Road Rules

Wow, it has been a long time. I have tales to tell about the rest of the season with the Colavitas, but today I'm posting a letter I wrote for our club and for the local paper. It's about spelling out ways for cars and bikes to interact on the local roads, and spelling out the laws. It's not the "pro" way to ride, and it's not necessarily true outside of New York, but most people who ride a bike on the road a lot might learn something. And, since pretty much all cyclists are drivers, there are points there to live by behind the wheel. Just cuz you ride doesn't make you a courteous or safe driver.
If anyone is still reading, let me know what you think. Safe riding!

Hello everyone,
Nowadays with more and more cyclists and motor vehicles sharing the roads it's important to know how to live with each other. I've been riding and driving these roads for 25 years, safely so far (knock on wood), and have developed some habits which have saved my skin and others a few times, both on the bike and behind the wheel. I’ve also witnessed some very dangerous, dumb and illegal behavior by both cyclists and motorists. Several bicycle/car accidents and recent events such as a local cyclist being pushed off the road by a motorcyclist have shown that there are misconceptions, bad information and bad habits on both sides, and I’m writing to clear some of them up.

The first and most dangerous misconception is motorists believing that they have exclusive rights to the road, can drive on the shoulder and pass at will, and that cyclists must always yield to cars. These are not true; bicycles are legal vehicles, with their own conditions for use but with the same rights and responsibilities as cars. To show this, let’s look at the laws.
The NY laws as they pertain to bicycles can be accessed on the internet at the following link: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcode.pl?frame=right2&code=NY&ls=claws&law=127&art=57. I'd suggest giving them a good read, both from the viewpoint of cyclist and motorist. Some of the quotes I use are taken directly from these statutes.

According to those laws, no matter what anyone yelling out of their car window says, it is absolutely legal to ride your bike on the roadways unless that particular roadway specifically bans bicycles (the only local example being the interstate). This is found in Article S 1231 of the NY vehicle code which states: "Every person riding a bicycle or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except as to special regulations in this article and except as to those provisions of this title which by their nature can have no application."

To paraphrase, that means that as long as cyclists obey traffic laws as they pertain to bicycles then you have as much right as anyone to be out there and are entitled to the protection of the law. The flip side is that if you are breaking those laws you have as much duty to be ticketed, fined, etc as any motorist. In general the laws are similar for both bikes and cars; use the right side, signal, stop for stop signs, red lights, closed railroad crossings, stopped school busses and when entering the roadway, etc., but there are a few differences I will point out.

1) S 1234 (a) says bicycles should ride to the right on the shoulder whenever possible. However, it also leaves it up to the cyclist to determine what they deem as possible and safe for them. If the shoulder is too narrow, cracked, broken or contains debris or other hazards, cyclists have the right to move to the left of the white line.

There are a couple of other notable circumstances which make it acceptable for cyclists to ride in the traffic lane. First, to make a left hand turn, it is necessary for a cyclist to first take control of the lane. Cyclists should signal, check to make sure that you have room to move left, and move left into the middle of the lane, making eye contact with drivers, then signal again to make their turn. It may be more prudent to wait on the right shoulder for an opening if you're crossing busy, uncontrolled high speed traffic lanes, but in town this is the way to go, especially where there is a left-turn only lane. More on that later.

The second is if the road has "traffic lanes too narrow for a bicycle or person on in-line skates and a vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within the lane". That means that if there is not enough room to the right of the yellow line for a cyclist and another vehicle, then cyclists have the right to take control of the lane to prevent an accident. The most notable place where this occurs locally is the Wilmington notch in both directions. Again, cyclists should signal to and make eye contact with any drivers, and move left for as long as necessary, no more. It is especially important for cyclists to take charge here because the same spot that is narrow also has very limited sight distance. If you hear or see vehicles coming from both directions, be determined and signal vehemently to the cars behind to stay back and to the right. It's better to attract misguided ire for making someone slow down than to be scraped along that wall when the passing driver realizes there isn't enough room, or to witness (or be caught in) a head-on collision. You may save more lives than your own. In other places there may be better visibility or you can always stop in a pull off and wait for an opening, but that isn't always an option. Be vigilant!

2) S 1234 (b) says that bicycles can ride up to two abreast in the roadway but must switch to riding single file to let traffic pass. If two abreast can fit to the right of the white line or in the bicycle lane or if there is an open passing lane then it's ok to stay that way. Otherwise, "car back" means "single file". It doesn't specify exactly how long you have to single up, but precedents have established that 30 seconds to several minutes is reasonable.

3) These are the hand signals a cyclist is required to use.
"1. Left turn. Left hand and arm extended horizontally. 2. Right turn. Left hand and arm extended upward or right hand and arm extended horizontally. 3. Stop or decrease speed. Left hand and arm extended downward."Note that there are two ways to signal a right hand turn. I recommend that a cyclist’s or motorcyclist’s right-turn signal option be to simply extend your right arm. The traditional “left hand up” signal is often mistaken as a wave. While cycling, eye contact is an integral part of signaling.

4) Now that the days are getting shorter, be aware that it's the law for cyclists to show lights 1/2 hr from dark. See S 1236 for details. You're also supposed to have an “audible device” and those ultra cool reflectors. At least be able to shout and always wear bright or reflective clothing. Reflective ankle bands or shoes are also very visible and distinctive.

So what can we all do to make the roads safer while still having fun and getting where we need to go?

As motorists, there are several things we can do.

1) SLOW DOWN. “Speed too fast for conditions” is a common cause of accidents. When there are other road users present, conditions are different from having a clear road. It is a motorist’s duty to drive at a speed where you can react to sudden hazards and to slow down when there are cyclists, poor road conditions, other slow moving vehicles or pedestrians in the road. This is the open road, not NASCAR; bumping is not allowed and causing an accident will definitely make you late for work and a lot poorer.
2) STAY BETWEEN THE LINES. Keep your vehicle entirely between the yellow and white lines as you’re driving. That is the designated driving lane for cars. If you can’t, you’re going too fast.
3) PASS SAFELY. It’s your decision to pass, so it’s your responsibility to do it safely. If in doubt, don’t. Stay back, keep right and wait for a safe opportunity. When you do pass, slow down and leave several feet between yourself and cyclists, but DO NOT cross the yellow line unless you can see that it is safe. If you think that you are being “forced” to cross the yellow line in the face of oncoming traffic or on a blind curve just to pass a bicycle riding legally, be aware that you’re not being forced to pass at all by anything other than impatience or excess speed. Really, you have chosen to drive out of control. DO NOT pass just before you are going to make a right turn, as you will be cutting off the cyclists you just passed. Remember, cyclists can be traveling 20-40 miles per hour or more. Check your mirrors to make sure you are well clear before you turn. Otherwise, stay back, keep right and wait for a safe opportunity. Usually, it’s only a few seconds.
4) KNOW YOUR VEHICLE. Specifically, know how wide and long it is. Do you have wide mirrors? Do you have cargo that sticks out to the sides? Are you towing a trailer? If so, you must leave extra room and/or extra time to pass.
5) PAY ATTENTION. Driving is not the time to multitask. Remember that you are piloting a ton of steel at speeds fast enough to kill any man, woman or child you hit.

As far as safe cycling habits go, besides obeying the law, here are a few general tips.

1) BE PREDICTABLE. Motorists object more to cyclist's unpredictable quick movements than anything. Signal to and communicate with other road users, ride a straight line, check before you move and don't just make assumptions, like that cars see you and will move over for you. I also strongly encourage cyclists to practice the skills necessary to safely ride on rough surfaces so that you can use the shoulder more often.
2) KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON BEHIND YOU. Look and listen. Either be able to look over your shoulders without swerving or use a mirror. Leave the Ipod at home.
3) BE VIGILANT AND ACT PROACTIVELY. On a bike you have more senses available to you to tell you what's happening. You can hear cars, often before you can see them. You can see road hazards more clearly. Act when you see the danger and it’s safe to act; don't wait until the last second.
4) SPEED IS YOUR FRIEND. Riding at a fast pace reduces the difference in speed between yourself and overtaking cars, giving everyone more time to react. One of the most dangerous things you can do is to stop in the traffic lane.
5) ADAPT YOUR HABITS DOWNTOWN. When you can ride near the speed limit and there are parked cars, act completely like a car. Ride at least 6 feet from the right edge and the parked cars, in the middle of the lane. Here you are much more visible and you avoid the greater danger from pedestrians coming out from in between parked cars and from opening car doors. Don't pass stopped traffic at speed because there may be pedestrians or cars may suddenly turn into you. Stay off the sidewalk unless you’re at walking speed, it's for pedestrians. Obey signals and signs, and only let cars by where it's safe.
6) PRACTICE PACK RIDING. If you ride with others, make a plan so that you know who’s going to move over first in the group when there’s traffic.
7) WAVE, DON'T FINGER. Don't forget to smile. You're having fun, right? And gas is $3 a gallon.

Remember: ride a bike within the law and you're not impeding traffic, you ARE traffic.