Safe Driving

The more I ride my bike, the more annoyed I get with cars who do not respect cyclists on the road. I’ve been yelled at, called nasty names, accused of being where I shouldn’t be, almost run off the road by large vehicles like dump trucks and SUVs, and even told that I shouldn’t ride on the road by my own mother!

After talking with my husband and a Superfeet employee who regularly commutes to work by bicycle, I’ve come to think the problem is two-fold: First, motorists in general are uneducated about the laws regarding safe driving around bicycles. Comments like “you shouldn’t be driving an unlicensed vehicle on the road” are proof of that. And second, cyclists exacerbate the friction by not obeying the laws of the road that apply to them.

I think a little education on both sides might go a long way to making a happier world for both bicyclists and motorists. I reread the Washington Driver Guide’s section on driving safely around bicycles again and learned a couple things:

Bicylces should not pass on the right side of vehicles in traffic at intersections. Motorists turning right may not look for or see a bicycle passing on the right.

Cars must pass a bicycle the same way they would a car. They must allow at least three feet of space when overtaking and passing a bicycle, even if this means waiting until there is room to move into another traffic lane.

When riding at night, the bicycle must have a white headlight visible for 500 feet and a red reflector visible for 600 feet to the rear. A flashing taillight or a steady red taillight may be used in addition to the red reflector.

If you’d like to review the Washington Driver Guide’s section on bicycles you can download a 2-page PDF right here! If you have the gumption, print off a couple copies to give to your riding and driving friends.

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