Bike Commuting: easier than you thought

Wear clothes that make you very visible. Tie your pant legs so that they don't get caught in the works.

If you ride at night, you must have a front and rear light.

Get a U-lock and register your bike with NAU Police or Flagstaff Police Department.

Think about a good route before you leave home. The best route for your car is not necessarily the best for your bike. (Example: In Flagstaff, try LEROUX ST instead of SAN FRANCISCO ST).

While You Ride

YOU ARE A VEHICLE. As such, all traffic laws apply. Yup, that means stop signs. Signal your turns. Don't hop out to change lanes unless there is room...

Be courteous. Even when cars offend you, it doesn't help to be angry in traffic.

Don't ride on the sidewalk. It's actually illegal downtown. It's unsafe because you mix with pedestrians and drivers don't see you when you intersect with them.

Ride with the traffic. Riding in the opposite direction from traffic is illegal in all 50 states, and drivers aren't likely to be looking for you.

Don't hug the curb. It's often got pitfalls, and you might get hit by a door. You are allowed some space for safety, and you can get out of the way if you begin holding up traffic.

Don't pass cars to their right near intersections. They may turn right without having seen you. Related to this: don't trust turn signals or the lack of same.

Ride as straight and predictably as possible. Learn how to look over your left shoulder while riding or get a rearview mirror.

Ride defensively. Drivers may not see you or know the bike/car etiquette, and guess which vehicle wins when metal meets metal? AND DON'T run over pedestrians.

Composed by [ Lois Neff ] using the following sources: [ www.bikeohio.org ] , [ Mesa Police Department ] , [ City of Passadena ]

Here in Flagstaff, AZ, a fledgling organization of cyclists designed an entire week of support activities (http://www.flagstaffbiking.org/btww/inde... to drum up interest and community furor while America commutes by bike.

Flag's event lineup is worth scanning for ideas if you are interested in setting up your own town's celebration. Take a look...

Sunday 12th Recreational Rides: Road and trail rides for all levels. Wheeler Park 9:00 am

Worksite Challenge and Registration May 6th to May 15th.

The copyright of the article Bike Commuting: easier than you thought in Southwest Outdoors is owned by Jill Florio. Permission to republish Bike Commuting: easier than you thought in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic