Friday, May 16, 2014 is the DC Metro area’s “Bike to Work Day.” The Washington Area Bicyclist Association estimates that more than 10,000 area commuters will ditch their cars and ride their bikes to work that day.
Although Friday will certainly see a spike in bicycle traffic on the roads, recent Census data reveal that daily bicycle commuting has increased by 60% in the country’s 50 largest cities in the last decade and now makes up 1% of all commuters in the country.
The number of bikes sharing the roads with cars will continue to increase in the coming years, and both bicyclists and motorists will need to take care to share the roads in harmony.
Several common scenarios account for the majority of auto bike collisions.
Right Turn on Red
A frequent collision scenario is when a motorist is waiting at a red light or stop sign to turn right. The driver’s attention is riveted to the left, looking for a break in oncoming traffic. The driver does not notice a bicyclist or pedestrian stepping off the curb to his right to cross in front of the stopped car. The bicyclist has the right of way, but that is little comfort when the car accelerates into her.
Motorist and bicyclist on the same road approaching the intersection from opposite directions. The motorist fails to see the cyclist and makes a left turn into her.
Motorist and bicyclist on the same road approaching the intersection going in the same direction. The motorist passes the cyclist on the left and turns right into the bike's path.
A motorist hits a cyclist from behind.
As we all know, when a car strikes a bicyclist, it is an unfair fight – the human body is simply not designed to withstand two tons of metal. Until a clever engineer designs a practical bicycle airbag system, the only way to be safe on a bike is to avoid the collision. Fortunately, there are a few simple rules that both bicyclists and motorists can follow to greatly reduce the number of collisions.
For the Motor Vehicle Driver
As an added precaution, you can use one of the small friction labels I have made that sticks on the driver’s side window so when the driver looks to the left for a clearing in traffic, she is reminded to look back to the right before proceeding. If anyone wants some, let me know.
Bicyclists, pedestrians and motor vehicles can share road space safely if all concerned pay attention to everyone on the road and anticipate the actions of others. These simple steps can reduce injuries at intersections and make Northern Virginia a safer place for all.
Happy Friday, everyone. Ride Safe.
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