A Proactive Driver With The Proper Attitude10/28/2022
A PROACTIVE DRIVER WITH THE PROPER ATTITUDE DRIVERSThe 3-foot rule helps drivers by giving them a concrete frame of reference, he says.Īnd thanks to Joe Mizereck of Tallahassee, Florida, that figure is becoming a standard reference. "Bike riders really appreciate that," he says. Give Cyclists 3 Feet of Clearance: More than 20 states have passed laws requiring motorists to give bicycles on the roadway about 3 feet of space, Blumenthal says. Exercise the same caution as you would for an approaching vehicle.ħ. A PROACTIVE DRIVER WITH THE PROPER ATTITUDE DRIVERBrustin says it's a common scenario: After a collision, a driver often says he didn't realize the cyclist was going that fast.Ī bike can easily get to 15- or 20- mph speeds, Brustin says. Beware the Left Turn: A driver trying to make a left turn sees an oncoming bicyclist, but the driver figures he has plenty of time to complete the turn. If you are trying to figure out if a nearby cyclist is planning to turn right, look for his raised left hand in a squared position, or an extended right hand.Ħ. If you don't signal your right turn, you could wind up hitting each other, with the point of contact somewhere on your car's right side. A cyclist may be a little behind and to the right of you, and may be planning to ride straight ahead. Drivers making right turns, especially, should watch out for cyclists. Spare Them the Right Hook: Intersections are venues for serious car-cycle collisions. At least he is not in a vehicle and in my way the whole commute."ĥ. So if you're idling in your car behind a cyclist who you wish would go faster, think of it this way, Mionske says: "Well, he might be in my way temporarily. Cyclists don't wear out the road, he adds (which means fewer potholes for you). Consider the Benefits of Bicycling - for Drivers: "One cyclist on the road is one less car," Mionske says. That might calm you down, Mionske says.Ĥ. If you can pinpoint the moment when a bicyclist is starting to irritate you - because you can't see where he is going or because he's moving slowly and is making you late - picture him as a family member or friend. When drivers don't humanize cyclists this way, he finds, they often perceive riders as mere objects. Rather, they should think of them as equals, just as entitled to the roadway as drivers are, says Clarke and other experts in the cycling community.ĭrivers who get impatient with bicyclists might want to stop for a moment and think about the human being on that bike, says Bob Mionske, a Portland cycling attorney and cyclist: What if that rider was my friend, a friend of a friend, or a neighbor? Somehow, seeing bicyclists that way makes people a little more patient, he says. Adjust That Attitude: Motorists tend to think of cyclists as ''in their way," Clarke says. Nearly every state has similar language covering bicyclists, says Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists.ģ. Respect the right of way of bicyclists because they are entitled to share the road with you." The site encourages drivers to ''look carefully for bicyclists before turning left or right, merging into bicycle lanes and opening doors next to moving traffic. Information on the California DMV Web site spells out the law in the Golden State: "Bicycle riders on public roads have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists, and are subject to the same rules and regulations." The cyclists, then, are on the same level as motorists. NHTSA says cyclists 10 years and older should behave as though they were vehicles on the street, riding in the same direction as other traffic that's going their way and following the same traffic rules. In fact, bicycles in the roadway are considered vehicles. A recent visitor to a message board discussing cyclists and motorists wanted to know why cyclists can't just use the sidewalks. Know Bicyclists' Rights: Drivers sometimes have little idea of the traffic laws that apply to bicyclists.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |