Bike Safety by Jodi Walborn

With the very real possibility of the Bonita Estero Rail Trail being built, this will allow more people to be out walking and riding away from cars.

The first is that a bike is classified as a vehicle and must follow every law that other vehicles do.  This means:

• Obey all traffic signage and lights.  If there is a stop sign or red light, you must stop and wait until it is safe to continue your journey.
• Ride on the right side of the road WITH the flow of traffic. Riding the wrong way against traffic increases the chance of a crash because the rider has less time to see oncoming cars, and the oncoming cars have less time to see the cyclist.  It also increases the chances of severe injury or death due to head-on collisions.
• Cyclists do have the right to take the lane if there is no bike lane. If there is no bike lane, cyclists may take the whole traffic lane and ride two abreast.  The law states that a cyclist must ride “as far right as is practicable”.  For the cyclists’ safety, riding against the curb doesn’t give the cyclist anywhere to maneuver around obstacles without hitting the curb or getting hit by a car passing too close. Courtesy dictates that the cyclist move over to allow cars to pass when safe to do so.
• If there is a bike lane, cyclists must be in it, going with the flow of traffic.  They may leave the lane when passing another cyclist; there is road debris; when changing lanes to turn; or whenever being in that lane poses a hazard to the cyclist.
• Cyclists may ride on the sidewalks where local law permits but must yield to all pedestrians.  The best practice is always to ride slow enough to safely stop for pedestrians and watch for cars entering or exiting driveways.  Cars may not always be able to see or stop in time for people on sidewalks.
• Cyclists crossing the streets on a crosswalk must obey the signage and signals.  Always stop, look, and listen prior to crossing and communicate with other drivers on the road prior to crossing.  Make eye contact, wave, gesture or point, and wait for a response.  If the driver doesn’t respond, they may not see the cyclist or wait for them to safely cross. 
• Cyclists must announce when they are passing another person through either a horn, a bell, or their voice.  “Passing on your left” is the standard.  Make it more friendly and add a “Good Morning!”
• When changing lanes, a cyclist should always scan for cars from behind and signal their intent before changing lanes.  Just like driving car, look for traffic coming from behind before signaling and changing lanes.
• Cyclists should always signal at least 100ft before turning or stopping.
• Every bike must have a white light on the front on the front visible from 500 feet, and a red light on the rear visible from 600 feet from dusk until dawn.  A best practice is to have the lights on at all times of day or night, flashing lights draw more attention from drivers.  Increase your visibility to others by wearing high contrasting colors of clothing and adding reflective material to moving parts of your body, like your legs and feet.  These protections are not just so the cyclist can see, but also be seen. 
• It is illegal to wear any type of earbuds or headphones while riding a bike.  These reduce the rider’s awareness of their surroundings and put them, and others around them, at risk of a preventable accident.
• A bike can carry as many people as it is built for.  One seat equals one rider.  Handlebars and pegs are not designed to carry extra passengers.
• Every bike rider under the age of 16 years of age must wear a properly fit and fastened helmet, but it is encouraged for riders of all ages to wear helmets.  Parents, if you want your child to continue wearing their helmet even when you’re not there to enforce it, set the example.  80% of children who wear their helmets do so because their parents are also wearing theirs.