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Commercial Appeal Article (http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local/article/0,2845,MCA_25340_5572508,00.html)
Cyclists pedaling in rural Shelby County last week ended up in a pile of twisted frames and wheels after a near-miss with a truck.
The motorist was ticketed and a cyclist was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Traffic and angry dogs are common to bicyclists, who increasingly are finding heavier traffic along tree-shaded rural roads that once were nearly deserted.
But with 24 fatalities and almost 1,400 cyclist wrecks in Tennessee in the past three years, the General Assembly recently passed a bill making it tougher on drivers who come too close to bicycle riders.
Motorists passing a bicycle going in the same direction must put at least 3 feet of space between them. A similar bill passed in Arkansas this spring.
In Shelby County, sheriff's deputies have been told to monitor county roads for the safety of both cyclists and motorists, said spokesman Steve Shular.
Bicyclists should ride single file on public roads, Shular said.
"We know from time to time bicyclists use rural roads, but many of these roads are now being used (by vehicles) as urban thoroughfares," Shular said.
The new Tennessee law, which was signed by Gov. Phil Bredesen last month, apparently wouldn't have prevented a May 29 accident in Lakeland.
In that case, the vehicle was coming from the opposite direction, with the driver turning into a driveway, and hitting the bicyclists. But overall, cyclists are pleased with the new state law, said one local club executive.
"As far as cyclists are concerned, it is definitely a plus for cycling safety," said Mark Yoshida, vice president of the Memphis Velo Cycling Club.
About 10 club members were riding along Memphis-Arlington Road one evening last week when a truck turned in front of the fast-moving group.
Cyclists braked and several crashed into one another. One rider was injured so seriously that he was hospitalized for four days. That rider declined to comment for this story.
The motorist, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday, was ticketed and charged with failure to maintain a safe lookout, Shular said.
The cyclists and the truck did not make contact, Shular said.
"Most drivers don't know what the rules of the road are," said Yoshida. "A lot of times, people think cyclists don't belong on the road. They will yell, 'Get on the sidewalk.'
"It goes both ways. Cyclists need to be responsible and courteous, and at the same time drivers need to be also."
He said local cyclists generally try to ride single file in traffic, but often spread out more on rural roads when they're empty.
"But on rural roads, when there is traffic around, we do ride single file," he said.
Yoshida said "the biggest problem is education, with drivers knowing cyclists have rights and paying attention. We try to be visible as much as we can and we ride in groups but drivers often don't understand how quick we actually are moving."
Cordova resident Tom O'Kelley is familiar with bicyclists' two most common road hazards: barking dogs and growling humans.
Right above O'Kelley's left ankle are the scars left where a dog bit him as he pedaled down the road. And drivers have screamed: "Get your bike off the road!"
"It's a lot safer in groups," O'Kelley said before a recent Saturday morning ride.
"The bigger the group, the more they see you."
-- Shirley Downing: 529-2387
Safety tips for drivers
Under a new state law, when passing a bicyclist, a motorist must leave 3 feet of room between the vehicle and the bike.
The most common causes of collisions are drivers turning left or right across the path of the bicycle.
Watch for bicycle riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling, especially if the rider is a child.
Never attempt passing between a bicyclist and oncoming vehicles on a two-lane road. Slow down and allow vehicles to pass.
Never pass a bicycle if the street is too narrow. Wait until there is enough room to let you pass safely.
If you want to pass and you think the rider doesn't know you're coming, tap (don't blast) your horn.
Source: Tennessee Driver Handbook
Cyclists pedaling in rural Shelby County last week ended up in a pile of twisted frames and wheels after a near-miss with a truck.
The motorist was ticketed and a cyclist was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Traffic and angry dogs are common to bicyclists, who increasingly are finding heavier traffic along tree-shaded rural roads that once were nearly deserted.
But with 24 fatalities and almost 1,400 cyclist wrecks in Tennessee in the past three years, the General Assembly recently passed a bill making it tougher on drivers who come too close to bicycle riders.
Motorists passing a bicycle going in the same direction must put at least 3 feet of space between them. A similar bill passed in Arkansas this spring.
In Shelby County, sheriff's deputies have been told to monitor county roads for the safety of both cyclists and motorists, said spokesman Steve Shular.
Bicyclists should ride single file on public roads, Shular said.
"We know from time to time bicyclists use rural roads, but many of these roads are now being used (by vehicles) as urban thoroughfares," Shular said.
The new Tennessee law, which was signed by Gov. Phil Bredesen last month, apparently wouldn't have prevented a May 29 accident in Lakeland.
In that case, the vehicle was coming from the opposite direction, with the driver turning into a driveway, and hitting the bicyclists. But overall, cyclists are pleased with the new state law, said one local club executive.
"As far as cyclists are concerned, it is definitely a plus for cycling safety," said Mark Yoshida, vice president of the Memphis Velo Cycling Club.
About 10 club members were riding along Memphis-Arlington Road one evening last week when a truck turned in front of the fast-moving group.
Cyclists braked and several crashed into one another. One rider was injured so seriously that he was hospitalized for four days. That rider declined to comment for this story.
The motorist, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday, was ticketed and charged with failure to maintain a safe lookout, Shular said.
The cyclists and the truck did not make contact, Shular said.
"Most drivers don't know what the rules of the road are," said Yoshida. "A lot of times, people think cyclists don't belong on the road. They will yell, 'Get on the sidewalk.'
"It goes both ways. Cyclists need to be responsible and courteous, and at the same time drivers need to be also."
He said local cyclists generally try to ride single file in traffic, but often spread out more on rural roads when they're empty.
"But on rural roads, when there is traffic around, we do ride single file," he said.
Yoshida said "the biggest problem is education, with drivers knowing cyclists have rights and paying attention. We try to be visible as much as we can and we ride in groups but drivers often don't understand how quick we actually are moving."
Cordova resident Tom O'Kelley is familiar with bicyclists' two most common road hazards: barking dogs and growling humans.
Right above O'Kelley's left ankle are the scars left where a dog bit him as he pedaled down the road. And drivers have screamed: "Get your bike off the road!"
"It's a lot safer in groups," O'Kelley said before a recent Saturday morning ride.
"The bigger the group, the more they see you."
-- Shirley Downing: 529-2387
Safety tips for drivers
Under a new state law, when passing a bicyclist, a motorist must leave 3 feet of room between the vehicle and the bike.
The most common causes of collisions are drivers turning left or right across the path of the bicycle.
Watch for bicycle riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling, especially if the rider is a child.
Never attempt passing between a bicyclist and oncoming vehicles on a two-lane road. Slow down and allow vehicles to pass.
Never pass a bicycle if the street is too narrow. Wait until there is enough room to let you pass safely.
If you want to pass and you think the rider doesn't know you're coming, tap (don't blast) your horn.
Source: Tennessee Driver Handbook