Biking is cheap, fun, and eco-friendly! A bicycle is certainly one of the least expensive ways to get around. It's healthier for you and for the environment. If you can’t bicycle all the way to work, have you thought about bicycling to a bus stop and then loading the bicycle on the bike racks on the bus for the rest of the trip? All Cortland Transit buses have bike racks on the front of the bus. How about bicycling to the store or farmers market instead of using your car?
How to Use a Bus Bike Rack:
Top 10 Safe Cycling Tips
1. Ride defensively. Be aware at all times.
2. Cyclists should always ride single file, each following safety rules and signals independently.
3. Wearing light, bright clothing improves visibility.
4. Cyclists should use caution when riding at night.Reflectors, headlights, and backlights are all necessary.
5. Cyclists should never wear headphones or use a cell phone while biking. These prevent you from hearing other sounds around you.
6. When approaching an intersection, cyclists must stop, look both ways, and signal.
7. Always use hand signals to show turns and stops.
8. Ride on the right side, with traffic.
9. Everyone should always wear a helmet. The law requires all children under the age of 14 to wear a helmet when bicycling or skateboarding.
10. Make sure your helmet fits properly. The front should be about an inch above eyebrows, in center of the forehead, securely clasped and snug under the chin. No baseball caps under the helmet.
How to Safely Share the
Road with Bicyclists
Bicyclists have the right to share the road and travel in the same direction as motor vehicles. They are often difficult to notice in traffic and have little protection from a traffic crash. Check your vehicle’s “blind spots” before you make a turn, parallel park, open a door or leave a curb. Don’t rely only on your rearview mirrors—turn your head to look for bicyclists, skaters and scooter operators who maybe alongside or approaching.
Drive Cautiously. Reduce speed when encountering cyclists. Don’t tailgate, especially in bad weather. Recognize hazards cyclists may face and give them space.
Yield to Cyclists. Bicycles are considered vehicles. Cyclists should be given the appropriate right of way. Allow extra time for cyclists to traverse intersections.
Be Considerate. Scan for cyclists in traffic and at intersections. Do not blast your horn in close proximity to cyclists. Look for cyclists when opening doors.
Pass with Care. When passing, leave four feet between you and a cyclist. Wait for safe road and traffic conditions before you pass. Check over you shoulder before moving back.
Watch for Children. Children on bicycles are often unpredictable. Expect the unexpected and slow down. Don’t expect children to know traffic laws. Because of their size children can be harder to see.
How to Safely Share the
Road with Motorists
The same laws that apply to motorists apply to cyclists.Obey all traffic control devices and use hand signals to indicate stops and turns.
Always wear a properly fitting helmet. Wear a helmet, no matter how short the trip.
Ride on the right. Ride in the same direction as traffic. Use the furthest right line that heads to your destination.
Ride Predictably. Ride in a straight line and don’t swerve in the road or between parked cars. Check for traffic before entering a street or intersection. Anticipate hazards and adjust accordingly.
Be visible. Wear brightly colored clothing that provides contrast. Use a white front light and a red rear light in low light conditions. Use a reflector or reflective tape or clothing at any time. Announce yourself by making eye contact with motorists.
In April 2019, Seven Valleys Health Coalition with Homer, Cortland and Cortlandville launched the roll out of Lime bikes, a bike share program that placed Lime bikes in all three of the municipalities. Lime bikes were pulled for the winter of 2019 however, and given the pandemic and market challenges, the company has no plans to re-instate them. A replacement bike share program is still being sought.
Other helpful links:
Safety tips, news, and reviews for bike commuters.
A great stash of videos to show you how to repair your bike.
Walking is the least expensive way to get around, is pollution-free, and is great exercise. Connect with your community, stop and smell the roses, and slow down. Please remember, when walking, to use available crosswalks.
Local Walking Trails
NCSRS programs sustain efforts by parents, schools, community leaders and local, state, and federal governments to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school.
A non-profit coalition actively promoting the development of local and regional pedestrian advocacy groups, with a mission of helping to create local groups and assist them in building a more walkable world.
A consulting firm of Dan Burden is one of the nation's leading experts on creating more walkable settings. He can help your community envision and implement a more walkable future.
Communities such as the City of Cortland, the Village of Homer, Marathon, and McGraw, and the Town of Cortlandville have complete or partial sidewalk networks. In all cases, the maintenance and replacement of sidewalks, including snow removal, is the responsibility of the property owner (the Village of Marathon does its best to clear the sidewalks throughout the Village). To report a sidewalk that is in poor condition or is persistently not cleared of snow, please call the following:
City of Cortland
Code Enforcement Office
Village of McGraw
Village of Homer
Streets and Parks Department
Village of Marathon
Town of Cortlandville
Code Enforcement Office