closetbiker

https://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-p...each-cyclists/

genec

Here is the easiest thing you can do as driver...

Look Twice... really. Use it as a cyclist too.

And for cyclists...
Of course it would vastly help if driving instruction also included some time on bicycles, just to give a new driver some road perspective.

closetbiker

I particularly liked

when I drove cab, I got into the habit of "bobbing" my head around while looking about.

I also looked for others who did - or did not - do the same

myrridin

Perhaps we should require cyclists to spend some time driving before we allow them on the roads also?

B. Carfree

I have to strongly disagree with that, or at least disagree with the notion that the population of motorists will not change how driving is done. I have witnessed profound change in how people drive in my lifetime. I remember when stopping at stop signs and red lights was the norm rather than the exception and people generally drove well below the speed limits in residential neighborhoods. Of course, back then driving while drunk was accepted as normal behavior, so it wasn't all a bed of roses.

genec

Frankly I think cycling and driving should both be taught as part of the regular public school curricula... first the basics (road rules), then cycling in traffic, and finally driving...

So indeed I have no issue with teaching cycling. I see it as part of a much larger program.

closetbiker

I agree, and think it wouldn't be too hard to come with stats that show (in Canada and the US) that while many cyclists drive on a regular basis, few motorists cycle on a regular basis.

Perhaps if more motorists rode bicycles more often, there'd be fewer problems between motorists and cyclists.

Dchiefransom

Good quotes in the insert, but that high contrast clothing needs to be a solid color. A patterned jersey against a varied background is called "camouflage".

I agree with Genec that driving and cycling should be taught in Drivers Ed, but not just the classroom part. Get them out on the road on bicycles, too. The drawback I envision would be any police officers that tell cyclists to stay on the edge of the road might be teaching the class.

Keith99

I disagree somewhat regarding a solid color. Far and away the most visible jersey I've ever had a a diamond checkerboard of red and yellow.

But if by pattern one means something with gracefully curved lines or worse a print that is a picture of some sort I agree.

mconlonx

I'm a better driver for having rode motorcycles and bicycles. The habit of scanning periodically for danger as a less-protected road user translates into being a less dangerous, more aware more-protected road user.

Well, that and, "Ooo, look! Something single-track with two wheels! What is it???"

genec

Have to agree with that more aware thing... when I drive I can spot a cyclist a long way off... in fact, I like to test others in any car I am in and ask if they saw "the cyclist." Often I hear... "oh, where?"

And of course as a cyclist I make sure I give cyclists lots of room.

Bekologist

two words: high viz.

CB HI

Cool, 8 year olds motoring around. Really great idea there myrridin!

myrridin

Well judging by the behaviour of some of the posters here, those cyclists rarely reach the emotional maturity level of 8 year olds, so I willing to give the children the benefit of the doubt...

genec

Obviously not... but certainly we could do a better job than just depending on mom and dad to teach bad habits. After all where do you think that "ride facing traffic" crap comes from anyway.

adamhenry

^^^^ Yep. ^^^^ My roommate bought her daughter a bike this summer. When sending her off on her first ride, she stressed to always ride facing traffic. I tried to explain why that was a bad idea but she would not believe me. When I showed her the city's web page for cycling that said to ride with traffic, she said that they were wrong as well. **********?

genec

Yup, essentially it tends to be a case of people who themselves are not regular cyclists, who themselves don't know the laws, then teaching bad habits to their children and perpetuating the bad habits... and of course you cannot TELL them anything.

This is where an outside "teacher" comes in best. And this same generational bad habit situation also occurs for drivers... which is why new drivers also need better training than "mom and dad. As a whole this nation could use vastly better road use training. Who knows, we may even be able to cut road deaths in half.

Even driving instructors tend to emphasize "flow" over safety... They mention safety, and then emphasize flow... so we get the big "trains" of motorists driving too fast and too close... two bad habits.

myrridin

Given time, natural selection will take care of such issues.

adamhenry

What a nasty rude insensitive thing to say about my roommates young daughter.

genec

I donno, between air bags and crumple zones the bad drivers seem to just walk away.

Keith99

Do you ever end up in a car with them? First time they make a left turn ask if they checked for the kid riding a bike against traffic! Watch how they make a right turn and ask a similar question when they make a right turn against a red.

No promise it will work, in fact I'll bet it won;t work quickly, but it might get them thinking.

myrridin

Only at lower speeds, which is one reason we should be greatful cars are capable of great speed and drivers think nothing of speeding... Of course my original comment was concerning salmons mostly...

CB HI

Have you already forgotten that some advocacy groups actual get off there ass and do something about it. This program goes to the schools rather than just hoping kids show up at bike rodeos.

https://www.hbl.org/bikeed

BikeEd
• 4-day on-road bicycling safety course taught by HBL instructors.
• Over 90,000 4th grade students completed HBL BikeEd.

Waiting for the typical BF fools that love to disrespect this training.

B. Carfree

I don't know if this qualifies as disrespecting the training, but one of the items mentioned was road position. Your link said they teach the children to ride two to three feet from parked cars. Please tell me I'm either misreading this or that the cars in HI have much shorter doors than they do in the lesser 48.

It does look like a good program. I especially liked the activities for parents. Are they collecting any data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program?

There is a copy-cat here in Eugene that is poorly done. Unfortunately, it is taught by people who are some of the worst riders I have ever seen. However, at least it allows children to ride bikes under some level of supervision. Sadly, someone stole the trailer full of bikes that they use for the program a couple weeks ago, so the bikeless children are locked out for a while.

CB HI

I think and hope that is an error. When my kids took it, 5 feet was taught. Although they did teach to always ride at least 2-3 feet from the curb.

The program was started so long ago, that no one really thought about before and after data. They keep numbers on how many of the kids went through the program. Many mainland cyclist complain about kids being the ones that harass cyclist. My experience here is that the kids of the age that they would have taken the training are respectful of cyclist. With one exception, all my problem motorist have been too old to have gone through the training program.