Introduction -- Road-1 Cycling Class by Fred Oswald, League Cycling Instructor #947

1. Introduction -- Road-1 Cycling Class by Fred Oswald, League Cycling Instructor #947 Commute to work Ride for errands Bicycle Touring Sport Cycling Kids’ Cycling Fun Fitness Better health Clean air Reduced congestion Companionship Quiet Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

2. Early Cycling History ca 1820, “Running machine” (hobby horse) Ca 1870, Ordinary “penny farthing” Cycling popularity in USA boomed during 1880-90’s then crashed with development of the auto in early 20th century. ‘Dark ages’ lasted until mid ’60’s. 1890, Safety bicycle Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

3. Who teaches our children? (Who taught us when we were children?) Compare cycling with swimming Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

4. Myths Behind Traditional “Bike Safety” • Biggest danger is traffic passing from rear • Cyclists need not follow most traffic laws • Cyclists do not deserve to use the road • A “good scare” promotes bike safety • Stop required at stop sign, but not yield • OK to turn left from right curb without looking • Hand signal more important than right of way • Cyclists cannot look behind to judge approaching traffic • OK to pass right-turning cars on right • Safety essentials: “helmets, helmets, helmets” Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

5. DOOR w/ANIMAL Collision w/BIKE FALLS Collision w/CAR Most bike crashes do not involve cars! Source: Kaplan, “Characteristics of the Regular Adult Bicycle User” Fred Oswald, Apr 2000

6. Car-Bike Crashes, Who is at Fault? About HALF of these crashes are caused by cyclist error! 90% involve turning & crossing traffic. OVERTAKING Misc. WRONG-WAY DOOR NO YIELD @ driveway L-TURN FROM R RUN LIGHT or SIGN NO YIELD @ driveway RUN LIGHT, or SIGN RIGHT HOOK LEFT CROSS Source: BikeEd Instructor Manual SWERVE Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

7. EffectofExperience on Cycling Accidents Experienced cyclists are ~ 80% safer than the average adult. Adapted from: John Forester, Bicycle Transportation, 2nd Ed., MIT Press, 1994 Orig. sources: Chlapecka, et al.; Schupack and Driessen; Kaplan; Watkins Fred Oswald, Nov 2000

8. Bicycle Accident Rate vs. Purpose of Trip A skilled cyclist in difficult conditions is safer than an unskilled cyclist in easy conditions Source: Kaplan, Characteristics of the Regular Adult Bicycle User Fred Oswald, Nov 2000

9. STOP Don’t ride Wrong Way! Cyclist in traffic lane is easily seen but not wrong-way rider (especially on sidewalk) Secondary zone Primary zone of vigilance Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

10. Bike Lane Hazards • Bike lane encourages: • Passing on right • “Filter forward” • (right of right-turning traffic) • “Right hook” • “Left cross” • “Drive-out” at stop sign Illustration from MassBike Metro Boston

11. Bike lane in the door zone Passing bus in blind spot Fatality, Jul 2, 2002 Don’t Get the “Door Prize” Bike lane hazards from Cambridge, MA Rear-view mirror sticker An ineffective remedy Source: John Allen, www.bikexprt.com Except fatality: www.rwinters.com/

12. Bicycle Sidepath / Sidewalk – Unsafe at (almost) any speed "...Sidewalks are typically designed for pedestrian speeds and maneuverability and are not safe for higher speed bicycle use.” Amer Assoc. of State Highway Trans. Officials, Guidelines for the Development of Bicycle Facilities Photo by F. Oswald, Jun 1999

13. Accident Studies of Sidewalks and Sidepaths • Riding on sidepath/sidewalk compared to riding on road increases risk by a factor of: • 1.8 (California; Wachtel and Lewiston 1994) • 2.7 (Eugene, OR, 1979) • 4.7 (California, 1974) • 3.4 (Sweden; Linderholm 1984) • 2.4-8.6 (Finland, Sweden, & Norway; Leden 1988) • 3.9 (Denmark; Jensen, Andersen, Nielsen 1997) • 1.7 to 5 (Germany; Schnull, Alrutz et al 1993) • Cyclists are 3 to 6 times more likely to run the red from the sidepath, and then face a 2.3 times higher crash risk (Sweden; Linderholm 1992) • Riding against traffic on sidewalk or sidepath is significantly more dangerous still. Tom Revay, 2001

14. Expert Information About Cycling Effective Cycling and Street Smarts should be on YOUR bookshelf Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

15. Principles of Traffic Law • First Come, First Served • Drive on the Right • Obey Traffic Control Devices • Observe Speed Positioning • Follow Intersection Positioning 2 wheels or 4, the rules of the road are the same Vehicular Cycling teaches: Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles Source: Effective Cycling & BikeEd Instructor Manuals Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

16. Vehicular Cycling “Layers of Safety” • Don’t CAUSE accident (follow rules of road) • Prevent motorist mistakes • Drive defensively to escape hazards • Use safety equipment to reduce injury Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

17. Vehicular Cycling Safety Skills • Look Back (Scan) for Traffic • Rock Dodge • Hard Braking (panic stop) • Instant Turn These skills can prevent YOU from causing an accident or allow you to escape someone else’s error. They require instruction & practice. Fred Oswald, Apr 2002

18. Dealing With a Narrow Traffic Lane 3’ Top -- even with cyclist very close to curb, motorist must use part of next lane to allow 3’ passing clearance. Bottom -- what happens if you “hug the curb”. Motorist reluctant to cross lane line will “squeeze by” at unsafe clearance. Solution – move LEFT! Fred Oswald Aug 2002

19. Teach your kids: ‘Drive your Bike!’ A bike is not a toy. It is a child’s first vehicle. Fred Oswald, Sep 2002

20. State of Ohio on Bicycle Lane Position Ohio Revised Code § 4511.55(A) says: …ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable … Note practice-able. It DOES NOT SAY as near as possible! Ohio Dept. of Public Safety says: Cyclists can travel in the middle of the lane if they are proceeding at the same speed as the rest of the traffic, or if the lane is too narrow to share safely with a motor vehicle. (Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws, 6/99, p. 63) On a road with two or more narrow lanes in your direction -- like many city streets -- you should ride in the middle of the right lane at all times. (Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts, p. 16) Fred Oswald, Jun 2002

21. Teaching Children • Most common collision is ‘ride-out’. • Kids lack experience, peripheral vision & coordination. • Skills to Teach • Ride on right. • Right of way & yielding (look right, left, right). • Scan behind & yield before lateral move. • Turn signals. • Left turn lane position. • Passing parked cars (away from ‘door zone’). A bike is not a toy. It is a child’s first vehicle. Fred Oswald, Sep 2002

22. Survey of Bicycle Traffic Laws in 60 NE Ohio Communities 30 have poor laws 19 have dangerous laws 11 have deadly laws NO communities have good laws (yet) Fred Oswald, Jul 2002

23. Dangerous bicycle laws Actual local ordinances “Wherever a designated path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a street, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the street.” “Any person operating a bicycle shall ride upon the sidewalk rather than the roadway when sidewalks are available and not congested with pedestrian traffic.” “Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable ...” These ordinances require expert cyclists to imitate beginners. It is wiser and safer to have novices learn from the experts. They also violate well-established principles of traffic operation and uniformity of traffic laws. Some are inconsistent with Ohio law. Only informed governments can make good laws. Fred Oswald Mar 2000

24. Improving the cycling environment • Proposed “model” bicycle laws(see www.crankmail.com). • Reform Ohio bicycle traffic laws • Ohio Bicycle Federation proposal includes reform of the “far right rule” andaddresses dangerous, non-uniform local laws. (See www.ohiobike.org.) • Reform local bicycle traffic ordinances • See www.crankmail.com for summary and ratings of 58 NE Ohio communities. • Middleburg Hts. repealed children’s “sidewalk law” in 2001. • Solon revised ordinances in 2002. • Educate society about safe and effective cycling • Ohio Dept. of Public Safety issued “Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts” in 2002 • Ohio Bicycle Federation holds “Bicycle Awareness Day” each March • Ohio Bicycle Federation proposed “Share the Road” license plate. • Cyclists can help with “bike rodeos” to improve content. • “Bike Ed” classes teach proper cycling methods • We need public service announcements and other media messages. Fred Oswald, Apr 2002

25. Building Bicycle Friendly Communities Educate and enforce – • Educate motorists … … and cyclists … … and police … … on how to ride safely, and what the law really says. Every traffic lane is a bike lane! Tom Revay, Mar 2001

26. Summary • Much of what we learned as kids is wrong. • Most cycling accidents do not involve cars. • Most collisions involve turning or crossing traffic. • Experienced cyclists are ~80% safer than average. • Proper lane position helps avoid trouble. • Every traffic lane is a bike lane! • Standard traffic laws good; bike specific laws bad. • A bike is not a toy. It is a child’s first vehicle. • You can easily learn ‘Vehicular Cycling’ Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles Fred Oswald, Sep 2002