Practical Tips for Making Bicycle Commuting Safer and Easier
Submitted by the Helena Bicycle Club
May is Bike to Work Month, and more people are dusting off bicycles and not only riding to work, but also to school, the coffee shop or grocery store, and many other destinations. Many others, though, haven't been able to overcome physical and psychological barriers. Here are a few suggestions from the Helena Bicycle Club that might make the difference for you.
Learning to like it. It seems that one of the--if not the--biggest barriers to more people taking up bicycle commuting is learning to enjoy it instead of feeling obligated to do it to save money, get it shape, lose weight or reduce dependence on imported oil. It might take a few months to achieve a basic fitness level, adjust your daily routine and learn to feel comfortable with you and your bicycle becoming part of the normal traffic flow, so don’t hang it up after a few days. Give it enough time, and you’ll start liking it.
Drive your bicycle. As a general philosophy, pretend you're driving instead of riding your bicycle. With some exceptions, operate your non-motorized vehicle the same way you operate your motorized vehicle. For example, never ever "drive" on the wrong side of the road against traffic. In general, try to blend in with traffic instead of trying to separate yourself from it. Just as you do in your vehicle, drive defensively.
Hold your line. Probably the best habit a bicycle commuter can have is being predictable by riding in a straight line and avoiding sudden moves.
Where to ride. If you can't use a street with a designated bicycle lane or wide shoulder free of parked cars and debris, ride one or two feet into the traffic lane. If you’re on a residential street with on-street parking, hold your line in the traffic lane. Don’t weave in and out of the open spaces between parked cars.
Don't be afraid of thru streets. People prefer to drive on thru-streets because they provide the fastest, shortest, safest routes to their destinations. Don't shy away from "driving" thru streets for the same reasons.
Watch those doors. When riding along parked cars, ride far enough away from the car to keep from being “doored"--i.e. a motorist opening the door without looking to see a cyclist approaching from behind, which illegal, but, sadly, happens frequently, so drive defensively
Beware of the right hook. Watch carefully when vehicle comes up beside you as you approach an intersection. Although illegal, some drivers underestimate a bicyclist's speed and refuse to wait a few seconds for them to pass before making a right turn. If the vehicle is beside you, you might not be able to see the vehicle's turn signals. A vehicle turning and cutting off or crashing a bicyclist--unaffectionately called "the right hook"--is a common bicycle/motor vehicle accident. Again, be a defensive driver.
Making a left turn. On a two-lane street, signal aggressively and move toward the center of the road, staying in your lane, a half-block or more before turning left. Don't signal and stay on the right shoulder and then veer abruptly across traffic to make a left turn. When turning left on a multiple-lane road, aggressively signal and then carefully move into the left-turn lane just as you would do with your motor vehicle, and do this a block or two in advance of the intersection, so you aren’t making an abrupt move across traffic. If there is a left-hand turn lane, use it, just as you would with your motor vehicle.
Right-turn lanes. When approaching an intersection where the road splits off into a right-hand turn lane and planning to go straight, hold your line in the traffic lane instead of turning into the turn lane, which makes the motorist behind think you’re turning right.
Red lights. When stopping at a red light, take your place in line behind the last vehicle instead of trying to squeeze through on the right along the curb. Stay in the driving lane until you've cleared the intersection and then move to the right to allow motorists to pass.
Don't cut corners. You avoid doing this with your motor vehicle; do the same on your bicycle.
Bulb-outs. Helena has recently installed bulb-outs by most schools, and these can be dangerous for bicyclists, especially when approached at high speed on a downhill grade. When approaching a bulb-out on your bicycle, carefully move into the traffic lane at least a block in advance, even if you have to briefly inconvenience motorists, and then back onto the shoulder after the bulb-out. Do not swerve suddenly into traffic just before the bulb-out.
Sidewalks. Even though it’s legal to ride on sidewalks in Helena, this can be quite dangerous, so avoid it if possible.
Storm grates. Helena is in the process of replacing parallel-running storm grades with cross-hatched grates or turning grates perpendicular with traffic, but there are still many parallel grates around town. Be alert for these grates, and move far enough into the traffic lane to safely miss them--and do this gradually, after signaling, at least a half block in advance of the grate. Don't veer into traffic at the last second to miss a storm grate--or any other hazard, for that matter, such as a pothole.
Be bright. Always wear a helmet, bicycle gloves and protective eyeglasses, and don't be fashion conscious. Instead, wear high-visibility or reflective clothing. When riding at night or in low-light conditions, always use a flashing backlight and handlebar or headband LED front light.
Signaling. Always signal turns or lane changes if you can do it safely, but both cyclists and motorists need to understand that in some cases, such as when making a high-speed turn, cyclists must keep both hands on the handlebars and brakes and can’t continue to safely signal.
Watch the sun. Be extra defensive at sunrise and sundown when a motorist coming from behind might be partly blinded by direct sunlight.
If you’re among those who are considering taking up bicycle commuting, hopefully, these practical tips might help you more safely and enjoyably ride the streets of Helena.
