Advocacy & Safety - Bicycle Safety: It's a two way street

Our State Safety Office just published this pamphlet on Advice to Motorists and Bicyclists (http://tourdemparks.org/BaltimoreSpokes/Bicycle_Booklet_v3.pdf). And I am curious what others think of this.

TIA

looks good to me.

Actually it looks pretty good to me. I like the fact that right away they address the rights of cyclists.

Now the real issue will be to get motorists to pick up something with a bicycle on the front cover.

Actually it looks pretty good to me. I like the fact that right away they address the rights of cyclists.

Now the real issue will be to get motorists to pick up something with a bicycle on the front cover.

I'm impressed that it seems they actually heard me and stopped pushing "cyclists must ride to the right" to motorists. But as you say the real issue is how to get motorists to pick up that pamphlet.

I will also note that they were playing around with this text for an opener:

The primary impetus for paved roads was for the safe travel of bicycles! More and more people are taking to two-wheel rather than four for recreation, exercise and daily travel. Bicycles are entitled to Maryland’s non-interstate roadways, just as cars are! Bicycles are subject to the same laws and need to obey the same traffic devices as vehicles.

Which I though made an interesting point.

Good job. Nice tone.

The California Vehicle Code and dumbed-down Drivers' Handbook digest thereof establish similar vehicular rights and responsibilities for bicyclists, including schematic diagrams of cyclists merging and then turning left from dedicated left-turn lanes, but many motorists still do not acknowledge our right to use their roads.

• Obey the Rules of the Road – Ride straight and single file in a predictable manner.

Single file isn't always required nor mandated by state law here, don't know about Maryland. Other than that everything looks great.

Single file isn't always required nor mandated by state law here, don't know about Maryland. Other than that everything looks great.

Nice catch! Riding two abreast is legal as long as long as traffic is unimpeded in MD.

“Many bicycle crashes are the result of bicyclists not observing the rules of the road.”
Should have a similar statement for motorist.

No mention of looking before opening a car door.

“Always ride on the right side.” No need for this statement, especially since they immediately contradict it with lane positioning discussion.

“Make Left Hand Turns Safely – ... OR cross like a pedestrian (2) by stopping, dismounting, and walking across crosswalks.” I do not like the way they do an L (left) turn. I tell others to ride to the opposite side entering the crosswalk just before you get next to the opposite sidewalk, turn the bike 90 degrees in the lane you want to cross and go with the next light. Riding up onto the sidewalk and crosswalks creates greater risk and confuses motorist.

Should also mention paint can also be slippery in wet conditions.

If they want to recommend helmets for cyclist, the they should also recommend them for motorist.

No mention of safe following distance by motorist (except in bad road conditions).

“Always ride on the right side.” No need for this statement, especially since they immediately contradict it with lane positioning discussion.

Good catch. I took the intent of this to mean, "Always ride on the right side of the road."; not, "Always ride to the right in the lane." But I can see how there could be some ambiguity.

This will fix that opening sentence for you:



By Maryland law, bicycles are vehicles, and operators of motor vehicles have
the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of bicycles – but bicycles are less visible, quieter, and don’t have a protective barrier around them.

“Many bicycle crashes are the result of bicyclists not observing the rules of the road.”
Should have a similar statement for motorist.

Thanks I think that point is what bugs me the most about their wording.



“Always ride on the right side.” No need for this statement, especially since they immediately contradict it with lane positioning discussion.

We do have a significant problem of wrong way cyclists here which I am assuming they are trying to address here.


“Make Left Hand Turns Safely – ... OR cross like a pedestrian (2) by stopping, dismounting, and walking across crosswalks.” I do not like the way they do an L (left) turn. I tell others to ride to the opposite side entering the crosswalk just before you get next to the opposite sidewalk, turn the bike 90 degrees in the lane you want to cross and go with the next light. Riding up onto the sidewalk and crosswalks creates greater risk and confuses motorist.

Do you have a link to any sort of pictogram for this?



If they want to recommend helmets for cyclist, the they should also recommend them for motorist.
:roflmao2: I agree with you 100% now if only the rest of the world would get that point.

Motor
3 feet is required to pass, and 5 feet is recommended
Bikes have full use of the lane.

bikes
(show the person on the cover with a Ansi II vest)

We do have a significant problem of wrong way cyclists here which I am assuming they are trying to address here.
It never even occurred to me that they may be talking about wrong way cyclist with that statement. Better wording would be " Cyclist should always ride in the direction of traffic"



Do you have a link to any sort of pictogram for this?Sorry, I do not, nor have I even seen one.

It never even occurred to me that they may be talking about wrong way cyclist with that statement. Better wording would be " Cyclist should always ride in the direction of traffic"

So cyclists should be riding towards traffic? The human ability to screw up basic written comprehension is astounding.

So cyclists should be riding towards traffic? The human ability to screw up basic written comprehension is astounding.

Revision #2: "Cyclist should ride with the directional flow of traffic."

-Kurt

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2009/04/so_you_think_cyclists_are_the.html

Do you have a link to any sort of pictogram for this?

I have seen such diagrams. I'll think about it and try to send a link later.

EDIT: Aha! Here you go ... look for section F-3

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/SafetySkills/RoadVogue.htm

G- You are amazing! Thanks!

G- You are amazing! Thanks!

Anytime bud.

I just sent a summary of all your comments to MHSO and it turns out that the first printing was a small test run so they are going to be doing another printing soon and revisions are going to be looked at.

Thanks for all your help!