Savvy Cyclist

The Day CyclingSavvy Saved My Life

December 6, 2017/1 Comment/by Katherine Tynan

With encouragement from my circle of friends, my New Year’s resolution was to make 2016 a year of bicycling. The amount of time I’d spent on a bicycle ebbed and flowed over the decades since I ditched training wheels. As 2016 unfolded, I was making significant progress on the goal: To put more miles on my bike than on my car.

Serendipitously, 2016 would be the year savvy cycling came into my life. I’ll never forget two sentences I heard that summer on an August afternoon:

“If you find yourself to the right of a turning truck, get off the road!” said Instructor Matthew Brown during Truth and Techniques of Traffic Cycling, the classroom session of Cycling Savvy. He was describing why cyclists should never ride to the right of a big truck. “They can’t see you and will crush you as they turn.”

I was taken aback to be hearing this for the first time. Information this important should be part of EVERY conversation about bicycling for transportation!

Matthew further emphasized this point during the next day’s Tour of St. Louis. In Forest Park, he walked us to the corner of Clayton Road and Skinker Blvd. There we observed for ourselves the deep ruts in the ground from off-tracking tractor trailers.

5 women stand next to a man holding a boy on street corner Amoco sign in background

Matthew Brown (holding his son) shows the evidence of big trucks off-tracking as they turn right.

I signed up for CyclingSavvy out of intellectual curiosity. I had been riding for transportation for many years, and was fortunate to have picked up some best practices.

I went into the workshop already feeling confident about bicycling in the travel lane. I already signaled my turns, stayed out of the door zone, rode in the same direction as other traffic, used lights at night and had decent bike handling skills. Ten hours later I headed out with new techniques and ideas in my back pocket, should the need arise.

Brompton leaning on street sign pole for W Brompton Avenue in Chicago.

My vehicle of choice for travel.

A few months later I found myself with an afternoon to explore Chicago by Brompton. Encouraged by my Sweet Success in Skokie the previous evening, I was excited to enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon. I scribbled a few addresses and directions on a piece of paper, and was off with a power pedal to explore Chicago’s north side. With the Cubs in the World Series and the Chicago Marathon taking place, the easiest way to get around the Windy City would be on my flexible and maneuverable vehicle.

I was making my way back from exploring The 606, a former elevated rail track turned into a greenway. I was riding on a road with one travel lane and one bike lane in each direction.

There wasn’t on-street parking to create a door zone. The block was long so I’d have a while before I’d need to negotiate with possible right-turning traffic. The winds were strong that day, which gave me another reason to use the bike lane. I was not moving much faster than a pedestrian.

I pedaled along my merry way. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a yellow blinking light on the bus passing me in the travel lane. In a split second I had both hands on my brakes, pedals level, and torso over my saddle, throwing my weight back in an emergency stop.

Seemingly oblivious to my presence on the road, the bus driver pulled the bus over to its stop right in front of me.

I put a foot down and watched as while the bus loaded and unloaded.

I took several deep breaths and attempted to compose myself. My understanding of traffic patterns, bicycle handling skills, and brakes in good working order had just saved my life.

I don’t know why I was irrelevant to the bus driver. Perhaps he or she saw me and underestimated my speed. Understandably, the driver’s attention was probably on the traffic in front of the bus, and on the passengers on the sidewalk waiting to board.

Woman in blue windbreaker pedals folding bicycle to pair of cones on parking lot

Katherine practicing Quick Stop during Train Your Bike, CyclingSavvy’s parking lot skills session

In a perfect world, I would have done more route planning. That day my route planning consisted of a quick check to make sure streets I was using didn’t have door-zone bike lanes. After all, this was a leisurely afternoon ride. If I wasn’t having fun I’d hop on transit.

A bicycle lane on a road with regular bus service wouldn’t be my first choice–nor were Chicago headwinds. In my estimation the benefit of traveling at a slow pace outweighed the risk of riding in that bike lane. It was my choice that day in heavy traffic conditions with no other release option.

Without a doubt, CyclingSavvy saved my life that afternoon.

Being an empowered bicycle driver turned a potentially deadly situation into a footnote on an otherwise delightful trip. I’m thankful for the simple ways I can keep myself safe on the road.

Brompton bicycle leaning on the gate to Wrigley Field.

Friendly way to travel to the “friendly confines” of Wrigley Field.

american bicycling education association

On Giving Tuesday, ABEA Gives Joy

November 28, 2017/by Carol Wilson

Why do I give to the American Bicycling Education Association? Why does anyone give to ABEA?

Because ABEA’s programs give back so much to the people touched by them.

Consider Orlando Huguet Jr., Safety & Training Coordinator for the Risk Management Division of Fort Lauderdale’s Human Resources Department. Earlier this month he was a participant in ABEA’s flagship program, CyclingSavvy.

Perfecting bike handling skills in sunny Orlando, Florida.

Orlando Huguet Jr. practicing emergency stopping with CyclingSavvy instructors Lisa Walker and Mighk Wilson.

Orlando wants to become a CyclingSavvy Instructor, so he can teach Fort Lauderdale employees best practices for bicycling. That he gave one of his precious weekends to travel to Orlando, FL, to take the course speaks volumes about the reputation of the CyclingSavvy program. But it was what he wrote afterward that really caught our attention:

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you and the rest of the CyclingSavvy team for facilitating such a very informative and interactive course.

Until I had attended your course, I thought I knew everything I needed to know on how to safely ride my bicycle. Your course is really amazing in that it changes old ways of bicycle riding thinking and opens a rider’s eyes to new and safer ways on how you should be cycling, as well as expanding your travels to other areas around town.

I never thought I would be riding my bike down the middle of a three and four lane road way or making left turns at major intersections.

But your course gives the rider a sense of renewed confidence and opens the bike owner to having more hours of safe riding enjoyment that they perhaps never thought possible.

I look forward to joining the CyclingSavvy Team and I am excited to help promote more potential bikers to take to the road with more confidence and in absolute safety.

And so one student from one CyclingSavvy class will lead a ripple effect of giving to others, as Orlando goes on to become a CSI so he can further share his newfound knowledge.

What other investment pays such handsome dividends?

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us and the holiday season is rushing along at full speed, on this Giving Tuesday I hope you’ll pause a moment and consider making a gift to the American Bicycling Education Association.

We rely on your donations to operate. Many people think ABEA must be a large organization with deep pockets to produce such high-quality programs and train outstanding CyclingSavvy Instructors. But actually ABEA is still quite small. Last year’s budget was in the five digits. We stretched–well, we begged a little, too–to cover the upfront costs of developing CyclingSavvy Online. This year we stretched again to hire Shannon Walsh, ABEA’s new associate executive director, to help with marketing and the development of ABEA’s programs. In the history of bicycle education, CyclingSavvy is a quantum leap forward. We want everyone to know how easy it can be to choose bicycling!

This holiday season we are thrilled to have received not one but TWO matching gifts for donations up to $1,000. The donors behind these gifts especially hope you will donate to ABEA. For now, if you join or donate to ABEA, up to $1,000 of your gift will be matched TWICE, meaning your gift is tripled.

Your donation will enable ABEA to expand CyclingSavvy to new places across the U.S. and reach more people with this life-changing and life-saving program.

In the few years of CyclingSavvy’s existence, we’ve received numerous testimonials as glowing as Orlando’s. We are thrilled by each and every one. Right now we need your support to keep ABEA and CyclingSavvy going and growing.

Our fundraising goal between today and year end is $10,000. If we reach our goal all with donations of $1,000 and below, that will mean $30,000 for ABEA! If you’re not already a member, please join today! If you are a member, we deeply appreciate your generosity in providing a year-end gift. ABEA is a 501(c)(3) educational organization. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

A heartfelt thank-you to ALL our donors who made it possible for Orlando to experience CyclingSavvy. It’s deeply gratifying to know that he will continue to pass along safest and best practices for bicycling.

See what you started? Please make your gift today, on Giving Tuesday, or as soon as you can. Keep spreading the joy of savvy cycling. Remember your gift up to $1,000 will be tripled while we have double matching gift offers. Help us reach our goal of $10,000 which, with matching gifts, means $30,000 for ABEA to provide groundbreaking bicycling education to more people like Orlando!

Team ABEA

November 22, 2017/by Carol Wilson

Did you know the American Bicycling Education Association has a team? Not a cycling team, a Cycling Education team!

Strategies to make bicycling easy, even under challenging conditions.

CyclingSavvy co-founder Keri Caffrey teaching last weekend in Orlando

While we ride our bikes (a lot), you’ll find team members engaged in many other activities. We write posts for The Savvy Cyclist. Want to contribute? Let Karen Karabell know. She’s the editor, and will send you a link to editorial guidelines.

We maintain ABEA’s websites. It’s a big job building a new national organization! We have several websites serving different purposes.

You may already know that ABEA is the non-profit parent of CyclingSavvy and CyclingSavvy Online. Have you explored I Am Traffic? This ABEA site is an incredible resource for planners, engineers, law enforcement and the general public. Team ABEA also maintains CyclingSavvy.Bike, offering the best instructor resources available anywhere.

Other Team ABEA activities include:

Savvy cyclists enjoying one of the nation's best bike expos.

Team ABEA earlier this month at the Philly Bike Expo. L-R: Karen Karabell, Marc Caruso, John Schubert, John Allen, Gary Cziko, Mighk Wilson, Shannon Walsh and Bruce Lierman

Continually improving CyclingSavvy and developing other new course materials
Teaching CyclingSavvy all over the U.S.
Presenting webinars as part of continuing education for CyclingSavvy instructors
Recruiting and training new CyclingSavvy instructors
Making improvements to the CyclingSavvy registration system
Creating video for our courses and websites
Designing printed materials
Planning conference and meeting logistics
Strategizing in board meetings
Networking with potential new students, donors, board members and business partners
Reaching out to thank donors
Doing ABEA’s financial reporting and preparing Form 990
Promoting ABEA and CyclingSavvy at bicycling and community events, in social media and in other online venues

Plus activities such as visiting ABEA folks in other cities for the sheer fun of bicycling around in a new town and meeting new people!

Besides donating time and talents, many members of Team ABEA make financial contributions — some small, some large, all important to ABEA’s success.

With Giving Tuesday around the corner, we want to recognize those who have given of their time, talents and/or treasure to support ABEA over the past year:

Jenn Bowers, Board President

Lisa Walker, Board Vice President

Randy Profeta, Board Treasurer

Eli Damon, Board Secretary

Bruce Lierman, Board Member

Karen Karabell, Board Member

Debra Sension-Hall, Board Member

Lucas Cruse, Board Member

Gary Cziko, Board Member

Mighk Wilson, Executive Director

Shannon Walsh, Associate Executive Director

Laura Hallam, Administrative Director

Alan Forkosh

Allen Muchnick

American Diabetes Association

Art Ackerman

Becky Afonso

Beth Gellman

Big Orange Cycling Club

Brian Cox

Bruce Dowell, Redlands Water Bottle Transit Co.

Carol Wilson, Care Accounting Services

Clint Sandusky

Courtney Reynolds

Darell Dickey

Diana Steele

Diane Jenks

Dwight Kingsbury

Eberhard Veit

Esther Lumsdon

Florida Department of Transportation

Frank Krygowski

Great Rivers Greenway

Gruppo Sportivo Andiamo

Harold Karabell

Hokan

Jason Aufdenberg

Jason Buckner

Jeffrey D. Stanton

Jeffrey Viscount

Jim Baross

John Allen

John Brooking

John F. Cinatl

John Schubert

Josh Stevens

Judy Frankel

Justin McMurtry

Karen Loewen

Katherine Tynan

Kea Wilson, Strong Towns

Kelley Howell

Keri Caffrey

Kimberly Cooper

Kirby Beck

Lee Sisselsky

Mark Nockleby

Matthew Brown

Melissa Brown

Monica Llorian

Pamela Murray

Patricia Huff

Patrick Smith

Penni Smith Gryder

Pete van Nuys

Phyllis Laufer

Reese Howell

Richard Abraham

Richard Wharton

Robert Cooper

Robert Henderson

Robyn McCutcheon

Sarah Cushman

Scott Chilcote

Sean Wilson, President, Southern California/Nevada Cycling Association

Seth Davidson, Law Office of Seth Davidson

Shannon Martin

Stephen McKenney Steck

Susan Kropscott

Susan Sachs

Tricia Kovacs

Valerie Sivicek

Walter Ezell

Western Riverside Council of Governments

William Carpenter

Should your name be on this list? If so, please accept my sincere apologies! So many people have contributed that I’m certain I’ve unintentionally left someone out. Please let me know. We’ll update our records. Each person is a treasure. However you choose to help, you help ABEA become that much stronger!

Many of the folks above are CyclingSavvy instructors, though certainly not all. I’m not a CyclingSavvy instructor. But savvy cycling strategies changed my life. I started giving to ABEA because I wanted to give other people the same advantages I now have thanks to CyclingSavvy.

What I gained was far greater. Besides increasing my own knowledge, I made many new friends and opened doors to experiences that have greatly enriched my life. I am forever grateful.

ABEA has a place for and a need for many types of people. Join the team working for educated and empowered bicyclists. We invite you to go to abea.bike and become a member today. ABEA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Financial donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

We hope to see you on our team, in any way you’re able to participate. Give to ABEA and discover how much ABEA can give back to you. Contact us if you are interested in volunteer opportunities or becoming a CyclingSavvy instructor. And be sure to join ABEA today!

Empowered for Unlimited Winter Travel

November 15, 2017/6 Comments/by Josh Stevens

CyclingSavvy is “Empowerment for Unlimited Travel.” We mostly think of this as removing obstacles so we can cycle anywhere, but CyclingSavvy also empowers us to cycle any time, any day or season.

While many of our friends in southern latitudes are getting their bikes out after a hot summer, cyclists up north are putting their bikes away for the season. It doesn’t have to be that way! When cold weather threatens to keep you off the saddle, tell Old Man Winter you can take anything he can dish out and still get to your destination under your own power.

I’ve been cycling to work year-round in Michigan for many years now. With the right equipment and savvy cycling skills, my commute is stress-free. I get to my destination refreshed, warmed up, and ready for the day.

When road conditions are less than optimal, best strategy is to use "driver behavior."

Winter streetscapes are totally manageable and have a magic of their own.

There are of course unique considerations when the temperature drops lower than would be comfortable in your lycra shorts and jersey. As they say in Norway, though: “Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær” (“There’s no bad weather, just bad clothes”). We can extend that to other equipment as well. If you plan ahead with the right gear and the right strategy for how and where to ride, Jack Frost can go nip at someone else’s nose.

Starting with gear, here’s a few additional items you’ll want to consider:

Lights. Remember that the hours of darkness are long in the winter. Also, the weather can change quickly. Don’t leave home without good lights! You’ll want lights strong enough to see the pavement in front of you. Your lights should make you look like a motorcycle from the front, and slow-moving vehicle from the rear. Point your headlight slightly toward the ground, so that you don’t blind oncoming drivers. If you use USB-rechargeable lights, make sure they’re fully charged. Regarding batteries: Alkalines won’t work well below freezing, but lithium primary cells like Energizer’s Ultimate Lithium are good down to that unique temperature where Fahrenheit and Celsius are the same (-40). It’s a good idea to have “redundant lighting” (two headlights and two taillights). You don’t want to be fumbling with batteries in the freezing cold.
Tires. If there’s any possibility of encountering a patch of ice, consider investing in studded tires.
Clothes. Wind is the big enemy. As long as you’re protected from that, you’ll likely be able to generate enough heat to keep comfortable. The trick is covering your face, ears, hands, and feet. There’s an impressive variety of masks, hats, gloves and shoe covers available to meet the need. Dress in layers, and find out what combination works best in which temperature ranges for you.

With the gear sorted, strategies really aren’t too different from how we’d ride in any weather, but even more important when the mercury drops:

Lane position. Drive your bike where other vehicle operators are driving their vehicles. Not only does this make you visible and relevant, but it also puts you in a position where other road users have cleared a path on the pavement for you.
Bike lanes may not be plowed in the winter.
Route. When there’s snow on the ground, the plow crews prioritize the main roads and school routes. Counter-intuitive as it sounds, it’s usually best to ignore Robert Frost’s advice. Take the road more traveled. As with lane position, this provides the best and cleanest surface to enjoy.

There’re many more nuances and details, but those are the basics. If you live in Michigan, Maine, Montana, Minnesota, or some northern state that doesn’t start with “M” and are ready to give winter biking a try, contact me or your local friendly CyclingSavvy instructor and get Empowered for Unlimited Winter Travel!

Another Brick in the Wall

November 8, 2017/9 Comments/by Mighk Wilson

Here at The Savvy Cyclist we prefer to stay away from political matters and stick with the practical. Don’t we all get way too much politics in our lives as it is? A basic appeal of cycling is how it can free us – at least for a while – from the frustrations of everyday life.

Freedom and adventure were the key benefits we saw in cycling as kids; the ability to travel well beyond walking distance from home without the help or supervision of our parents. Growing up, cycling was simple. Hop on, wander, explore, discover. In the 1970s – when I grew up – no one was telling me how horribly dangerous cycling was. That’s because it wasn’t.

It still isn’t.

Based on data from the American Community Survey and the National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration, American bicyclists travel about 9 billion miles per year. About 40,000 suffer injury crashes with motorists, and about 750 per year are killed. This means the average bicyclist will travel 225,000 miles between injury crashes, and 12 million miles before a fatal crash. Be a safer-than-average cyclist and those distances increase a great deal.

At least half of those deaths involve bicyclists behaving in a very risky manner, such as cycling at night without lights, biking while intoxicated, or darting out mid-block onto a high-speed road. Less than half of the injury crashes involve a law-abiding cyclist traveling along on a roadway.

Far fewer crashes involve cyclists who have received formal training. So if you’re a trained law-abiding cyclist, you can confidently bump up those mileages to at least a million miles between motorist-caused serious injury and 30 million miles per death. I’ll leave it to you to figure out how long it would take you to ride a million miles.

Yet, to listen to the news, you’d think such personal catastrophes are imminent and inevitable. This myth received an unfortunate boost last week when a terrorist chose a New York City bikeway and the innocent people using it as his target. And so the political realm has imposed upon us once again. The culture expects us to choose sides and stake out our political turf.

In the aftermath of this event, some voices have called for still more “protection” for cyclists, by beefing up separation barriers alongside bikeways, and adding posts at path/street intersections. Others are likening the everyday actions of regular motorists – our friends and neighbors – with those of the terrorist. I’d provide links as examples, but I don’t want to expand their audience.

Well, I’m not having it. The whole “bikes-versus-cars” meme deserves to die a quick and painless death. To say cyclists and motorists are at war in our streets, and that the government must side with cyclists, will only increase conflict. I wrote about this at length in an essay titled I Am Not a Bicyclist.

People who misunderstand Darwin think our primary survival strategy is competition. Eminent biologist E.O. Wilson (no relation) insists it’s really cooperation.

Cooperation has made the human race the dominant species on this planet. Cooperation is the fundamental feature of our traffic system, at least when it’s working properly. Cooperation is what we teach in CyclingSavvy. It’s what we experience on a routine basis as we bike around our communities. We need more of it – much more – not less. But barriers inhibit cooperation. And at times they become a hazard in and of themselves.

I live in Orlando. Last year we suffered the worst (at the time) mass shooting in modern U.S. history. I was so proud to see how our community came together – gay and straight, all races and ethnicities, all faiths, and those with no faith, all political parties, law enforcement, everyone – to say we will not give in to fear. The community conversation was how do we work together to address the underlying cause of this tragedy, not treat symptoms or point fingers.

Cooperation.

Not a wall along the border.

Not paths with jersey barriers.

Not steel posts at path crossings.

Just …

I’m a human on a bicycle. Are you a human in an automobile? We share an essential need: To understand what the other will do so we can cooperate and make both our journeys better.

Road Witches & Wizards Unite

October 31, 2017/by Graduate

No need to be afraid, my pretty.

Yes, it’s true.

You’re a puny and fragile human awash in the elements when you’re out riding your bicycle.

But within this very thing exists great power.

Unlock it!

Say good-bye to being helpless and dependent.

Control your cycling experience.

Discover the might of being “slow.”

Learn how to cloak yourself in a bubble of protection everywhere you ride.

Cast a spell into your world and watch motorists suddenly become smart…

…give you more space.

…treat you with courtesy and respect.

That’s power! And you have it.

You have inborn magical abilities. Your power is great, if you decide to wield it.

Unlock the joy of human-powered transportation.

Study Cyclomancy in person or online.

Become a full-blown Road Witch or Road Wizard.

Leave the road warriors behind.

Wizardry awaits.

Sidewalk Strife

October 25, 2017/7 Comments/by Mighk Wilson

Leave the roadway,

and you leave

some important rights behind.

I work for MetroPlan Orlando, Central Florida’s regional transportation planning agency. Each morning when I get to my desk, I log in to a statewide database of traffic crashes and review the latest pedestrian and bicyclist crashes uploaded for our area. This system allows me to review detailed police reports and classify the crashes based on the behaviors of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. If you’ve taken CyclingSavvy you’ve seen some of the results of this ongoing analysis.

Crashes with motorists involving sidewalk cyclists are increasing both in number and as a percentage of the total. When I first did such analysis in the mid 1990s, less than half of crashes involved sidewalk cyclists; today it’s at 70 percent. Much of this increase is likely due to more of our major roads having sidewalks today than they did 20 years ago, and most now have curb ramps for wheelchair users, making sidewalks more accessible to cyclists.

Those who have taken CyclingSavvy or read other knowledgeable sources on cycling safety understand the many ways sidewalk cycling increases crash risk. Sidewalk cyclists have more conflicting movements, poorer sight lines, and reduced predictability.

But in addition to the increased crash risk, sidewalk cyclists involved in crashes with motorists may be at a bigger legal disadvantage.

In all states, a bicyclist on a roadway has all the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle. In most states, bicyclists operating on sidewalks and crosswalks have the same rights and duties as pedestrians. Of course, sidewalk cyclists are not actual pedestrians. Cyclists can easily ride much faster than pedestrians walk.

While motorists are required at crosswalks and driveways to yield to pedestrians (and bicyclists operating as pedestrians), all states have a variation on this language from the Uniform Vehicle Code:

“No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield.”

This applies at crosswalks as well as at driveways and mid-block locations. This language provides for quite a bit of wiggle room in the mind of a law enforcement officer.

A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances. No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield. … has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this chapter …

Compare the law for bicycle drivers to the law for bicyclists as pedestrians.

I see many reports in which the officer stated that the cyclist committed such a violation, even though the cyclist was entering a crosswalk or crossing a driveway (driveway traffic is supposed to yield to pedestrians and other approaching traffic). No doubt in some cases the officer was correct in his or her assessment, but in many I see little evidence for that conclusion. It’s often the cyclist’s word against the motorist’s, with no independent witness involved. Because I didn’t see the actual crash, I can’t say for certain if the cyclist was violating that statute or not, but then, in most cases, the officer didn’t see it either. Reports rarely indicate whether the cyclist received a citation in such situations, but officers will mark the violation in a “contributing action” field.

Imagine you’re involved in a crash. You want to file a claim for damages against the insurance company of the motorist. If the crash report says you violated the law, you’re going to have a very tough time making your case.

Another disadvantage for sidewalk cyclists is at signalized intersections. At many signals the pedestrian walk phase — the only period during which a pedestrian or sidewalk cyclist may lawfully enter the crosswalk — is less than 10 seconds, and then shifts to a flashing “Don’t Walk.” The green traffic signal for the adjacent lanes is much longer, and the roadway cyclist can enter the intersection during that entire green phase.

Sidepaths have all of the same disadvantages, plus most paths include stop signs for path users at locations that wouldn’t have them if it was just a regular sidewalk. Cyclists using the adjacent roadway are not subject to those extra stop signs.

Let’s compare two similar crashes. Cyclist Jane is traveling in a regular travel lane with the flow of traffic. She’s riding along the right edge of the lane approaching an intersection with no stop sign for that direction. (Edge riding is entirely legal, but we explain its risks in CyclingSavvy.) A motorist comes up from behind and makes a right turn across her path. The two collide in a classic “right hook” crash.

The next day Cyclist Jack is riding on the sidewalk going with the flow of traffic approaching the same intersection. Another motorist makes the same maneuver, also causing a crash.

In the first case, the officer would be guided by statutes to find the motorist violated the cyclist’s right-of-way. In the second case, the officer knows that the motorist must yield to pedestrians legally in the crosswalk. But since cyclists can go much faster than pedestrians, it’s likely Cyclist Jack was not yet in the crosswalk when the motorist initiated his turn.

Knowing that in this scenario the cyclist has the rights and duties of a pedestrian, the officer might conclude that Cyclist Jack should not have left a place of safety and moved into the path of a driver who couldn’t yield.

My point here is not to criticize law enforcement, but to show how statutes work against the legal interests of bicyclists on sidewalks and sidepaths.

When students in cycling courses ask me “who is at fault” for a given type of crash, I always respond, “The law doesn’t protect you on the road, only in court.”

But too often the law won’t protect you in court, either. Cycling on the road gives you the best advantages for both preventing a crash and protecting yourself should one occur.

Stories From the Road

October 18, 2017/1 Comment/by John Brooking

We all have stories. When it comes to bicycling, they are all too often negative. Bicyclists gripe about motorists, motorists gripe about bicyclists, media outlets play up the conflict with an endless stream of “bikes vs. cars” stories, and social media magnifies all of it. It can get downright discouraging.

Too frequently, it’s these negative stories that stick with us. We remember the one motorist who honked at us, and forget the other 99 who passed us safely with no drama. But not only do we get a great majority of drama-free interactions, we also sometimes have good interactions! At least I do. I hope you do too. Let’s try to remember some of them.

Motorists are excellent at taking direction.

CyclingSavvy “stay back” gesture

To start, there are many positive situations that happen too often for me to remember specific instances. For example, I may need to hold back a motorist in an unsafe passing situation, then release them afterwards. If I have held them back with the CyclingSavvy “stay back” gesture, left arm diagonally downward, palm back, I like to release with a friendly wave. That’s usually the end of the situation. That typically happens up to a half dozen times on my 5-mile commute.

If they’ve had to stay behind me a longer-than-normal time, I try to make my gratitude more pronounced by not just waving, but turning my head and mouthing “Thank you” as I wave. Occasionally, I’ll be rewarded with an obviously friendly short beep. A few weeks ago, I even got a thumbs-up!

That reminds me of at least once in the past when someone slowed next to me after a turn to say he appreciated that I knew the hand signals and used them.

We talk about this kind of communication a lot in the CyclingSavvy classroom session. I like to say that communication is the most useful thing that most cyclists never do. One of the things motorists sometimes say they dislike about cyclists is how often they seem to be oblivious to what is going on around them. While I think it’s probably not always true that they’re completely oblivious, many do seem unaware of how much communicating would help the situation. They are shy about interacting with motorists, or don’t even know how.

Two Lights Road in Cape Elizabeth, Maine

A motorist thanked me for preventing him from making an unsafe pass on this road!

I always try to tell the story in my classroom presentation about my trip to a seafood restaurant in a nearby coastal town, which I blogged about here a few months ago. Spoiler alert: The motorist behind me for 1/2 mile or so actually thanked me for actively holding him back when passing was not safe, and of course releasing him when it was.

Riding in the "right tire track" in a travel lane can encourage unsafe passing.

This bicyclist may not realize he is tempting motorists to pass too closely

In a recent conversation about this topic with my wife, she said that whenever she happens to be behind me on my bike when she’s in her car, she appreciates how clear I am about my intentions, by my lane position and signaling. I’ve had several other people say the same thing over the years. From the opposite perspective, someone told me once that what she finds most difficult about dealing with cyclists on the road is not getting any indication from them of what she’s supposed to do. I think part of that confusion is how many cyclists hug the edge as close as they can even in an unsafe passing situation, subconsciously tempting following motorists to do just what the cyclist fervently hopes they don’t. Ever since I heard that, I’ve tried even harder to be clear in such situations.

Sometimes we can read too much into a situation. For example, we’ve all experienced motorists gunning their engines as they pass. It always sounds aggressive, like they’re expressing impatience towards us. But years ago, someone on a mailing list pointed out that it could just be that this is the way engines sound when the driver is trying to get back up to speed quickly, especially if they are going uphill. Maybe, just possibly, it’s not about us!

Closely related is the common aphorism which I would express in this context as: “No need to attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by carelessness or misunderstanding.” Sometimes the motorist may actually be unaware of what they did. Pursuing a discussion with a motorist is often unproductive, but on occasion, it has ended well.

Two months ago on a 4-lane road, a motorist passed me somewhat closely (not completely in the next lane), at what felt to me to be a high rate of speed. I admit that I was ticked off enough that I kept an eye out for the distinctive pickup truck, and saw it in a parking lot a few blocks up. I decided to approach it, and the driver was still sitting in it, so I calmly asked her about it. She was unable to tell me how fast she was going, but was very apologetic. She explained that she had been the second car behind me, and didn’t realize I was there until the car ahead of her changed lanes to pass, so she was a little startled. She then told me that she used to ride a motorcycle, but stopped after having gotten in a crash. I still feel she could have been more careful, but she apologized multiple times, and we left on good terms. I hope she is more careful in the future.

Once a “student driver” car passed me and did something I didn’t like, I forget exactly what. Maybe passed a little close, or honked. I happened to catch up to them at the next light and asked what that was about. The teacher in the passenger’s seat said that they hadn’t meant anything bad by it, and that I certainly had the right to be riding where I was.

Another time two guys in the car I caught up with at their apartment building lot told me that as a bicyclist, I had more right to the road than they did! That’s not exactly correct, but I’ll take it.

Of course, every once in a while, a motorist is undeniably a real jerk. Even then, it’s possible that they are just a jerk to everyone, not just you on your bike. Riding an arterial road past some interstate ramps a few years ago, I heard some honking quite a distance behind me, and looked back to see a car driver apparently harassing another car driver. When the harasser passed me, my annoyance was immediately replaced with great amusement by this bumper sticker on the back of the car he (yes, he) was driving:

His wife’s car? If so, he was certainly proving her point! Maybe he was already put out by having to drive her car around with that sticker on it.

Winter Cycling Cartoon (copyright Calvin & Hobbes)

Me and my son? :D

It’s always nice of course to have friendly interactions that just arise organically, rather than out of a potential negative interaction. The one that stands out in my mind is the motorist who complimented me one snowy winter day because he had seen me out there every day, and just wanted to tell me that he admired my tenacity. (I think he may have been a fair-weather cyclist himself.)

Friendly interactions also happen with other non-motorized users. For example, it’s always nice to stop for pedestrians and have them thank you as they cross. I especially hope that when I do this in our busy Old Port area where the tourists roam, it gives them a positive image of our city, so friendly that even the cyclists stop to let them cross! :-)

Most recently, just a few weeks ago a “roadie” in full kit passed me on my morning commute and complimented my on my new CyclingSavvy jersey that I was wearing that day. (Thanks, Gary Cziko!)

Just another day biking in traffic. :-D

John Brooking modeling the new CyclingSavvy jersey. If you would like one, consult the sizing charts at hubbubonline.com to determine your size, then email Gary Cziko at gcziko@gmail.com. They are fitted jerseys, so you can order a size or two higher if you want a more relaxed fit.

Biking Out Of Airports

October 11, 2017/3 Comments/by Karen Karabell

When you fly somewhere, do you ever wish you could just ride from the airport to your destination? Forget Uber (or rental car/public transit/hotel shuttle). Hop on your bike and go!

In the last year I’ve ridden in or out of Houston Hobby, LaGuardia, Washington Reagan, LAX and Boise. My colleague Gary Cziko met me last November at LAX and recorded a sweet video of our trip from there.

The Boise, Idaho, airport is near the center of the city.

Boise Airport

Oh, and last week I rode out of SeaTac. I won’t do that again. But before I tell you why, I want to tell you about the best airport ride I’ve had this year.

On the day I arrived last June in Boise, brilliant blue skies framed the mountains that cradle Idaho’s capital city, aptly named “Treasure Valley.” Big-city airports typically take “forever” to roll out of. But Boise’s airport is small enough that I was soon on “dreaded” Vista Avenue, the main drag leading into town.

My friend Lisa Brady, who runs Boise’s Safe Routes To Schools program, warned me to be careful on Vista. I’d be likely to encounter fast and uncivil drivers, she said.

Hmm. Even Google Maps advised me to avoid Vista.

Oh boy. A challenge! While still in St. Louis I carefully studied satellite views. I was puzzled over the admonitions. Vista seemed like a fairly normal arterial road. Two travel lanes in each direction, with a two-way center-turn lane between.

I’d never been to Boise, though. Especially when bicycling in a new place, it’s always good to have a Plan B. If I felt endangered or even the slightest bit uncomfortable, I’d hop on public transit for the rest of my trip to Downtown Boise.

As I set off from the airport I constantly monitored my helmet’s rearview mirror. How were other drivers reacting to my presence on the road?

Ah-h-h! I relaxed almost immediately. Savvy cycling works here, too.

The “dance” is the same everywhere I’ve been in the United States. I’m on a bicycle. No motorist wants to be behind me. On Vista, the sight lines are good and other drivers saw me from so far back they didn’t even take their feet off the gas to change lanes to pass.

Confident that I’d merely have to be mindful and not vigilant, I started taking in the local streetscape. What a delight to discover connections to my beloved St. Louis! One major intersection was at Targee. Thomas Targee saved St. Louis from the Great Fire of 1849. (My sister and I host an airbnb apartment named after Targee, but that’s another story.)

The next major intersection was Overland. Too weird! Overland is a lovely older St. Louis suburb. Years ago my husband and I considered buying our first home in Overland. As I waited at the light and mulled the serendipity, I was yelled at.

“Girl! You need to get out of the middle of the street!”

This unsolicited advice came from a grizzled guy who appeared to be about my age. He was riding his bike on the sidewalk, and waiting at the light with a young fellow who appeared to be a college student — also riding his bike on the sidewalk, and wisely ignoring us both.

“Grizzly” startled me, but I was in a jovial mood. I smiled at him.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to yell at strangers?” I responded.

The traffic light was long so I decided to play with him.

“By the way, did you know the sidewalk is the most dangerous place to ride?”

He sneered as the light turned green. At the next signalized intersection he and I crossed paths. I rode onto the sidewalk because I saw the spire of Boise’s magnificent historic train station. I wanted to study Google Maps to figure out how to get to it.

To my astonishment — and then horror — I watched as “Grizzly” rolled onto Vista Avenue and away down the hill. I wanted to shout after him:

“Dude! Get back on the sidewalk! You’ll be safer.”

You see, he rode his bike on the right edge of the right travel lane. If you’re going to ride on a high-speed arterial road, own your space! Control your travel lane. Make it clear to other drivers that they need to change lanes to pass.

By riding on the right edge, it would take only one motorist on high-speed Vista Avenue to make a mistake and think there was room enough to “share” the lane.

I shuddered and said a prayer for his safety. I fervently hoped the dictum would hold true: Even when done poorly, bicycling is very safe.

As far as I know, he was fine — and I sure was! Lisa met me at my hotel. She regaled me with a ride to remember. What a wonderful city she calls home! We had a splendid time.

Lisa Brady in Downtown Boise with her bike and T-shirt's excellent message

Amen, Sister.

Karen Karabell and Lisa Brady on Boise River Greenbelt

Selfie over Boise River

I found it totally easy to be car-free in Boise. I can’t wait to go back and explore some more.

And Seattle? I doubt that I’ll ride again to or from SeaTac, but not because of the airport. Like all airports, it was super easy to navigate using savvy cycling principles.

It’s just Seattle. I had to ride 18 miles that afternoon. I was hauling a bunch of stuff to teach CyclingSavvy. Our hosts warned us that Seattle was hilly, but I thought I could handle it. Wrong. The distance combined with the terrain defeated me. I grew weary of pushing my bike and loaded trailer up steep hills. I hopped on Sound Transit.

Savvy cyclists always have a “Plan B.” ;)

Sweet Success in Skokie

October 4, 2017/2 Comments/by Katherine Tynan

Happy Cubs fans flood the streets near Wrigley Field. The energy is palpable as they cheer the team towards a World Series victory. I’m elated as my folding bike and I squeeze our way out of the crowded Addison ‘L’ (subway) station.

When I booked this trip, riding my bike in Chicago seemed as farfetched as the Cubs winning the World Series. I was in Chicago to celebrate my friend’s wedding. As a St. Louis Cardinals fan, my gut instinct was Wrigleyville would be a nice quiet centrally located place to stay.

I couldn’t have been more wrong–about the Cubs, or where I’d find myself riding my shiny new Brompton around the Windy City.

♦♦♦

Shortly after completing CyclingSavvy, I pulled up on my Brompton to St. Louis’ Maryland Plaza Tuesday Night Ride. Our regular sweep, Harold Karabell, asked if the latest addition to my fleet was going with me to Chicago. I unenthusiastically responded, “I guess.”

A thought bubble over my head would have read:

“Clearly he’s up past bedtime. I could never bike in a big city where they drive like that.”

To prepare for my trip I sat down with Chicago Transit Authority timetables and maps. One place would be hard to reach by transit alone. The night before the wedding, there was a gathering for dessert at a restaurant in Skokie. Bus service was infrequent and terminated at 8 PM. This left me with a gap of nearly two miles from the Yellow Line ‘L’ station to the restaurant.

I considered Harold’s suggestion that I go by bicycle. Now that I had a Brompton, if I felt uncomfortable at any time I’d have the option to fold the bike and order a Lyft.

OK. I’d at least try my hand at mapping a bike route to meet my friends in Skokie. A Chicagoland adventure would be the ultimate test of what I learned in CyclingSavvy.

After a decade of cycling for transportation, going by bicycle was already a natural part of vacation for me. I’d found my way around smaller cities like Albuquerque, Kansas City and Madison, WI. I’ve also been to Chicago numerous times and navigated by ‘L’, bus, Metra, and walking.

I scoured satellite images and bicycle maps to see what options I had for riding through Skokie. Settling on a route of primarily neighborhood streets, I wrote myself directions to the restaurant. Now I was excited. I eagerly hoped to add greater Chicago to the list of cities I’d biked.

♦♦♦

An Amtrak and subway ride later, my Brompton and I are happily settled in my Chicago Airbnb. The moment of truth had arrived. That evening I’d find my way from Wrigleyville to Skokie’s Old Orchard Mall to meet my friends, hopefully without resorting to the use of a car.

Brompton and me on the ‘L’

Cue sheet and transit pass in hand, I head north with my bike on the ‘L’. At the Dempster-Skokie stop, I carry my bike down a few steps to exit the platform. I roll up the right leg of my jeans, take a few deep breaths, and head out onto a four-lane road.

Trepidation welled up inside me, as my little bike and I took our place in traffic on a big road in a big city. Traffic is light and the lane to my left is available to pass me. My center-of-lane position and dynamo lights communicate that a slow-moving vehicle is in the right hand lane.

A few blocks later I signal and turn onto a quiet residential street. Several more turns through the neighborhood and I wait at a light to cross an arterial road in front of Old Orchard Mall. The light changes. With a few more pedal strokes I arrive at my destination. I’m smiling ear-to-ear.

Documenting a turning point in "going anywhere" by bike.

Bromptons make multi-modal travel easy

I did it! I can proudly add Skokie to the list of places I’ve biked.

A dessert “event”

Fortified by a fruit-filled chocolate piñata, I’m ready to retrace my path back to the ‘L’. I read over the directions once more as I unfold my bicycle. It’s well past 10 PM and the streets are empty. I easily navigate back through neighborhood streets and come to a two-way stop sign. I signal my intention to stop as a car pulls up behind me.

If they don’t turn I’ll encourage them to pass on the other side of the intersection. I’ve nearly stopped as I hear a “beeeeeep” coming from behind me. I’m startled, and land on my feet in an ungraceful dismount I hope no one caught on video.

She rolls down her window.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said. “I didn’t expect you to stop.”

I showed her what the stop hand signal looks like and wished her a nice night.

I pedal on uneventfully retracing the remainder of my route. After a quick jughandle turn, I happily find myself back at the ‘L’. I fold up the Brompton and board the train back to the apartment for the night.

I can’t wipe the grin off my face.

I’ve successfully biked in an metro area where I loathe driving a car.

Those 3.6 miles were as transformative as ditching training wheels as a child.

I used savvy cycling in Chicagoland and nothing happened! Yes, one motorist honked at me. She was confused and apologetic. I’m on the top of the world. Next stop Los Angeles? New York? Boston? London?

Clearly, the skills I refined in CyclingSavvy will serve me well, even in big cities with intimidating traffic.