beware at Intersections
Watch for oncoming traffic turning left, especially when traffic traveling in your direction has stopped. Also be aware that even though you may have the right of way, cars will only yield if they see you. Make eye contact with drivers before proceeding.

Avoid Road Hazards Watch out for stormwater grates, slippery manhole covers, detour signage and debris in the shoulder. Scan the road ahead and know if you can safely pull into the traffic lane to avoid an obstacle. Cross railroad tracks at right angles, even if it means pulling into the travel lane.

Share the Trail Alert others when passing by using your voice (“on your left”) or a bell. Watch your speed when sharing the path - dogs and children are unpredictable. Slow down and look both ways when the trail crosses roads or driveways.

Make a Safe Left Turn Either use the crosswalks like a pedestrian or signal and turn left like an automobile.

Ride Predictably Don’t weave between parked cars or pull into bus pullouts just to be close to the road’s edge for a little while. Riding a consistent line on the right side of the travel lane helps drivers see you and know what to expect.

Watch Parked Cars Keep clear of the “door zone” when riding past parked cars. Cars backing up are also a hazard. Either pull into the traffic lane to give parked cars a wide berth (and a better chance to see you) or ride slowly and be prepared to stop.

Don’t Pass or Stop on the Right Especially at intersections, cars may not see you and could turn right directly in front of you. Rather than stopping beside a vehicle, stop behind it or pull ahead. When passing a slower moving vehicle or pedestrian, pass on the left.

My Own Experience

By Kristin Kinnamon
Former Bike to Work Coordinator

I have been bike commuting in Snohomish County year-round for more than six years, logging thousands of miles. On my ride home I experience all forms of sharing the road: I use a bike lane, I share the lane with traffic and I ride across Highway 529 where I use the sidewalks across the bridges and the wide shoulder.

During my commute I will often slow down, wave wildly or shout out to catch an inattentive driver’s eye before taking my right of way. I have almost been hit by cars making turns on several occasions, but riding defensively and using tactics described in the links above saved me every time.

Only ONCE have I been actually hit by a vehicle during my commute, and that minor “accident” was a result of my bad decision. I was riding the wrong way on the sidewalk – because I was going the wrong way on a one-way street trying to catch a bus. A car inched out of an alley and looked left, in the direction traffic was supposed to come from. I pulled in front of him from the right. Fortunately, his car just barely hit me, and the only damage was to my front wheel and to the schedule I was trying to keep.

Years earlier I had a similar accident while riding on a bike-ped path. A car pulled out of a driveway checking for traffic in the road rather than the path. I hit the car and gave it a nice dent. The bike and I had minor injuries.

Both those accidents were years ago. I have since learned my lesson: Ride where drivers are looking. Be visible but assume that you are invisible.

My one other vehicle-related accident stemmed from being overly courteous and not claiming my space on the road. I was riding in a low-traffic industrial area, on my way to a conference. I heard a semi-truck behind me on the two lane road. Realizing that it would be passing me as I rode through an intersection, I pulled out of my line of travel into that side street a bit to give the truck extra room.

Unfortunately, the truck took that room, but hadn’t finished passing me by the time I reached the other side of the intersection. The result was that I was squeezed between the truck and the curb. I hit the curb (better than a moving truck) and keeled over onto the sidewalk. I was more embarrassed than hurt. Lesson: Claim your lane and make vehicles pass you safely by riding a straight, predictable line.

So don’t be afraid of biking on the road. In the U.S., you are 500 times more likely to die of heart disease than in a bicycle accident. The best way to fight heart disease? Regular exercise. A daily bike commute is just what the doctor ordered.

Safe Biking With Kids

If you think your child is ready, here are some tips on making a healthy trip to school:

  1. Plan a safe bike route with a sidewalk or shoulder and safe road crossings
  2. Take a little extra time to ride or walk to school with your kids
  3. Drive part way to school, then bike the rest
  4. Always wear a helmet, no matter your age
  5. Teach your kids that safe biking is like safe driving
    • Obey traffic signs and signals
    • Ride on the right-hand side of the street
    • Give cars and pedestrians the right-of-way
    • Never wear headphones while riding

Kids and Bikes - League of American Bicyclists

  1. When
    • Once a child can hold their head up and fit a helmet, they can be a passenger
    • Until about age five, kids should ride in a child seat, or better yet, a trailer
    • Kids need basic motor skills to operate a bike
  2. Traffic
    • Explain to kids how traffic works; they have only been passengers
    • Teach them about yielding, passing, predicting and traffic law
    • Bicycle riders have to obey the same rules as cars and buses
  3. Helmets
    • Let them pick out their helmet and they will want to wear it; wear yours also
    • Make sure that the helmet fits the child properly; level on the head and snug
    • Replace the helmet after a crash
  4. Training wheels
    • Training wheels help the child develop a sense of balance
    • Start with the training wheels solidly on the ground; they will hold the bike upright
    • Gradually raise the training wheels; remove them when they start to get in the way
  5. Balance
    • Practice balancing in an open field or vacant parking lot
    • Have the child practice riding in circles as well as in a straight line
    • Show them how to use the brakes; get them to skid the rear wheel
  6. Starting and stopping
    • Children should learn to stop before entering the roadway
    • Look left, then right, then left again before proceeding
    • Driveways, sidewalks and crosswalks are potential danger zones
  7. Riding straight
    • Use a painted line in a parking lot
    • Straight-line riding will allow drivers to predict what the child will do
    • Predictability is important in any traffic situation; kids don't know this
  8. Scanning and signaling
    • Have the child ride straight and look back at you without swerving
    • Children must scan for traffic in front of them as well as behind before signaling
    • Teach them how to signal right, left and stop and when to do it
  9. Neighborhood ride
    • Plan a ride with your child around you neighborhood and discuss possible dangers
    • Allow your child to lead
    • Include them in the planning of the ride
  10. Transportation choices
    • Bikes are vehicles; this is their introduction to driver's training
    • Plan a route with your child to get them to a friend's house or school by bike
    • At about 10, kids are ready for longer trips; make sure they make safe decisions