Today is Bike to Work Day, so we thought we'd give the rookies some tips to avoid getting creamed by a moron juggling a cell phone and a latte while driving to work.
Actually, we're gonna let our friends at Bicycling magazine offer the tips because they've put together some simple guides to bicycle safety. The first is "Ride Smart: How to Avoid the 5 Most Common Bike-Car Collisions." It's a good primer on how to avoid getting doored or "parking lotted." It is extremely user friendly and a must-read for new bike commuters. It's also a good refresher for you freewheeling cyclists who might play fast and loose with the rules of the road.
Of course, it takes two to tango, so Bicycling has put together some helpful tips for motorists as well.
“If there's even been an oil-and-water combination, this is it," the magazine writes. "We both use roads; we'd both prefer to do so without the other in the way. But the juxtaposition puts cyclists in far greater peril than drivers.”
That juxtaposition prompted Bicycling to put together "How to Drive Around Cyclists." It runs down some common-sense tips like sharing the road and keeping the cell phone stashed when driving. Want more? Of course you do. Bicyclesafe.com has a great guide for playing it safe on the road.
Cycling is finally gaining respect as a viable means of commuting -- what with the emphasis on complete streets, the growth of bike sharing and the feds declaring the needs of cyclists must be considered alongside those of motorists -- the need to educate motorists and cyclists will only grow so we can all share the road safely.
Photo: BikePortland.org / Flickr
