Don't be a Gutter Bunny

Gutter Bunnies are timorous little creatures; they ride their bicycles hugging the right hand side of the road, afraid to get out of the gutter even when the road is plenty wide enough for cars to pass safely.

Clinging to the right hand edge of the road gives the Gutter Bunny a false sense of security; but their curb hugging habits actually place them in greater danger. Here are a few examples why.

1.) Cars will buzz by Gutter Bunnies like they are not even there. Not slowing down or deviating from their line of travel.

Believe it or not there are Car Driving Gutter Bunnies, who habitually drive with their passenger side wheels trimming the grass at the side of the road.

So if a driver buzzes on by a Gutter Bunny without so much as a touch of his brakes, or deviating from his line of travel, and he just happens to be followed much too closely by Car Driving Gutter Bunny.

Guess what?

The Car Driving version will not even see his bicycle counterpart until he slams in the back of him.

To avoid this situation: Ride 18 inches or so out from the edge of the road; more if the lane width allows it. (Picture right.)

The first car passing will have to make a conscious effort to steer a course around you, this will alert following cars of your presence, and they too will usually follow the same line as the first car.

2.) In this next scenario a Gutter Bunny is riding along a road and is approaching a turning to his right.

A car is racing up this side road at a high rate of speed and it appears he may not stop at the intersection.

The driver does not even see the Bunny approaching on his bike as they have a tendency to blend in with the landscaping. (Below left.) The cyclist is not even sure if the driver entering the highway is turning left or right.

If there is no traffic immediately behind the cyclist, he should move out to the center of the lane, this gives the car driver more opportunity to see the cyclist. (Above right.)

Should the car make a right entering the cyclist’s lane and moving away from him; the cyclist can pull towards the center of the road, or even go into the opposing lane if the is no approaching traffic from the opposite direction. (Below left.)

If the car should make a left turn crossing the cyclists path, the cyclist can pull hard to the right and go behind the offending car. (Above right.)

3.) Similarly, a car driver approaching from the opposite direction and making a left turn into the side road, may not notice the Gutter Bunny as he creeps the extreme edge of the highway. (Below left.)

The Bunny too is off somewhere in his own little Bunny world, daydreaming about little girl bunnies, or whatever. As he pedals across the intersection the car makes his turn and our Bunny is knocked into the middle of next week. (Below right.)

The Bunny may see the car turn at the last moment and try to stop or swerve hard to the left, but he still slams into the side of the vehicle.

Again if there is no traffic behind, the cyclist should move to the center of the lane; in all probability the driver of the left turning car will now see the cyclist. (Below left.)

Alternatively, another car may come up from behind the cyclist which would be his safety buffer; the opposing driver will not turn if there is an approaching car. The cyclist can then signal and move over to the right again as he clears the intersection, allowing the car behind him to pass.

In the worst case scenario, (Above right.) the car still makes its left turn, but the cyclist by positioning himself in the center of the lane has the opportunity to pull left also and go harmlessly behind the offending vehicle.

4.) Finally the dreaded Right Hook: This is where a cyclist is riding straight ahead, but a car passes him then turns right in front of him. The Gutter Bunny leaves himself no room in this situation. (Below left.)

(Above right.) If the cyclist once again is riding out in the lane away from the curb, in all probability the car driver will not pass the cyclist. However, don’t count on it. But at least the cyclist has some room to maneuver and if he makes a hard right also, he may not be going in the direction he intended, but he at least avoided a collision.

In a situation where there is a left turn lane (Above.) the Gutter Bunny will often follow the right hand edge of the road even if he intends to go straight. This is asking for a right hook as following vehicles assume the cyclist is also turning right.

If the cyclist intends to go straight he should stay in the appropriate lane and allow other vehicles turning right to pass on his right.

By riding the extreme edge of the road cyclists leave themselves nowhere to go should they be crowded out by another vehicle. There is either a curb to the right, or the edge of the asphalt drops off sharply or parts of it may be broken or missing.

Claim your space on the highway; always be predictable and let your intentions be known with clear hand signals. A simple turn of the head to look behind will speak volumes to a following car driver that you intend to change direction.

                         

Do we need sidewalk cycling advocates?

The above video ridicules the League of American Bicyclists for advocating that riding a bike on the sidewalk is dangerous. The commentator suggests that if riding on the sidewalk is dangerous maybe we should all put in a few hundred miles on the sidewalk to sharpen our sidewalk riding skills.

The video then shows a bike switching from the road to sidewalk and back again as he sees fit. The commentator points out that a bicycle is maneuverable and can do this. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should; this is the whole problem with some who ride bikes. Rather than stop and start again they maneuver around obstacles; like slowing or stationary traffic, or pedestrians in crosswalks.

In my book, switching from the road to the sidewalk and back is one of the worst kinds of cycling behavior; choose where you are going to ride and stick with it. Children are allowed and encouraged to ride on the sidewalk, and rightly so. They are mostly traveling at a walking pace, and are probably not riding in a straight line.

If a parent is accompanying a child they too should be on the sidewalk with them, making sure they stop at intersections and other danger points. If you are a raw beginner on a bike you should probably start out on the sidewalk until you have mastered the basic bike handling skills.

It is not so much where you ride that is dangerous it is how you ride. If you ride on the sidewalk you are not going to get run down from behind by a car; however, there is a greater potential at every intersection for a collision. And whether you are on the road or the sidewalk most collisions happen at intersections.

Cars turning right into a side road or driveway, or making a left from the opposite direction are not looking for cyclists on the sidewalk, especially if the cyclist is coming from the wrong direction. Cars entering a road from side roads or parking lots often have to pull completely up to the curb or stop sign in order to see what is coming, because of trees and bushes obstructing their view.

Most places it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk; for this reason you shouldn’t do it. If a car hits you at an intersection, the driver’s insurance company will probably not pay damages, because you were riding illegally. If you are on the sidewalk you should be riding slowly, probably no more than 8 mph; to avoid injuring pedestrians and so you can stop on a dime when cars suddenly emerge from parking lots.

If there is a situation like in the video where there are sporadic parked cars, the cyclist should not be fully in that lane anyway, but rather giving a hand signal in plenty of time and moving into the next lane to pass the parked car as any other vehicle would.

To hop on the sidewalk is all well and good, but what happens when there is no driveway ramp at that point; you suddenly have to do a slalom move out into the path of other traffic. Or what happens if you hop on the sidewalk and a pedestrian steps out in front of you, or a car suddenly appears from a driveway.

If people choose to ride a bike they need to decide whether they are to be a pedestrian on a bike, (POB.) riding at a walking pace on a sidewalk; or a real cyclist riding exclusively on the road following the same rules and protocol as all other road users.

The constant complaint I hear from motorists is that cyclists make up their own rules and ride whereever and however they please. We don’t need videos encouraging people to behave in this manner.

                         

The Invisible Cyclist

I posted this as a two part article a year and a half ago, (How time flies.) I am putting the same two pieces up again as a single article.

There will be new readers who haven’t seen it, and those who have I hope will realize that it doesn’t hurt to be reminded to be vigilant when riding on busy streets.

Often the cyclist has the right of way and is not at fault when hit by a motorized vehicle, but that is of little consolation if he/she is seriously injured, or worse.

At best they come out of the incident bruised, bleeding and their bike smashed up; with a little thinking ahead and defensive riding you can often avoid a situation before it gets worse.    

So often a car will turn or pull out in front of cyclist causing serious injury, then claim, “I didn’t see him.” The cyclist might ask, “Why am I invisible? I am wearing a bright lime green jacket?”

It is not a case of the cyclist being invisible, but one of the position of the cyclist and other vehicles on the road giving the illusion that he is not there.

Take the common scenario in the picture above. A cyclist is following the red SUV that has just overtaken him; the driver of the SUV wants to make a right turn, and is indicating so with his turn signal.

The red SUV is slowing to less than the cyclist’s speed, so the cyclist moves over to the left to go around the red vehicle. He figures he can do this safely as he can hear no other cars immediately behind him.

This lack of traffic behind him is actually the cyclist’s downfall, because at this moment the blue car is emerging from this same side road, about to make a left turn to go in the opposite direction to the cyclist.

The driver of the blue car waits until he is sure the red SUV is turning, and then makes his move. He does not see the cyclist because he is hidden behind the red vehicle. For the same reason the cyclist can’t see the blue car either.

The driver of the blue car gets the illusion that there is nothing behind the red SUV, all he sees is a gap in traffic and an opportunity to pull out.

The red SUV turns, the blue car pulls out, and the cyclists runs smack into the side of the blue vehicle.

How to avoid this situation.

1.) Be aware of cars waiting in side roads and driveways ready to turn onto the road you are on.

2.) In this scenario, don’t be in a hurry to get around the turning vehicle. Had the cyclist slowed and stayed the right, he would have seen the blue car, even if the driver had not seen him. Also when the car pulled out the cyclist would have more of a chance to go behind the vehicle to avoid a collision.

3.) Listen for cars immediately behind you, if there is traffic behind this is your safety buffer and people will not pull out if they see other cars approaching.

The British Highway Code illustrates this same incident in rule 211. (Picture left.)

The onus is on the driver pulling out to make sure the road is clear, but that is of little consolation to the cyclist if he is hit

Statistics show that this next scenario, (Above.) more than any other, is the most common cause of serious injury or death to both cyclists and motor-cyclists.

The cyclist is riding to the right of the lane and is going straight. The red SUV has just passed him and is also going straight.

The blue car is stopped with his turn signal on waiting to turn left into the side road. As in the the first scenario, the driver of the blue car can’t see the cyclist because he is behind the red SUV, and also the cyclist cannot see the blue car for the same reason.

It is possible the driver of the blue car has been sitting waiting to turn for some time, and the cyclists has been partially hidden from his view by a steady stream of traffic. Now all the driver sees is a gap in traffic behind the red SUV.

The red SUV passes and the driver of the blue car guns it to turn quickly. It is a small gap in traffic and his only thought is that he must get across before the next car arrives. He is no longer looking down the road otherwise he might still see the cyclist; he is now looking at the side road in the direction he is headed.

The cyclist is either hit broadside by the front of the car, maybe run over, or he runs smack into its side of the vehicle. Even if the driver sees the cyclist at the last moment, car driver and cyclist both have only a split second to act.

The car driver either panics, brakes hard and ends up as a stationary object in the cyclist's direct path; or he underestimates the cyclist's speed and tries the beat him through the intersection. Often a collision is unavoidable the moment the vehicle making the left turn has started the move.

How to avoid this situation.

1.) Think ahead. As I have just mentioned, the blue car has probably been waiting to turn for some time before the cyclist arrives. The cyclist could have made a mental note some 200 yards before he arrived at the point of a potential collision.

2.) If it is safe to do so, take the lane. Signal and move over to the left so you are visible to the driver of the car waiting to turn. Had the cyclist done this, chances are the red SUV would not have passed him, but would have still been behind him. The blue car would have had to wait for both the cyclist and the SUV to pass before turning.

Also, if the cyclist moves to the left, nearer the center of the lane, should the blue car turn, the cyclist has more opportunity to simply steer a course behind the vehicle.

3.) Listen for cars behind you, they are your safety buffer. If there are none and there is any doubt that the turning driver has seen you; be ready to make a panic stop.

If the car driver has not seen the cyclist, an accident can still be avoided if the cyclist is aware ahead of time, what could happen. Otherwise, given the cyclist's speed, the reaction time, and the distance it takes to stop on a bicycle..... Well, you get the picture.

In these scenarios I have used an SUV as an example of a vehicle blocking the view of a turning driver. More often than not the vehicle you are following is a large commercial box van, truck, or bus, making the situation even worse.

The onus is of course on the driver of the vehicle entering or turning from a highway, but as it is the cyclist has the most to lose in such a situation, it behooves him or her to ride defensively at all times.

Don’t be a victim. Always think ahead and look for potential hazards. Remember it is not that you are actually invisible; it is more an illusion that the cyclist is not there, brought on by years of conditioning and not being aware of bicycles.

Multiple times, every day for years a driver waits for a gap in traffic to make a left turn. When he sees it he goes for it; always without mishap. Then one day there is a cyclist in that gap.

Don’t let it be you; don't be the Invisible Cyclist

                         

Bikes and parked cars don’t mix

A plan to add bike lanes to streets in San Diego has been shot down by city planners. The reason, the move would mean a loss of 137 parking spaces, and of course this is seen as a detriment to local businesses.

It is an old, old story that is played out in cities all over the US and I am sure, in many other countries too. To ignore the problem is short sighted, because every bicycle on the street means one less car, less congestion and one more parking space available.

I agree that parked cars and bicycle lanes don’t mix, like some in San Francisco, shown in the above picture. This is a death trap, a car door carelessly opened in front of a cyclist, knocks the unfortunate bike rider right under the wheels of a passing vehicle. It happens all the time.

The picture is from an article on the SF.StreetsBlog, where the writer points out that with a bike lane positioned this way, a cyclist has the choice of riding in this lane at the risk of getting doored, or ride out in the main traffic lane and incur some serious road rage, because nothing pisses off a motorist more than seeing a cyclist in “His” lane, when there is a bike lane right next to it.

Even if there is enough room for a four foot door zone between the parked cars and the bike lane, there is still a danger from cars entering or exiting parking spaces. If you place the parked cars next to the motor traffic lane and put the bike lane on the inside next to the side walk, this does not eliminate the danger of car passengers opening doors as cyclists pass. And an even bigger danger presents itself at every intersection as cyclists immerge blindly from behind a row of parked cars.

A sensible solution in this case would be a shared lane (Sharrow.) next to the parked cars. In the above picture I see at least four, maybe five lanes of traffic going in one direction. Would it be a huge inconvenience if one of those lanes were shared with cyclists? If a motorist doesn’t want to share, all he has to do is move over to one of the other lanes.

Bike lanes are a good idea on roads leading into a city center, where automobile speeds are high, and there are no parked cars.

But once you get into a business district where there are parked cars, speed limits need to be lowered and enforced, and cyclists’ sharing the lane is, in my opinion, safer.

In San Diego, city planners speak of adding traffic calming devices instead of bike lane; why not shared lanes.

Encourage more people to ride bikes; add a number of bike riders to the mix with the appropriate signage so it is clear to everyone that cyclists are supposed to be there.

Seasoned cyclists are often quick to point out that they are entitled to share any lane. That may be true, but entitlement doesn’t help much if the person you are sharing with is ignorant of that fact.  It doesn’t hurt to have a few road markings and signs to remind the uneducated.

Education is key, make people realize that every person riding a bike to work is one less car on the road. This means less congestion; everyone can drive slower, and still get where they are going on time. That is a benefit to all road users, not just bike riders.

                          

Dumb and Dumber

Out riding with my wife this morning on our local bike path, I encountered a couple of guys I see all the time riding the same path.

At a guess they are both fifty something and ride in street clothes, on fairly decent hybrid bikes with upright handlebars and skinny tires.

The path is about 12 feet wide and one thing I notice is that one rides on one edge of the path and the other on the opposite side, then hold a loud conversation across this gap as they ride.

This makes it difficult to pass; and I have to call out several times to get their attention over their loud exchange.

It occurred to me that this is exactly how many cyclists ride on the road, and I wondered why that is. My wife and I ride side by side and take up half the path, leaving the other half for other walkers and cyclists.

Is it inexperience, and they don’t feel comfortable riding at close quarters, or is it like when two guys go to the movies together, and they leave an empty seat between them as a “We’re not gay” statement.

The bike trail follows a canal and there are two places where the path crosses a street. In both cases the path switches from one side of the canal to the other, meaning that you have to turn onto the road, ride across a bridge, then turn back on to the path on the opposite side.

This morning we caught these two guys as we approached one of these street crossings. I could hear cars coming but the two in front did not slow but just continued at their same steady pace across the road and made a left turn in front of three approaching cars.

All three cars had to brake and slow to follow these two, still riding two abreast across the bridge before they made a right back on the path again.

Would it have hurt them to stop, and wait for the traffic to pass first before crossing, rather that suddenly appearing on the road from a bike path? Surely this would seem the sensible approach.

I imagine both these guys own cars and I wondered, why it is when a person gets on a bike, they behave in a completely different manner than when they drive. I doubt either would pull out from a side road ahead of close approaching traffic; most drivers would and wait until the road is clear.

Is it that as teens they rode a bike and were never taught how to ride in traffic? As a result when they get back on a bike later in life they don’t see themselves as a vehicle, they can’t seem to grasp that there are rules and protocol to be followed.

How often do we see a young kid on a BMX bike ride diagonally across a busy street dodging cars in both directions? They are young enough, sharp and agile enough that in most cases they get away with it.

Plus people tend to cut some slack when it comes to a juvenile; no one wants to hit a kid. But when a person continues riding in this manner as an adult, and it is only a matter of time before it will catch up with them.

As I said at the beginning, these two guys are regulars on the path; I even spoke with them on one occasion. They seem like intelligent people and it is a mystery to me, why some seem to lose all common sense, the moment they throw their leg over a bike.

I’m trying to figure out how to tactfully ask them that question the next time I see them