I need a safety topic......
 

I need a suggestion or two! My blog is being featured on MSN and I currently have a huge audience. I'd like to put together a general public article from the cyclists viewpoint for a post tomorrow afternoon All I request is that the "Obnoxious cager" type of suggestions be avoided, because I am not going to include those. Also, a list of bike safety sites will be included, so suggestions along those lines will be nice as well. N_C, I'll include a Bike Iowa link for ya!:D Consider this a sort of interview of safety advocates involved directly in cycling, so we can get some exposure out there from the cyclists viewpoint. I might as well take advantage of the exposure to help us out. Here's your chance to present your views to, if todays hits are any indication, around a quarter million people (250,000 hits since midnight!):D

Seems like "Share the Road" and safety rules for newbie cyclists might be the topic to cover. Even go over the basics without getting too deep into the VC or not VC morass. Something that might help a parent with their children's cycling (New bikes for Christmas) or with their own, (New bikes for Christmas) . You might also discuss bicycle facilities and what makes a town bike friendly or not. And what are good bike facilities.

If you are throwing in links, I recommend http://www.bacar.org/ The Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas.

Yeah, I think the "Share the Road" concept would be my number one choice of topic for a mass audience.

While share the road is good, how about simply introducing the concept that cyclists have rights to the road, and that this fact seems to be little known by the driving public.

Then mention Share the Road.

Then close with "can't we all just get along." :)

That's my general game plan, anybody want to come up with some quotes as cyclists I can include? You'll be cited by your BF nicks in the article, by the way.

Here is what I want from a driver:

Please judge me as an individual. I know sometimes that can be difficult, as a rider it is all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking of drivers as jerks just because one out of one hundred really is. I'm sure the same applies when behind the wheel. When it looks like there is plenty of room for me to the right, it is just that, it looks that way from a car, going a bit slower I get to see glass and road hazards. The last thing I want to do is hit a pothole and go down in front of you. In places where I have to take the lane I do. I get back out of the way as soon as I can. I do not want you on my tail any more than you want to get stuck behind me. Actually I want it even less than you do. You lose a little time. If I fall just when you sneeze I am in real trouble. Please remember that what would be just a fender bender with another car can be a serious accident with a bike.

Oh and for the people who are trying to be nice and not crowd me in a left turn lane, that is the one time I do want you on my tail. Far too often my bike is not enough to trip the light sensor and I really don't want both of us waiting forever for the light to change.

Great quote: This one is definitely in!

Thanks all, I got some good viewpoints. The article will be up tomorrow at my blog!
http://theamazingshrinkingman.spaces.live.com/

Off topic, but:

Tom, I just took some time to read your story, and it's just amazing. What you've done is an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations. Your story's inspiring.

Post went up just before midnight,
http://theamazingshrinkingman.spaces.live.com/

+1. Some simple guidelines for how to share the road with cyclists, and how cyclists who share the road with motorists might behave, would help, I think.

:)

Dunno if this helps, but driving has always been a privilege, not a right. Doesn't matter what taxes you pay, if they take away your license, you can't drive. However, you have the right to walking and riding a bicycle. You don't have to pay taxes to do so and no license required. My point is that 4000 lbs. of steel doesn't entitle you to anything...

Another off topic...

Now I get theamazingshrinkingman bit. Holy crap! The re-birthday to present transition you've made is incredible! Congratulations!!

Speedo

If you, as a driver, are tired of aggressive drivers, try riding a bicycle, because they are a lot more agressive to other cars than they are to bikes.
Encourage the use of mirrors by cyclists.
Tell people to watch cars at stop signs, and then decide if they are any better at stopping than cyclists.

YES! I don't blow through stop signs or lights. But I don't exactly dab my foot on the ground unless I need to. So please, motorists complaining about bikes at stop signs, watch other cars just do a rolling stop...happens a lot, doesn't it?

I like this one: BicycleSafe.com.

See and Be Seen
 

We think our web-site would be worth taking a look at and perhaps you would mention it in your upcoming MSN Blog. Visit us at www.pedigreen.com . Our thoughts are that being visible is your first line of defense. With that being said, most of our products are hi-viz or have some reflective properties.
Good luck! :)

Can do!~ Consider it up!:D

I don't know how many times I've been nearly killed by a driver who is trying to be nice.

For example, I was waiting at a stop sign at a two-way stop. A driver who was crossing in front of me slammed on her brakes and tried to wave me across. I tried to wave at her to keep going. She kept insisting that I go. In the meantime, the drivers behind her were backing up and beginning to honk. One guy didn't have any patience at all so he passed her on their right, just barely missing my front wheel.

I appreciate the intent, but don't try to be nice. Try to be predictable. If you have the right of way, take it. If I have the right of way, I'll take it. And we'll all get home in one piece.

I have my next quote! Cool, and thanks Caloso!

How about, "Share the road, we'll both be better off"

Amen, brother. If I could have one wish, that would be it. Just treat bikes like traffic.

It actually slows me down considerably when people try to give me right of the way when I shouldn't have it. Since no one knows what's going on, everyone has to be extra careful (and slow) before proceeding.

Exactly. It's a manisfestation of the perception that bikes are toys (and by extension, that cyclists are children). "Oh, look there's a bicycle! Go ahead sonny..."

And I have to try to remind myself to not appear annoyed with the well-intentioned. I'm sure they have no clue, there's no practical way to explain it, and I have my doubts that they would understand anyway.