Print
E-Mail
tool name
closeRoad Rules: Ride bikes defensively, predictably
Both vehicle drivers and cyclists must watch out for each other, show respect to avoid accidents
Roxanne Cooke
As summer fades away into rainy weather and the hours of daylight become fewer, bicyclists and motorists should take extra caution to watch out for each other on decreasingly visible roads.
Just recently, a bicyclist died in Sumner after losing control of his bike on a gravel shoulder and falling into the path of a truck. Another bicyclist was killed in Puyallup in a hit-and-run incident.
Other close-calls have affected local cyclist Kevin Stanley, who is the manager of South Hill’s Bike Tech. Once when riding on the shoulder of a road, a truck driver swerved near him and attempted to clip him with the vehicle’s side mirror.
“He didn’t hit me but he scared me,” Stanley said.
But that’s out of the norm for the bike shop manager. Sometimes a driver will yell at him while he’s riding his bike, but most of the time people have been courteous, especially this year.
“I think more people understand why there’s people riding their bikes,” Stanley said.
With the slumping economy, he said more and more bike riders will hit the road.
“I think it’s inevitable,” Stanley said. “This has been a long time coming.”
The cyclist said he probably won’t commute to work on his bike anymore because it’s too far – 18.6 miles from Lakewood to South Hill – and the cold weather and darkness are other deterrents. Meridian Avenue doesn’t bother Stanley too much, but he admits it’s a scary place to ride.
“Meridian’s a terrible road no matter what,” he said. “It’s not really a safe road.”
Though he speaks for both drivers and cyclists, Stanley pointed out that many cyclists take up too much space in the right lane, becoming obstructions to vehicles.
“Some take up the whole lane, and that’s wrong,” he said.
According the law, cyclists can actually ride in the center of a lane if traffic is slow, said Puyallup Lt. Dave McDonald. Otherwise, stay as far to the right as practical when riding a bike on the road.
Before taking a bike out on the road, remember that bicyclists as well as motorists must follow the same rules, such as stopping at stop signs and red lights, McDonald said. That also includes passing on the right and signaling.
“All bicyclists have the same rights as well as the same responsibilities on the roadway as a motor vehicle driver,” said Sumner Police Chief John Galle.
Likewise, when cyclists are riding on sidewalks, they have the same rights as pedestrians. Drivers of cars need to stop for bicyclists in crosswalks, for example. But riding on the sidewalk in a downtown business district is illegal and the consequence is a $103 fine.
McDonald encourages bicyclists to “drive” like other motorists in order to be taken seriously by vehicle drivers. Being predictable is key, he said.
“You have to drive your bike rather then ride it,” McDonald said. “It shows your respect for the law. You’re not going to do unexpected things.”
McDonald added that cyclists should always assume drivers can’t see them.
“For your own safety, make eye contact with drivers,” he said.
“Bicyclists need to remember that drivers aren’t necessarily looking out for them,” Galle said. “They’re looking out for other traffic.”
And never ride against traffic – it’s illegal. In the case of one-way roads, take a different street unless riding with traffic. Cyclists are allowed on the same roads as drivers, but not freeways or other restricted access highways.
The city of Puyallup has a helmet law and a $56 fine for noncompliance, McDonald said. The city of Sumner does not have a helmet law, but it’s something city officials are considering, said Galle.
State laws regarding bicycle use require a bicycle head lamp and rear reflector during the hours of darkness. Violation of this law could result in a $56 fine.
Learn to look over your shoulder at traffic if your bike doesn’t have mirrors, McDonald said. Many accidents are caused by cyclists crossing or swerving when they shouldn’t.
“You should know what’s going on behind you,” he said of cyclists.
Though some may argue that bicyclists are too slow to be on the road, they have the legal right to be there, McDonald said. Oftentimes, a trail or another path off the road is not available.
Galle said it’s important for parents to teach their children responsibility in bike riding – most cycling injuries happen to children.
“They’re the ones that aren’t always aware of their surroundings,” he said.
In general, it’s a matter of sharing the roadway that will help keep bicyclists safe, Galle said. Motorists should watch out for cyclists and make room for them and cyclists should make sure they are visible to drivers.
“Safety is a mutual responsibility,” he said. “We need to be respectful of one another and we need to encourage safety both for them and for us.”