I used to take offense when people would talk bad about cyclists, but after recently observing some other riders, I get it. Riding erratically through intersections in the rain or at dusk, with no lights is a sure-fire way to get injured and piss people off. Seven years of bike commuting, dozens of close-calls (usually my fault), and now one collision (not my fault) have taught me how to minimize risk on the road.
Visibility is most important, and several factors contribute to this.
- Location in the Lane
- Sidewalks - Most new riders view this as the safest place, when the truth is precisely the opposite. While sidewalks are usually separated from traffic by a curb, a cyclist is, for all intents and purposes, invisible when riding on one. Drivers turning into and out of cross streets, driveways, and parking lots will not see you. If you find yourself forced to ride on one, it's important to check for traffic in every direction at every intersection.
- Bike Lanes - You may think these are better than sidewalks, but realize that they are not built for the safety of cyclists (at least in America). They are built for the convenience of drivers - to get you out of their way. Aside from being littered with debris, man-holes, roadkill, sharp objects, and parked cars, a cyclist is only slightly more visible here. I should also take this time to mention that bike lanes are directional, and it's a bad idea to ride against traffic (known as salmoning). Cross traffic turning right will not see you.
- Where is a cyclist most visible? In the middle of the lane. Unfortunately, it's not always practical to ride in the center of the lane. As a general rule, the further right you are, the less visible. Riding as far right as possible also encourages drivers to try to squeeze passed you which is neither fun nor safe. Laws usually state to ride as far right as is practical. My go-to spot is where the right tire of a car would be. It's far enough left to be visible and to encourage drivers to use the other lane to pass but not so far as to make it difficult to pass. It also gives me room to maneuver around roadkill and pot holes. When making a left turn, I'll move to slightly left of center to further discourage passing. If riding in the left lane of a four lane road, I'll also ride left of center to allow cars to safely pass in the right lane. When in doubt, take the lane.
- The exception to this is waiting at stoplights (see below).
- Speed
What does speed have to do with visibility? A lot of drivers may see you but assume you're travelling at walking speed. It doesn't matter if you're going uphill or downhill since many drivers seem to have poor understanding of the local topography (and distance for that matter). I can't count how many drivers have pulled out in front of me (or next to me) not realizing how fast I was going (+25mph downhill). Mostly this is just something to be aware of as a cyclist, although I've found that a front blinky light can catch their attention long enough to gauge your speed. - Lights and Reflectors
Reflectors may be unfashionable on sport bikes, but for commuters they're well worth the extra weight. They cannot, however, replace a good set of lights. While essential for night riding, I also use lights whenever the weather is anything less than perfect. High-viz clothing/backpacks/bags is also a good idea if you feel the need.
While following the rules of the road to a T might be considered the absolute safest (it's not), one of the biggest advantages of cycling is not being imprisoned by the grid. Hopping curbs, riding sidewalks (with caution), and taking shortcuts otherwise unavailable to cars often makes cycling a faster and more convenient way to get around. I'm not advocating to blindly disregard traffic laws but to question the laws and find the logic behind them. Often the reasons behind the laws don't make sense for cyclists. In other cases, following the law isn't enough, and in a few cases, following the law is dangerous. Cyclists need to be vigilant and conscious of certain situations.
- Take stop signs for example. Drivers are trapped behind blindspots (A-pillars), dirty windshields, and darkly tinted windows which limit visibility. They're also deaf to the outside world with closed windows and/or loud music, hence the need to stop at intersections and check for other cars. Cyclists on the other hand, have no blind spots in front of them and can hear cars approaching from all directions. Completely stopping at an obviously empty intersection is ridiculous. If cars are present, of course, I'll wait my turn. The same logic can be applied to stoplights, especially since sensored lights are rarely triggered by bikes. When it comes to waiting in line at stop lights, I'm a bit torn. On one hand I feel I should wait my turn; on the other, I think waiting in line is for people who chose their mode of transportation poorly. Recent experience* has taught me that coming to a complete stop can actually be quite dangerous as it means you're less visible to other road users. If you must wait at a stop light, it's best to move out of the lane, if possible, unless your completely certain that the vehicle behind you is aware of your presence.
- Passing on the right, or undertaking, is dangerous regardless of whether or not you're actually in a bike lane. This is usually tempting when traffic is backed up, but caution must be exercised. Drivers turning right won't see you and neither will unloading passengers, which brings me to the next point.
- The Door Zone is the space adjacent to parallel parked cars where open car doors would prevent riding. Give parked cars a wide berth to avoid a surprise door opening to your face.
- Other street-side parking. Diagonal street-side parking is hardly any better. I usually ride mid-lane in this situation, but when a car backs up into traffic from this position, there's really no good evasive option. You can brake and risk being run-over from behind or you can lane-split and simultaneously try to avoid oncoming traffic and the reversing car. Given enough time I'll move right and brake, but usually lane-splitting seems the safest. I've learned to look for reverse lights, but a lot of newer cars are wired up so that these lights come on even when the car isn't actually in reverse such as when doors are open or when the car is unlocked remotely.
- Drivers making a right turn will sometimes cut you off which usually isn't a big deal if you're paying attention; it's just annoying. Recently, however, I had a very close encounter where if I had braked half a second later, I would've found myself under a Tahoe. Luckily I escaped unscathed, and as the driver was pulling into a parking lot I decided to confront him about it since I usually don't get the opportunity. He claimed to have not seen me, but there's no excuse for that. If his eyes had been on the road, he would've seen me.
- Getting passed by cars. People can't be trusted to use good judgment, so use your lane position to force them to. Narrow lanes, blind curves and hills, and riding at high speed require riding further left to prevent or discourage passing. Conversely, wide roads, good visibility, and low speeds allow you to ride further right to let cars easily pass.
- Round-abouts can generally be viewed as miniature Nascar ovals. They're easy enough to get through - yield, be predictable, and stay in your lane, just don't expect anyone else to. It's unfortunate that the round-abouts on Old Taylor Rd are designed so poorly. The exit ramps from the highway split into three lanes before entering the round-about which often leaves a car in the middle lane stopped, yielding to traffic, while a car in the right lane blindly blows through the intersection at a lethal speed. Always keep an eye on approaching cars.
Riding in the heat and humidity can be brutal, and eventhough it's an often heard excuse for not riding, I see a lot more cyclists in the summer. Truth be told I sweat about the same amount whether walking, riding, or driving - mostly because I like to roll the windows down and refuse to waste gas to cool the car down before going somewhere. My car's interior can easily reach 150 degrees after sitting in the sun, and while the air coming out of the vents is quite cold, the interior will radiate heat for some time contributing to quite a bit of sweat. A couple ways to sweat less when riding are to ride slower and to use a rack to get any cargo off your back. Also, light-weight, loose-fitting clothing and open-toed shoes can be nice. I usually don't really get sweaty until I stop and even then I can be mostly dry within about five minutes of being indoors.
* I started writing this post in early August. Having been hit by a drunk driver recently (while on a highly visible pedicab no-less) I've gained a little more perspective and realized I've gotten too comfortable in traffic. Reading through this now, I find myself asking, 'Is it worth it?', Yes. The necessity of awareness in every moment is what makes me feel alive, what calls me to ride.
