Bike safety: roads better than trails

According to the “Biking to Work Manual,” planning the safest route involves taking fewer left turns. Bicycles rarely get hit by a car from behind and are more apt to have an accident on bike trails than on the roads. Trail hazards exist perhaps because of a false sense of security. Even when there are two clearly marked lanes for opposing traffic, walkers and bicyclist often walk and ride side by side taking up both lanes. Frankly, a bike riding 15 miles an hour (the posted speed limit on many trails) could do considerable damage to an adult, a child or a pet. With blind curving trails, this is something to avoid at all costs.

Also, riding on the street is much less scary than it appears from the sidewalk. I find this to be true. http://www.biketraffic.org/trickstips/traffic/surprisefacts.htm
I ride on streets except for rush hour traffic on a small stretch on Lincoln Avenue between Willow and Lonus streets after a few near misses. Bike lanes on Willow and San Fernando streets are great for fast biking. Front and back flashing lights and a fluorescent green windbreaker make me more visible to motorists while a rear-view mirror keeps me aware of where they are.

Another secret to safety is being aware of your pecking order as a bicyclist. Normal automotive driving habits don’t apply. For instance, if a bus pulls over to drop and collect passengers, a bike doesn’t have the power to speed up and pass it. Also, if a light turns yellow at a four-lane intersection, it is time to stop the bike. Unless the bike is moving at full speed, the light will turn red while peddling through the intersection. It is not worth the safety risk to run a red light. Finally, pedestrians often seem to ignore bikes as they stroll in front of their speeding wheels while jay-walking. It is best to slow down around pedestrians on roads and trails.

Roads and trails offer biking benefits. Roads are smooth, fast and direct while trails are picturesque, curvy and slower. The combination of the two make for a varied commute that can be completely enjoyable and possibly frightening at times. Without external protection, biking can be risky. However, keeping alert while following safety rules will keep bikers as safe as possible while enjoying the scenery and the ride.


Bibliography

Google Images

Bike Traffic.org

My Bicycle Commute

In 14 days, I have logged 106 miles on my bike. I know this precisely because I have a removable plum-sized computer with an odometer hooked up to the front wheel. On days that I don’t ride to campus, I ride the Los Gatos Creek Trail for fun but oddly I enjoy commuting more so than taking a leisurely ride. I’ve contemplated this and have come up with three reasons why this is so.

First, commuting by car is stressful. Riding bike is stress reducing and remarkably fun. Secondly, biking forces me to live in the moment. I notice people and buildings much more and feel more involved with the city. (After riding by the Poor Boy’s Bistro several times, I am reminded to go back to listen to live music on Fridays.) And, finally, biking forces me to limit my change of clothing to what will roll up well and cram into my backpack. This eliminates the “what looks better with this” struggle that plagues even the least fashion conscious.

I told Sally Zarnowitz, my boss and the historic preservation officer at the City of San Jose planning department, that riding to work is like having happy hour before work. She said that she enjoys riding bike to work but only does it once a year. Fortunately for me, there is room in the City Hall bike cage for my bike. But not so for the environment that out of thousands of employees, there are rarely more than 10 bikes parked there.

Once parked (using my secret bike cage code), I walk down into the parking garage and shower in the women’s locker room then head to work or campus. Whatever happens on any particular day, I look forward to the ride home in crinkled riding clothes and a fresh t-shirt.
Check out Paul Dorn’s bike commuting tips for a fresh view from a former “internal combustion” user. http://www.runmuki.com/commute/commuting2.html

Riding bike -- should sidewalks be off-limits?

I am afraid of riding a bike on roadways. Bikers are supposed to use roads, not sidewalks, when separate trails don't exist. After having a few close calls with cars from within a car, the idea of being hit while on a bike is terrifying. I've read of tragic bike and car collisions recently involving avid, experienced bikers. One blogger wrote a convincing argument that bikes are more like people and that they should share sidewalks (http://ruina.tam.cornell.edu/www_ribs/bikesonsidewalks.html). This argument seems reasonable if bikers navigate slowly around pedestrians when the sidewalks have enough space. However, if pedestrians fear for their safety as bikers whiz past them, sidewalk sharing won't work. Starting next week, I will start riding my bike to work. I will take the Los Gatos Creek Trail until it ends then take streets to downtown San Jose. Last Sunday, I biked downtown to plan my route. I rode on sidewalks when bike lanes weren't available and saw less than 10 pedestrians during the 1-1/2 hour round trip. Granted, weekday walking traffic could increase significantly but maybe not. I am not an experienced biker and my intentions are to be more environmentally friendly and work exercise into my busy schedule. I plan to enjoy the trip riding at a comfortable pace. The only thing that had been holding me back from comuting by bike is my fear of being hit by a car. One could argue that riding on sidewalks gives into this fear. San Jose State University urban planning Professor Earl Bossard told me that he used to enjoy riding bike home after his evening class which ended at 10 p.m. His clothing was covered with reflectors as he peddled away his 45 minute commute. He still rides bike from the train station to campus for the tail end of his commute with no apparent fear. He also rides bike around Davis more than driving his car. Incidentally, Professor Bossard was involved in the conception of planning the Los Gatos Creek Trail. I don't want to be controlled by a fear that is without merit. I will enlighten myself by taking a bicycle safety course with the City of San Jose. Maybe after learning more, I will no longer seek the comfort of sidewalks. But, then, maybe not. Perhaps if bike lanes were designed as a significant part of the road rather than more of an afterthought, I would reconsider any sidewalk riding. Drivers need to be reminded that bicyclists are on the road too. Otherwise, a cell phone, a loud song or a cigarette could get a driver's attention more than the person on the bike wearing the neon jacket. Unfortunately, many bicyclists have learned this the hard way. Bibliography Google Images Blog entry