What’s the best way to promote safe bicycling in traffic?
Apparently the answer is: Make people afraid of bicycling around cars.
My issue of the MoBikeFed newsletter, The Hub, arrived today. One of the articles gives bicyclists 13 tips for gaining the “respect” of motorists. Most of them are fine as far as it goes (e.g. stop at stop signs). But two of them are pure mythology based upon fear.
For example:
7. Riding single file. It’s true — Missouri law allows cyclists to ride two abreast on roads, but it’s safer to ride in a single file especially in traffic and/or on curvy roads.
Uh, sez who? Show me the statistics.
This is fear-based nonsense. The choice to ride single file or two abreast should be made based upon traffic conditions and road conditions at the moment, not on some unsupportable generalization. Don’t let fear do your thinking for you.
Here’s another:
3. Warn other cyclists of motorists. When riding with another rider or a group, keep an eye on that mirror (a real safety device) and yell out “Car Back!” or Car Up!” When you hear the warning, immediately get into a single file formation so that the motorist can safely pass.
If bicyclists are properly positioned in the lane, such warnings are rarely necessary. Further, check the statistics (and the relative risk of bicycling): Hit from behind is the rarest form of bicycle-car collision (associated mostly with rural roads in darkness).
And what about the idea that bicyclists must be in single file for motorists to safely pass? Pure poppycock. Again, road/traffic conditions dictate these things. On a 4-lane suburban arterial, for example, two bicyclists may drive their bicycles quite comfortably and safely commanding the right lane. Drivers of cars can pass safely in the left lane. Since such roads rarely have sharable lane widths (14 ft.+), getting into single file in such a situation actually encourages car drivers to pass you in the same lane — not at all safe!
Here’s something that has me stumped. Let’s say a dozen bicyclists are riding on a rural road two abreast. A car approaches from the rear. What happens when a dozen riders all of a sudden try to get into single file? What challenge does that maneuver present for the car driver?
If I’m driving a rural road in a car and come upon a dozen bicyclists, I hope they stay two abreast. I’ll be able to see them sooner. I’ll have a shorter passing window when it is safe to pass.
Watch the following video, and you’ll see that, while riding in a group, scrambling out of the way of cars just isn’t necessary:
That’s a group of students taking the CyclingSavvy road tour course in St. Louis in April. As the video clearly shows, no one had to yell “car back.” No one was run down. The group included a variety of skill levels.
Much of the advice in the article from The Hub is perfectly sound. But the tone springs from the premise that bicycling in traffic is dangerous. The two items quoted above spring from fear and the unstated premise that the drivers of cars are more equal than the drivers of bicycles.
As further proof, watch the following video:
Comments 10
Thanks, looking forward to more chalk.
ps: links under each video (vimeo Direkt) are funky: http://www.vimeo.com/clip:23189689 Video links of images do work.
Posted 08 Jun 2011 at 5:57 pm ¶danc… Those links come from Vimeo. But I’ll check to see if a better embed method helps.
Posted 08 Jun 2011 at 6:06 pm ¶Isn’t that what three foot passing laws are all about?
Posted 08 Jun 2011 at 7:16 pm ¶Back when I raced USCF on Oahu, we would generally assign it to the last rider(s) in an organized ride to keep track of overtaking vehicles on quiet country roads. The purpose was to ensure that when we did have overtaking traffic, the team would be aware of it and often cooperate with the motorist rather than not be aware of the motorist. Generally, that just meant tightening up our formation, which usually was a double paceline with rotation off the front, I think counterclockwise. There are benefits to knowing one is being overtaken, such as watching the overtaking motorist and making sure there is not an oncoming conflict, etc.
I wish all organized riders were as akamai as we were back in those days. The biggest complaints we get here are that clumps of bicycle riders will be on back roads shooting the shit, weaving all over god’s half acre, unorganized, and being utterly unaware or unconcerned with overtaking traffic. Someone beeps and then the middle fingers go up. Its just stupid all the way around.
If cyclists get with the program, they won’t have to worry about silly generalities. We rarely, if ever, had close calls or animosity. Forester’s rule applies: cyclists fare best when they behave as the operators of vehicles, or some such verbage.
Posted 08 Jun 2011 at 7:27 pm ¶I couldn’t get either of your links to Vilmo to work. Haven’t read the latest HUB yet, though it is directly under my left hand.
I can say by breaking group rides into smaller groups of five or six riders in a tight, single file group, makes it really easy for motorists and is an expression of courtesy. Just how many 100 mile group rides have you done???
Posted 08 Jun 2011 at 8:07 pm ¶Sounds like that was written by and for club cyclists.
The yelling of “car back” annoys me to no end. I can see warning the group when a car is passing unexpectedly, or letting the group know when cars have been waiting for a while and it might be appropriate to release them. But some groups insist on incessant hollering every single time a car comes up behind them. Most of the time nothing needs to be done by the group, the car will simply pass in a second or two when it’s safe.
When I was doing group rides, we had most of our core people trained not to do that. Sometimes a new person would come along and bring that silly habit with them. They would continue saying it over and over, even on 4-lane roads… like they thought we didn’t hear them, because we didn’t skitter off into the gutter.
I’d say things like, “We know.” We can see that.” (most of us had mirrors) “There’s nothing we can do about it.” “He’ll pass when it’s safe.”
But inevitably, the person would not take the hint and someone would have to take him or her aside and explain that we don’t say “car back” unless there is some action the group needs to take.
I’ve done dozens of 100 mile group rides and scores of 50-80 mile group rides. I’ve ridden with groups on urban, suburban, exurban and rural roads. As Andy says, “The choice to ride single file or two abreast should be made based upon traffic conditions and road conditions at the moment, not on some unsupportable generalization.”
Posted 08 Jun 2011 at 9:05 pm ¶Coy… Just click the play button and the videos will play.
Posted 09 Jun 2011 at 10:43 am ¶Coy… Courtesy is a fine thing to display. The world would be a lot better off if we all tried to be more courteous. My larger point is that such things are NOT a matter of generalizations but a matter of reading the road/traffic conditions at the moment. Sometimes doing what seems generally courteous puts bicyclists in danger by encouraging motorists to do things they ought not do.
While on the Pedaler’s Jamboree a couple of weeks ago there was a section of the KATY Trial that was closed and required riding a few miles on Route 40. Wow. There were a whole bunch of people that were just scared to death by that. Many chose to slog it out through the mud and slop of the closed section of trail rather than ride on 40 — potentially far more dangerous.
I was riding with my wife, daughter, and her boyfriend. A couple of people saw that we were taking 40 and asked to join us. It was easy to see they were frightened and wanted to be in a pack.
I lead the way and told everyone to position themselves in the middle of the lane. We commanded the lane the entire time. There was never a need to holler about cars because drivers simply did what they are obligated to do — pass when safe. No honks. No yells. Nothing but a smooth few miles on curvy, hilly 40.
The looks on those peoples’ faces when we again got on the trial was amazing. They learned something about how car drivers will behave when bicyclists command the space that rightfully belongs to bicyclists — first come, first served.
By commanding the lane, we made it EASIER for the car drivers. I call that courtesy.
Posted 09 Jun 2011 at 10:55 am ¶All… I’ve corrected the busted Vimeo text links — I removed them
Just click the play button. All is well.
Posted 09 Jun 2011 at 11:49 am ¶The looks on those peoples’ faces when we again got on the trial was amazing. They learned something about how car drivers will behave when bicyclists command the space that rightfully belongs to bicyclists — first come, first served.
Excellent!
This is why we choose some roads that people think are scary for some of our social ride routes. They experience them in a social context and are always amazed that it is not only safe and easy, but drivers are courteous and some even cheer us on.
Now, there’s something to be said for a group of people of all different shapes, sizes and ages riding all different kinds of bikes, following the rules and looking orderly and predictable — they look like real people, participating in an accessible community activity.
Posted 09 Jun 2011 at 12:22 pm ¶