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CyclingSavvy Instructor Brian Watson and his bicycle helmet mirrors2018

My Helmet Mirror Manifesto

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A mirror?

For me?

On my helmet?

Ya gotta be kidding.

Back in the day

When I was a hot-shot, I wanted to be the next Greg LeMond (I know, I’m dating myself). I stripped every nonessential gram from my Italian racing steed, so I could go that much faster. I actually looked into how I could inflate my razor-thin tires with helium, so I could shave off another fraction-of-a-fraction-of-an-ounce.

A mirror on my helmet? Pfff. I was too cool to even wear a helmet, let alone put a dorky mirror on it. None of the professional cyclists I idolized even wore helmets, let alone helmet mirrors. And I was practically one of them.

My cycling spidey sense was so sharp…

…I didn’t need a mirror on the helmet I didn’t wear. My ears told me the make, model, year, closing speed, and passing clearance of whatever was behind me. Oh, yeah, my ears knew the color of the vehicle behind me, too. Amazing!

What can I say? I was an over-confident teenage boy with an overabundance of derring-do — and a decided lack of humility. Yes, I could hear an approaching vehicle, and even be able to guess pretty accurately whether it was a sedan or a semi. But that’s nothing special if you have average hearing, which mine most assuredly is. Ask my wife.

Maybe hearing is good enough…

…if all you ever do is hug the edge of the road (and pray for your life as you hear a roaring engine barrel toward you). Your hearing might be all you ever need if you never leave the edge to make a turn, change lanes, or avoid a hazard. Or if you don’t mind getting your legs shaved by the land rocket that just buzzed you.

CyclingSavvy Instructor Brian Watson riding with his helmet mirrors.

Not so cool anymore.

If you’d like more space, read on.

First, understand this:

When you choose to ride on the edge, you’re irrelevant.

This is one of the most important things I learned when I encountered CyclingSavvy. The more relevant you are to motorists, the more you influence their choices. Where are you more relevant? Somewhere away from the edge.

Every time you glance over your shoulder, you take your focus away from where it’s most needed: In front of you.

The exact location away from the edge depends. That’s the next thing I learned from CyclingSavvy: How to think critically about the road and the traffic on it. How wide is the lane? Can I safely share it with a car? An F-150? A semi? How heavy is traffic? How fast? What conflicts am I vulnerable to? How can I reduce my risk? What’s my cycling behavior communicating to others?

It’s OK to ride far to the right, if many conditions are met.

Brian riding with a motorist behind him.

Can you see the car behind me? I can, too!

Often, though, it’s not OK. It’s more dangerous to be on the edge than in the lane of traffic. With savvy cycling know-how, I learned how to tell where I should drive — yes, drive — my bicycle.

This is CyclingSavvy’s other big takeaway: Cyclists who adopt driving behavior — rather than edge behavior — are more visible, less prone to conflict, and more relevant to others on the road. They also get where they’re going faster and more directly.

Oh, and they have more fun.

What does this have to do with bicycle helmet mirrors?

Think about it. Do you need mirrors on your car? On your motorcycle? Yes, of course. They’re required by law, and for good reason. Drivers need to be able to see all around them in order to change lanes and make turns.

Bicycle drivers are no different. Unlike car drivers, though, we have a built-in advantage. Because we’re not encased in a steel and glass box, we have much more ability to know what’s going on around us. My teenage self was spot on: you can hear what’s coming from behind you. Seeing what’s behind you is pretty simple, too. Just glance over your shoulder.

Here’s the thing, though. Every time you glance over your shoulder, you take your focus away from where it’s most needed: In front of you.

Me and my helmet mirrors. Yes, mirrors.

Rockin those mirrors, Brian!

I love — and I mean capital “L” LOVE — my helmet mirrors. Yeah, that’s plural. I have one on my left, and one on my right. I often need to change lanes to the right. A mirror on the right gives me a quick check of what’s behind me on my right.

(If my know-it-all doofus teenage wannabe racer self could see me now, his eyes would roll right out of his head.)

With mirrors, I keep my focus in front of me more of the time because I can just move my eyeballs instead of having to move my whole head — or in my case, my whole upper body, since I’m not quite as limber as I used to be.

Whether you use a mirror or not, ALWAYS look over your shoulder before making a lateral move.

By taking a quick look in my mirrors, I get a preview of what’s going on behind me. I can read the behavior of the drivers behind me and see in real time how they’re responding to me.

Note that I used the word preview. Before changing lanes or lane position, I always look over my shoulder as well.

I’ll say that again. It’s super important.

Whether you use a mirror or not, ALWAYS look over your shoulder. Turn your head or torso to see what’s behind you before you change lanes or lane position.

A mirror can be helpful, but it’s not a good substitute for a head turn.

Why should you look over your shoulder if you have a mirror?

“Shoulder Check” a crucial savvy cycling skill

Mighk looks over his shoulder while keeping his bike in a straight line.

CyclingSavvy co-founder Mighk Wilson demonstrates a perfect shoulder check

“A mirror can be helpful, but it’s not a good substitute for a head turn,” said CyclingSavvy co-founder Keri Caffrey.

During the parking lot skills session, CyclingSavvy instructors work extensively with their students on “Shoulder Check.” Being able to look over your shoulder while keeping a straight line does several things: It helps you check for traffic. It establishes your humanity and allows you to communicate with others. Also, you don’t want to “wobble” when you’re out and about (and we show you how not to). Riding straight is important for predictability and respect from others.

“A good head turn is a tool for getting drivers to notice that you want to do something,” Keri said.

“When you turn your head over your shoulder, more often than not, other drivers will help you out if they can.”

It’s a skill that doesn’t come naturally, even for bicycle safety experts.

“I didn’t develop a good shoulder check until I rode without a mirror for several months,” Keri said.

Why I became a helmet mirror fan

I came to CyclingSavvy already well established as a bicycle safety expert. Yet a huge “Ah-Ha!” moment for me was learning the strategy of “Control & Release.”

CyclingSavvy taught me that I have a right to use the road, and that cowering on the edge doesn’t do me or anybody any good. But in addition to that, I learned how to claim my rightful road space and cooperate with other drivers as I control my space.

This is the essence of Control & Release. With helmet mirrors, it’s a lot easier.

Here’s how: Let’s say I’m riding down Perry Avenue near my home. Like most roads around here, it’s a 2-lane road with 11-foot lanes, too narrow to share.

There’s no way I’m going to “get out of the way” and “share” a lane with that 10-ton behemoth, so I calmly give everyone The Hand.

I make myself relevant by riding in the middle of the lane, so it’s obvious to drivers who want to overtake me that they’ll need to change lanes to pass. This is the passive communication that our lane position always gives.

As I ride along, I glance at my mirror and see a car approaching me quickly. I glance again, and see that the driver has slowed down. She’s hanging back, patiently waiting for a safe opportunity to pass.

Motorist Eternity

After a few moments, I take another look in my mirror. Now I see a monster truck stacked up behind the nice patient lady. Monster Truck is not happy with the delay. It’s been about 30 seconds — an eternity in “Motorist Years.”

I wave to Monster Truck and don’t get a return wave. That’s OK. I got what I wanted, which was my space.

“Motorist Eternity” — also known as Must Pass Bicyclist Syndrome — happens when a motorist finds him- or herself “stuck” behind a bicyclist. Motorist Eternity can kick in as early as five seconds of being “stuck” behind the bicyclist.

(Funny how Motorist Eternity never kicks in at red lights. Motorist Eternity doesn’t appear to afflict drivers completely stopped in interstate traffic jams. No bicyclists there. Hmmmm.)

The nice lady’s patience is starting to wane.

But it’s the driver of the monster truck who I’m really thinking about. Sure enough, at Second 31, Monster Truck starts scooching over to pass both of us, even though there’s an oncoming car.

There’s no way I’m going to “get out of the way” and “share” a lane with that 10-ton behemoth, so I calmly give everyone The Hand.

I just hold my hand there and glance in my mirror again.

“The Hand” is the universal hand signal for “stay back,” left arm extended diagonally out, palm back. Sure enough, Monster Truck moves back into the lane. That driver is not happy, but gave me what I wanted, because I asked.

I knew to ask because I could read their behavior in real time by looking in my mirror. Passive communication with my lane position wasn’t enough. I needed active communication too.

The Hand,  the Come Along Wave, and Thank You Wave

Fortunately, there’s a usable shoulder coming up, so I retract The Hand, and give a right-turn hand signal as I maintain lane control. When the shoulder opens up, I look over my right shoulder, move to the right, stop pedaling, and give everyone the Come Along Wave, left hand making a circular motion in a “come along” kinda way.

As the nice lady starts to pass me, I now give her the Thank You Wave. She waves back!

I wave to Monster Truck, too, and don’t get a return wave. That’s OK. I got what I really wanted, which was my space.

Brian signaling a left turn on his bicycle while keeping tabs on traffic behind with his bicycle helmet mirrors

Signaling left and keeping tabs on the car behind me

After Monster Truck passes, I glance in my mirror again, see nobody behind me, do a shoulder check, give a left-turn hand signal, do another shoulder check (since my arm is already out anyway), and move left into the middle of the lane.

Those dorky helmet mirrors give me the awareness I need to be able to mix and mingle with traffic in a fluid, harmonious way.

In all of this, the mirror allowed me to see how drivers were responding to me without me taking my focus away from where I was going. My mirrors also gave me a first glimpse prior to my shoulder checks as I prepared to make lane position changes.

It’s certainly possible to do Control & Release without using mirrors. It’s just that without a mirror, you’ll spend an awful lotta time looking over your shoulder…over and over…each time you want to see what’s happening back there. No fun!

Act like a driver to be treated like one.

The more relevant you make yourself, the more you are respected. Using “driver behavior” makes it easier to see what’s happening around you, so you’re able to respond more quickly to dynamic situations.

Why every ride is a joyride.

My mirrors are key to my safety and success on my bike. It’s why every ride is a joyride. Because, yes, those dorky mirrors on my helmet give me the awareness I need to be able to mix and mingle with traffic in a harmonious, responsive way.

My bike is no longer a stripped-down thoroughbred. I always wear a helmet now. My younger self would be embarrassed to be seen with me.

But if I had the chance to take my younger, sportier self out for a ride, I think even he’d be impressed with that middle-aged guy with the dorky mirrors, riding with grace and confidence, hardly ever getting buzzed, fluidly cooperating with traffic, glancing back occasionally in his mirrors to see if that young racer know-it-all is keeping up.

Brian’s Holiday Gift to ABEA

Now through December 31, when you donate $40 (or more!) to the American Bicycling Education Association, Brian will say “Thank You” with an EVT Helmet Mirror.
cycling using bicycle helmet mirror on wide open road

CyclingSavvy co-founder Keri Caffrey uses an EVT helmet mirror when she shoots video

That’s right! For the same price you’d pay online for one of these fantastic mirrors, you’ll be helping ABEA spread savvy cycling to more people. 

“Wearing my EVT Helmet Mirrors are like having eyes in the back of my head,” said Brian, who loves these mirrors so much that he became a dealer. He also suggested this promotion to benefit ABEA.
While ABEA makes no specific product endorsements, many instructors join Brian in making good use of EVT helmet mirrors. ABEA also appreciates Brian’s incredible generosity!

Your Donation to ABEA is Tax-Deductible

Make a $40 donation for each mirror you want. Your tax deductible amount is $18 per mirror. The rest covers the cost, shipping and handling of the mirror from Bremerton, WA (USA).
Match Brian’s generosity with your own and help “pay it forward” for ABEA. Thank you, Brian!
And thank you!
riding on sidewalks

When Sidewalk Riding Is Your Best Option

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I’m not a great fan of riding on sidewalks. If I’m riding on anything located alongside a street, I slow way down, because I know I must be able to stop on a moment’s notice.

Sidewalk riding is sometimes exactly the right thing to do.

You may be surprised, then, when I say that sidewalk riding is sometimes exactly the right thing to do.

Let’s look at a specific location: Massachusetts Route 9 and Kingsbury Street in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Route 9 is a four-lane divided highway with a 50 MPH speed limit. Quiet local streets on either side of Route 9 make some good connections for bicyclists.

Kingsbury Street T’s into Route 9 from the south. A signalized crosswalk across Route 9 connects with the sidewalk on the left side of Kingsbury Street. Push-buttons trigger the signal to stop traffic on Route 9.

Looking toward Route 9 from Kingsbury street (Wellesley, MA)

Looking toward Route 9 from Kingsbury street (Wellesley, MA)

Need to cross Route 9 with your bicycle?

Push the button, use the crosswalk. End of story. Right?

Whoa, no, wait a minute. Let’s think about this.

Savvy bicyclists plan ahead.

The best strategy is to use the left sidewalk to get up to the intersection, crossing Kingsbury Street well before reaching Route 9.

Yes, I just wrote that.

Why? Think about it. I want to use the pedestrian crosswalk there to get across Route 9.

pedestrian behavior for cyclists

Don’t follow the on-road shared lane markings at this intersection. Easiest way to cross is to use “pedestrian” behavior

What could happen if I followed the shared lane markings in the photo and rode up almost to the corner on the right side of Kingsbury Street, and then cut across?

What if a motorist is turning right — like in the photo above — just as I want to move left to use the crosswalk cut-through? The driver coming around the corner might not see me making that maneuver until too late to avoid a collision.

Instead, I wait until there is no vehicle in front of me that might turn left into one of the last driveways before Kingsbury Street, then merge into one and ride on the sidewalk up to the corner.

I’m cognizant of being on a sidewalk, so I ride slowly enough to see into the other driveways that cross this sidewalk, no problem.

When I get to the corner, sometimes a car will have triggered the traffic signal. If not, I push the button and cross after the traffic signal changes.

Route 9 northbound from Kingsbury Street to Sprague Street (Wellesley, MA)

Route 9 northbound from Kingsbury Street to Sprague Road (Wellesley, MA)

The picture above shows my path:

  1. On Kingsbury Street headed for Route 9
  2. Using one of the driveways to get onto my preferred sidewalk
  3. Pushing the button on the corner and waiting for the signal to change
  4. Turning left onto Route 9’s right traffic lane
  5. Turning right onto Sprague Road

Because I’m riding off of a sidewalk

and entering the intersection from an unusual location, I’m careful to wait until all traffic has stopped. Since Route 9 is a divided highway, I can roll across to the median without concern that a motorist behind me might cut a left turn across my path.

When I get to the other side of Route 9, I turn left and ride on the road a short distance to turn right onto Sprague Road.

Wait a minute. Why does the illustration show me riding in the travel lane on high-speed Route 9? Why would I do that? There’s a wide, paved shoulder!

Well, yes, riding on the shoulder would be nice, but isn’t always possible. Have a look at the next image, a Google Street View:

Child activates traffic signals. Shoulder of Route 9 is in use as a travel lane due to construction (Wellesley, MA)

We are looking west along Route 9 from location D in the earlier image, with location E in the background. A child with a backpack is pushing the button to turn the traffic signal red and use the crosswalk. That isn’t surprising. There’s a public school on Kingsbury Street.

But in the photo, construction work is underway and the shoulder of Route 9 is serving temporarily as a travel lane. You can’t always count on an empty shoulder’s being available, whether because of construction, snow in winter, a disabled vehicle, or a state trooper issuing a traffic ticket to a wayward Massachusetts driver.

So, yes, I’m going to enter from a crosswalk and immediately turn left into the right travel lane on a highway with a 50 MPH speed limit. Scary? Not!

Confession time

For decades, I’ve worked as a bicycle safety and crash reconstruction expert. I wrote Bicycling Street Smarts, which has been published in several editions and sold more than 300,000 copies.

Even experts learn new things.

Even experts learn new things. I learned the following incredibly useful technique only last year, when I became a CyclingSavvy Instructor (that story is here).

What technique is that? Using traffic-signal timing to get a busy road to yourself.

In this case, it’s easy to move onto Route 9 from the Kingsbury pedestrian crosswalk when Route 9 traffic is stopped at the light.

I have Route 9 all to myself all the way to Sprague Road!

Using traffic signal timing to ride on “scary” roads with little to no other traffic was a revelation. (Yes, this technique is now included in the CyclingSavvy edition of Bicycling Street Smarts.)

How to cross Route 9 in the opposite direction

The most favorable route enters at Audubon Road, which Ts into Route 9 without a traffic signal or crosswalk. The image below shows the route. You ride on Route 9 from Audubon Road to Kingsbury Street, and cross there. You could ride on the shoulder (if available) and pull onto the sidewalk to push the crosswalk button.

Route 9  southbound from Audubon Road to Kingsbury Street, shoulder option (Wellesley, MA)

If the shoulder’s available, riding on it is fast and easy. If there’s absolutely no traffic on the road, you might move from Audubon directly into the left lane to get easily onto the crosswalk at Kingsbury.

Don’t do this if there’s any other traffic on the road. Traffic signals won’t help. The previous traffic signal is more than a mile back, and platoons of traffic spread out and mix together. It’s hard to judge the closing speeds of fast-moving traffic (and you don’t want to get caught up in that).

If the shoulder isn’t available, use the sidewalk.

Yes, you read that right. A quick exploration of Route 9 in Google Street View reveals that there are exactly zero driveways on the north side of Route 9 between Audubon Road and Kingsbury Street.

When planning your next bike trip or adventure, Google Maps and Google Street View are your best friends.

Instead, a long, high fence gives residents relief from the unpleasantness of Route 9 — and offers bicyclists a first-rate opportunity to ride safely on a sidewalk. Just take care around any schoolchildren or others who may be sharing the sidewalk with you.

Now that we’ve looked at both directions of travel across Route 9, let these be your takeaways:

  • Riding in sidewalk space is unsafe where there are hazards with turning and crossing traffic, obscured sight lines and unpredictable pedestrians.
  • Even so, sidewalk riding can be useful. Remember that when you’re in pedestrian space, use pedestrian behavior.
  • Smart use of traffic-signal timing can empty a busy street for you.
  • Planning ahead makes it easy to get through segments which at first appear challenging and even intimidating, because:
  • Google Maps and Google Street View are your best friends for armchair pre-planning.

Happy savvy cycling, wherever you ride.

four dimensions of savvy cycling

Four Dimensions of CyclingSavvy

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Four Priorities

Four Techniques

1. Safety
2. Cooperation
3. Convenience
4. Legality

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1. Drive
2. Communicate
3. Cooperate
4. Facilitate

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Four Questions

Four Goals

1. Is it legal?
2. Is it safe?
3. Is it rude?
4. Is it stressful?

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1. Change bicyclist behavior
2. Change motorist expectations
3. Change cultural beliefs
4. Create healthy, livable communities

learn more

CyclingSavvy is many things to many people. At its core, it’s a traffic cycling education program. When you’re a savvy cyclist, you can go anywhere on your bike with safety and confidence — which also makes bicycling more fun!

Savvy cyclists are paving the way for a new understanding and acceptance of cyclists into the transportation network.

But there are other facets. CyclingSavvy goes beyond cyclists’ training as a resource for bicycle-related education for traffic engineers, transportation planners, law enforcement professionals, educators and the general public. Urban planners and environmentalists see CyclingSavvy as a tool for social change, leading to more sustainable and livable communities where the drivers of human-powered vehicles are expected and respected as a normal part of traffic. Here in Southern California, I’ve used the resources of CyclingSavvy in the courtroom as an expert witness to defend cyclists unfairly ticketed for defensive bicycle driving.

Because there’s so much to CyclingSavvy — and because we all encounter occasions to discuss savvy cycling with others who want to learn more about our passion — I’ve developed a four-by-four framework to capture four dimensions of CyclingSavvy. The framework easy to memorize and once committed to memory it’s instantly accessible and useful for impromptu discussions about bicycling.

Four Priorities

As a traffic cycling program, CyclingSavvy has priorities for how cyclists operate in traffic:

Safety is paramount — safety first! As vulnerable road users, we need to control our space, maintain good sight lines to see and be seen, and be relevant and predictable to other road users.

Safety, Cooperation, Convenience, Legality

Cooperation is also a priority for savvy cyclists. The Rules of the Road require cooperation among all road users. As drivers of narrow and relatively slow vehicles, cyclists have many opportunities to cooperate with motorists as well as other cyclists and pedestrians.

Convenience is essential for bicycling to be a practical means of transportation. Cyclists must have access to all surface streets to minimize travel time and distance, and have the option to control the full lane on travel lanes that are too narrow to share safely with motor vehicles (which is usually the case). This is particularly important for faster cyclists — which now include not only fit roadies, but also anyone riding an e-bike, regardless of age and fitness level.

And it’s more convenient for two cyclists traveling together to ride side-by-side in order to converse, the same way a motorist and passenger can talk. This, of course, requires full lane use.

Legality is also important. In all states, cyclists are expected to observe the same laws as drivers of motor vehicles, with a few exceptions. But there are some situations, such as in states with mandatory bike lane, bike path and shoulder use laws, where following the letter of the law may not be the safest option for cyclists.

A savvy cyclist knows where safety takes precedence over strict legality. As CyclingSavvy co-founder Mighk Wilson has observed, “It’s better to risk the courtroom to avoid the emergency room.”

Four Techniques

CyclingSavvy offers four broad categories of techniques to achieve the priorities described above.

The first is Drive your bicycle. This involves:

Drive, Communicate, Cooperate, Facilitate

  • Following the rules of the road for drivers of vehicles
  • Riding on the road and avoiding sidewalks and sidewalk-like facilities, and understanding their limitations if you do use them
  • Using lane control as the default mode of operation (but see Cooperation below), and
  • Anticipating and using the proper lane on multilane roads — such as turning right into the leftmost lane when planning to make a left turn.

We must also Communicate. Using hand signals to convey our intention to turn, change lanes and slow down or stop helps motorists give us the space and time we need to be safe and comfortable on the road.

But there’s another form of communication that’s even more important than hand signals. We use this to communicate 100 percent of the time we’re bicycling on public roads: our lane position.

your lane position is communication

CyclingSavvy encourages additional hand signals that are not taught elsewhere and yet are very useful and instantly understandable by our fellow road users. One is the “stay back” signal (hand extended to the side with palm facing back), which tells following drivers not to pass. Encouraging motorists to pass when safe can be done by using a side-sweeping motion from back to front.

shaka emoji

Shaka hand signal

To recognize and reward the cooperation of other drivers, we can use a “thank you” signal by raising an open hand toward the sky–although in surfing states like Hawaii and California, the shaka (or “hang loose”) sign might be appropriate (extending the thumb and little finger).

Finally, the shoulder check to view traffic behind is also a means of communication, but its meaning depends upon the context. When done from the middle of the lane looking left, it will mean the cyclist is looking to merge left into the next lane. But when done before or after having moved toward the right edge of the road, it can be understood as an invitation for following traffic to pass.

That savvy cyclists Cooperate has already been mentioned above as one of the four Priorities, but cooperation must be included here, too, as a set of techniques.

Unique to CyclingSavvy are four traffic release techniques:

  1. Control and Release involves a centered lane position with perhaps the “stay back” signal to inform motorists behind that it is not safe to pass, and then encouraging them to pass when safe by moving right in the lane and perhaps using a “pass now” hand signal.
  2. Release on Green involves pulling over to the side of the road to allow accumulated traffic to pass when a traffic light turns from red to green

    cyclist to left of lane allows motorist to turn right

    CyclingSavvy co-founder Mighk Wilson practices Release on Red

  3. Release on Red allows motorists to turn right on red when the cyclist moves to the left of a dual-destination (through and right turn) lane
  4. Slow and Release can be used when two traffic lanes merge into one; the cyclist slows down before the merge to allow traffic behind to pass before moving into and controlling the sole remaining travel lane.

Finally, CyclingSavvy teaches several ways to Facilitate traffic cycling, so that situations that would intimidate many cyclists can be handled easily and without stress.

Some of these techniques involve timing your moves for when there is no or little traffic on the road, even on normally busy streets. Waiting for a green signal to turn right into the leftmost lane where the cyclist will next turn left is a good example. This “right-left” maneuver is taught in just about all on-bike CyclingSavvy courses as it facilitates cycling by both reducing traffic and eliminating lane changes.

Waiting for gaps in traffic between “platoons” is another way to reduce traffic and facilitate lane changes, as is making lane changes early if a gap appears in traffic. Such techniques facilitate both the cyclist’s travel as well as that of nearby motorists.

And perhaps surprising to many, cyclist lane control on multilane roads makes it easier for motorists to pass, as this makes it clear from far back that they must change lanes to overtake, giving them more time and space to do so.change lanes to pass

Four Questions

cycling in traffic is a dance you must leadIn my one-hour classroom introduction to CyclingSavvy, I start by showing the Dance video, in which CyclingSavvy co-founder Keri Caffrey and other savvy Orlando-area cyclists demonstrate bicycle driving using lane control and cycling on the center and left lanes of multilane roads.

When I ask attendees why all bicyclists don’t operate in this manner, four questions are usually raised.

Legal? Safe? Rude? Stressful?

The first is whether cyclists’ use of the full lane and use of center and left traffic lanes is Legal. The answer is “yes” in almost all cases. States that have “Far to the Right” laws and mandatory bike lane/bike path/shoulder use laws have many exceptions to these requirements. No state obligates you to endanger yourself for another road user’s convenience.

A second question is whether bicycle driving in this manner is Safe. Technically, this is impossible to answer without agreeing on what “safe” means and knowing “compared to what.” But it’s clear that bicycle driving involving lane control on lanes too narrow to safely share is usually safer than edge or sidewalk riding. Lane control eliminates or significantly reduces the probability of the five most common motorist-caused car-bike crashes: sideswipes, doorings, right hooks, left crosses and drive-outs.

Even if savvy bicycle driving is legal and safe, might it not still be Rude? A bicycle is, after all, a narrow and relatively slow vehicle. Doesn’t cyclist lane control delay motorists?

cyclists delaying traffic is a myth

No bicycles involved in typical traffic jams

Anyone who drives or bikes in a city with congested traffic knows that it isn’t bikes that delay traffic. It’s other motor vehicles. And bicycles are not the only slow-moving vehicles. There are garbage trucks and city and school buses. Not to mention traffic signals and grade-level railroad crossings with long and slow freight trains. As mentioned above, cyclist lane control on multilane roads may actually make it easier for motorists to pass. And recall the four traffic release techniques that CyclingSavvy teaches and encourages cyclists to practice — quite the opposite of rudeness!

Finally, while bicycle driving may be legal, safe and not rude, isn’t it nonetheless Stressful? Well, that depends both on where you ride and what you know.

If you believe that the faster motor traffic behind you is your greatest danger on the road, you may well find lane control stressful. But a savvy cyclist who understands that lane control eliminates or significantly reduces the “Big Five” motorist-caused car-bike crashes will recognize that in most cases, lane control is safer and therefore less stressful than edge riding or sidewalk riding.

From video of traffic behind as I ride on Culver Boulevard (click image for video)

Even as a savvy cyclist, I find some roads not particularly enjoyable for cycling. One such road is westbound Culver Boulevard in Los Angeles through the Ballona Wetlands. This road connects my neighborhood of Playa del Rey with the adjacent neighborhood of Playa Vista.

There are no cross streets on this stretch, so it has a freeway-like feel to it. Since there’s no convenient cycling alternative, I use this road, making sure I’m visible and relevant. And I keep tabs on the traffic behind me with frequent glances into my helmet-mounted mirror.

There’s no useful shoulder, so I control the right lane. I almost always get full lane changes. I know that riding on the edge would be much more stressful, as I would be effectively telling motorists to squeeze by me in the narrow lane. In fact, I wouldn’t even consider using this road if I felt I had to ride on the edge.

If traffic builds up behind me at the first stop light on this stretch, I use “release on green” to let these motorists go ahead of me before taking possession of the full lane. This ensures that motorists in the next platoon coming up behind me have plenty of time to see me and can easily change lanes to pass, as you’ll see in the video.

Four Goals

While CyclingSavvy is at its core a traffic cycling education program, it has the greater potential to transform our transportation culture and how we move about our communities.

In a recent Savvy Cyclist article, Mighk Wilson uses a photo to highlight four goals of CyclingSavvy:

how to change American bicycle culture

How to jumpstart a virtuous traffic culture

What I like about this perspective is the realization that my savvy cyclist behavior is not only serving to enhance my safety and enjoyment of bicycling, but it’s also helping to change cultural beliefs of how cyclists typically do and should behave.

When you’re a savvy cyclist, you upgrade the expectations of others about cyclists, and this cultural shift upgrades the quality of life in your community

A short time ago, a friend and I rode 52 miles through the arterials and residential streets of Los Angeles. For much of our ride we were side-by-side, controlling the right lane on multilane urban arterials. We experienced not a single challenging honk, no close passes, and no incivility whatsoever from the hundreds of L.A. motorists we encountered. Of course, we looked for opportunities to allow motorists to pass us where convenient and safe, and we exchanged many friendly waves and smiles with other road users.

It’s exciting and satisfying to realize that my savvy cycling behavior is helping change the beliefs and expectations of motorists and other cyclists with whom I interact.

Cyclists in the 19th Century were responsible for getting roads paved. These roads were eventually swarmed by motor vehicles in the 20th Century.

Now in the 21st Century, savvy cyclists are paving the way for a new understanding and acceptance of cyclists into the transportation network of our cities, towns and neighborhoods.

Many savvy cycling topics and techniques have been presented here — and many more could be added. But the primary purpose of this article is to provide a simple framework for CyclingSavvy instructors and graduates to aid them both in their traffic cycling and communicating about CyclingSavvy with others.

Memorize it, go forth, have fun and change the culture!

Four Dimensions of CyclingSavvy

change lanes to pass

How to Get Great Passing

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Recently, a friend who works in a bicycle-related job showed me a letter he had received from another cyclist, along with two orange cloth arrows about a foot in length. The letter writer stated that much of his riding was on two-lane rural roads (one lane each way), many with no usable shoulder. Motorists very rarely more than touched their left wheels on the double yellow line to pass him.

So he created these arrows and wore one on the back of his jacket, pointing to the left. He claimed that the difference he got in passing distance from motorists was incredible since he started wearing it, and wanted to share his great idea.

Many of us have seen photos on social media of cyclists with similar motivations. Some have gone so far as to mount on their bike some kind of stick with a flag on the end, pointing left, to ensure motorists give them their legally required three feet of passing clearance.

rigid three-foot ruler on bicycle

This looks like more than three feet, and is rigid besides. If hit, it would likely cause the cyclist to crash

pool noodle attached to bicycle

A pool noodle is more flexible, in case of being hit, but we’re still not sure it’s best

"Smiley Faces" width extender attached to bicycle

This one attempts to calm motorists down with smiley faces :-)

One person even made car-sized PVC-tube framing to surround his bike! (Sorry I can’t find the image now.)

I don’t want to outright dismiss these well-meaning and original attempts at a solution. Fear of traffic is real. Many cyclists do struggle with getting adequate passing clearance. Maybe these devices do some good. They certainly get noticed.

One sentence of the cyclist’s letter to my friend leapt out at me:

Since I started wearing this, almost all the cars that pass me give me plenty of room, some even going almost completely over the double yellow line!

My immediate response when I read that was: But I get that behavior too, without wearing a flag on my back!

I do usually wear a hi-viz jacket, and use lights at night and in some daytime bad-weather conditions, but that’s about it.

No arrows, no sticks, no noodles.

Great passing was not always the norm for me. In my early days of commuting, I remember some terrifying close passes. Nowadays, it’s rare that a motorist doesn’t move at least halfway over a double yellow line to pass me, assuming there is no oncoming traffic. Many change lanes completely to pass. What’s different?

I believe the difference is almost entirely due to my behavior, in two ways.

Relevance

First, I often use more of the travel lane now than I used to, even if I’m not completely controlling it. One of the first pieces of good advice I got about traffic cycling — from an internet forum no less — was that the farther you ride from the edge of the road, the better passing you get. It’s counter-intuitive, but it works!

Why? I don’t know for sure, but I have some theories. It was suggested that you tend to get a similar amount of room on your left as you have left yourself on your right, and that is also my experience. Maybe people tend to picture you as if you were centered in a lane, with equal space on both sides, even if you’re really not.

I have no idea if that’s really the reason. Probably a better explanation is CyclingSavvy’s teaching about the importance of relevance.

When you ride very close to the edge, not only are you less noticeable, but even if you are seen, you are not perceived as relevant. Motorists approaching from behind, even when they see you, are more likely to assume there’s room to pass, so they don’t slow down or move over right away.

When they’re closer, they may realize there could be a problem. But by then, they have less time and room to react, especially if they feel pressure from additional traffic behind them. So they decide they don’t have any choice but to pass.

There are many other reasons it’s better to ride farther away from the edge:

The more room you give yourself, the more room others give you:

(Wondering about that double yellow line issue? You can read a lot more about it in this article on our companion site, IAmTraffic.org.)

Control and Release

The second related behavioral change that I’ve made over the years is implementing CyclingSavvy’s advice on “control and release.” I don’t think I even realized early in my cycling career that my closest passes came when there was oncoming traffic. I was just squeezing myself to the edge all the time, without regard to the situation!

CyclingSavvy taught me that it was not only possible, legal, and safe, but that it isn’t even rude to control your lane in situations where the road is too narrow to be passed safely. When you’re a mindful bicyclist who monitors the traffic situation and sees when it would be unsafe to allow yourself to be passed, you can simply use a lane position that does not allow it. Voilá! You’ve just eliminated the most extreme unsafe passing situations!

When it becomes safe to pass, you can move slightly right again to encourage it (but still far enough into the lane to get your good passing distance), and maybe give a little head nod or thank-you wave to acknowledge the driver. If they’ve had to slow down and wait for a chance to pass, in most cases they give you plenty of room once they are able to!

Communication Is Important

Your lane position by itself is a form of communication, which CyclingSavvy calls “passive communication.” If the situation requires it, you can add hand motions such as “stay back” during the control phase, followed by “go ahead” or “thank you” when you move over to release. We call this “active communication.” (Some people feel that waving motorists on is not a good idea. I tend to agree in general, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Sometimes you want to keep them from hesitating too long. But I usually just give a thank-you wave.)

Bicyclists riding at edge in narrow lane

Sometimes, it’s just not safe to allow yourself to be passed.

I’m convinced that most people really want to do the right thing by cyclists, but it’s easy for them to make a mistake. They assume there’s room when there’s not, or they just don’t plan ahead. They are not helped when the cyclist hugs the edge and does not communicate at all, leaving the motorist wondering if they should pass or not. Naturally, some of them are overly-optimistic.

I don’t know the cyclist who sent my friend this letter. If I had to, I’d guess that he’s not very assertive in his lane position, but I obviously don’t know that for sure.

I know from my own experience that some rural roads here in Maine do tend to have more aggressive motorists than others, and that is challenging. But if that orange arrow is really working for him, I’ll bet that more assertive lane positioning would, too. Maybe someday we’ll get to meet and talk about it.

arne buck

My Fateful Meetup Ride

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What a great evening for a bike ride.

This was spring in Boston, on a beautiful night. I had joined a Meetup ride, and a group of us were chatting afterward at a local eatery. Pamela Murray, a lovely Asian woman with a Southern accent, sidled up to me with a question.

“Are you going to the CyclingSavvy class that’s starting tomorrow?”

I didn’t know what she was talking about. I’d never heard of the program. But as she and John Allen described it, I thought: What have I got to lose? When I got home that night, I registered on the website.

cyclingsavvy classroom session

Classroom session at Dana Farber Institute in Boston, with instructors Pamela Murray and John Allen

There’s a lot to a CyclingSavvy workshop.

The Friday evening program consisted of short lectures, videos, diagrams of street scenes, and techniques to avoid dangerous road conditions and traffic configurations.

The emphasis, to me, was on maximizing visibility — you can’t be too visible in traffic. A secondary topic was reading and assessing street and traffic patterns to anticipate potential dangers and avoid them. To this end, we discussed optimizing road position for safety and making one’s intent clear and unambiguous at all times.

The Friday evening program reminded me of the United Kingdom’s voluntary Institute of Advanced Motorists program, modeled after a defensive/assertive driving course developed by the London Metropolitan Police. It taught forward-looking road positioning, awareness of other road users (motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, livestock!) at all times, anticipating their intent and actions, and generally avoiding potential trouble spots.

As a result of taking that course, I was rewarded with a healthy discount on my auto insurance. And not coincidentally, I had neither crashes nor close calls during the two years I drove throughout the UK and continental Europe in a right-hand-drive car.

CyclingSavvy holds benefits for people from all levels and backgrounds.

The six participants Friday evening represented a wide range of experience and riding skills. Another gentlemen and I had been bike commuting year-round for decades in and around Boston.

One woman had recently moved from New York City. She enjoyed the Hudson River Greenway and Central Park for weekend recreational rides, but was fearful of riding on NYC or Boston streets, even in bike lanes. She had learned of the program only that morning at a Bike Week get-together. She was willing to learn whatever CyclingSavvy had to offer, as commuting by bike was her best option.

A couple of other folks had ridden occasionally in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville running errands and on weekend group rides, yet felt uneasy riding alone on city streets.

Another woman, Binbin, had purchased a bicycle only a month earlier. She told me she was frightened to do anything but ride in circles in an empty parking lot on Sunday mornings.

Saturday morning:

How far can a bicycle lean before it skids out? Preparation for quick-turn practice. Photo by John Schubert

Train Your Bike offers an easy way to discover the amazing capabilities of the marvelous machine known as the bicycle

The class spent three hours practicing bicycle-handling drills in a parking garage. The first exercise was to mount the bike and start from a dead stop. Most everyone could do this effortlessly, but Binbin appeared to have no idea how to get started. At one point she said she started in her favorite empty parking lot with a gentle slope, and used gravity to gain enough momentum to stay upright. She practiced that morning until she could reliably get the bike going by pushing off on one foot.

Then we spent the time practicing weaving around traffic cones, emergency stops, turns, evasive maneuvers. Binbin had a hard time with the emergency stops, but eventually got the hang of it.

I myself discovered that I could do better. During emergency stops, I repeatedly skidded my rear wheel. I’ve since practiced and my stopping distance is much reduced. Among other skills in which I learned that I could improve was a quick evasive maneuver to avoid hazards like potholes, rocks, dead squirrels, broken glass in the street.

On the streets of Boston.

After lunch, we went out on streets, executing prescribed routes and turns both as a group and individually. We made left turns from a major street, crossed trolley tracks the safe way, and finally navigated around the huge complex of streets at Park Drive/Riverway/Brookline Avenue/Boylston Street.

Arne Buck turns prepares a right turn

Here I am, doing a good job communicating with other drivers.

It was impressive to watch Binbin.

She, too, was amazed, as she negotiated the route with ease from Beacon Street to Brookline Avenue. I’d consider it a minor miracle, as a witness to her transformation between 9 AM and 3 PM that very same day.

During the last exercise, Binbin even had the confidence to respond with kindness to an abusive motorist while they were both stopped at a traffic light.

“Bicycles are not allowed on this road!” he yelled at her.

She politely thanked him for his “information.”

John Allen describes a route including a left turn across trolley tracks. Photo by John Schubert

John Allen describes a route including a left turn across trolley tracks

When the light turned green, she proceeded ahead of this obnoxious driver, whose self-advertised knowledge of the law was obviously nonexistent. He offered a clear demonstration of the Dunning-Kruger effect — i.e., the less people know, the more they tend to think that they know.

With awe I still compare and contrast the newfound knowledge and confidence Binbin developed in order to ride safely in traffic in one of the most challenging confluences of streets in Boston.

CyclingSavvy holds benefits for people from all levels and backgrounds. Beginners like Binbin advance to where they can ride steadily and handle everyday cycling challenges. Longtime cyclists like me learn new skills that improve safety and confidence.

I’m kneeling at lower left, with my CyclingSavvy group and statues of Dr. Sidney Farber and Jimmy. Binbin is to my right. Photo credit: Fred Clow. All other photos by John Schubert

 

 

 

energy is real

Energy Is Real

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I’m shocked when motorists are rude to me. Here in St. Louis or anywhere I ride, it just doesn’t happen.

The driver’s anger poisoned the energy of the other drivers on the road. Everyone started honking.

riding a bike on a freeway-like surface street

Google Maps view of Forest Park Parkway

OK, I’m exaggerating. Last year one driver was obnoxious.

He or she apparently could not buh-lieve I’d ride a bicycle on that road.

I was riding on Forest Park Parkway, a road similar in design to a freeway. People on this section are typically zooming through to get somewhere else.

On a fateful afternoon last fall, a driver of a black Audi either stayed or got stuck behind me — I’m not sure which — and honked for what seemed like an eternity.

Here’s What’s Fascinating

The driver’s anger poisoned the energy of the other drivers on the road. Everyone started honking. I waved to acknowledge their annoyance, and my humanity.

What could I do? I was on a section where I couldn’t escape. I simply had to endure, until I got to my destination at the other end of this canyon-like stretch of road.

forest park parkway in saint louis

Forest Park Parkway between Skinker and Big Bend boulevards in St. Louis

On the rare occasions that I have problems, I don’t blame “stupid” motorists. I analyze what happened. What could I have done differently so it wouldn’t happen again?

Energy Is Real

A big reason I have such good experiences is because I expect to.

Attitude elevates your ride. Courtesy and cooperation are the twin pillars of every great ride.

Attitude elevates your ride. It’s important to understand the dynamics of truly dangerous situations, and how to avoid them. Once you’ve got that down, courtesy and cooperation are the twin pillars of every great ride.

If you’re a mensch, you have every reason to expect other drivers to be mensches, too.

Ever since my honking takedown, I’ve wanted to revisit the scene, and see if I could control the energy around me this time. I’d be more careful to actively communicate with the motorists who would most assuredly be on the road with me.

I finally rode it again last Friday. You can see what happened below.

instruction changes things

A Little Instruction Really Changes Things

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How are you at backing up with a trailer on your car? If you’re like many people, you haven’t had reason to do so, and thus find the idea daunting.

It seems like a black art to many, based on the reactions I’ve gotten from people when I backed trailers into narrow spaces.

Decoding the black arts of trailers and savvy cycling.

My wife, Jenn, was going on a road trip with my sister. One of several things they planned to accomplish involved moving some things that won’t fit in or on our car. Rather than rent a truck for the whole trip, renting a trailer made sense, since it could be picked up close to the first house and dropped off close to the second.

It made sense to me, but not to Jenn.

Jenn didn’t feel comfortable maneuvering a trailer in close quarters, and especially didn’t feel good about having to back up with a trailer, after an unpleasant experience she had a few years ago.

Why is this related to savvy cycling, you ask? Read on.

I’m pretty good with trailers, having done a LOT of backing up with them in various occupations (tow truck driver, airport tug driver, bicycle trailer user). I figured that with a couple of short sessions, Jenn would gain confidence in her ability to navigate in tighter quarters than she had thought herself able to manage before.

Since we’re both CyclingSavvy instructors, we know the value of parking lot drills. It’s important to have a quiet place to develop and practice a skill before venturing out on actual roads and using the skill “in the real world.”

With that in mind, we rented a trailer the same size as the one they’d be using for the trip, and headed to a mall parking lot to practice.

I started with basic rules:

  • Always turn wider than you think you need to turn, since the trailer tracks a different turn radius. There’s an interactive video in the CyclingSavvy web site about big trucks and how the trailer follows through a turn
  • Second: Plan your backing up for best visibility; plan for your blind spots. To get the trailer to change path relative to the car, turn the wheel opposite what you think you need to turn (THIS way instead of THAT way)
  • Lastly, it’s not a failure to pull forward to realign the trailer or start again
decoding black arts, like using trailers and savvy cycling

“How do you drive these things?”

Then I set up easy exercises: Back up guiding on a particular line in the parking lot, trying to keep things straight. Start to turn, and learn when you can and cannot straighten out without pulling forward to do so.

practice with trailers

“Hey! That wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be!”

Then I had her back into a marked parking slot from the aisle, to simulate backing into a driveway from the street. After she did a couple of those, I had her pull into a parking slot, then back to the parking slot to the left of the one directly behind her, to gain confidence in directional control.

After a while, she was doing quite well. She had improved tremendously.

The next day we had family visits to do, so Jenn drove with the trailer. When we got to my folks’ house, she backed into the driveway, for practice and to prove to herself that she could. She did it easily! A little while later, she took the opportunity to practice in her parents’ driveway. She did even better, in a narrower driveway! And, yes, it was easy to see how much more confidence she had in her ability to back with a trailer, a thing that many people find a daunting task.

The analogy?

A lot of people find the idea of using bicycles instead of their cars daunting. With a few good pointers from experienced people (like CyclingSavvy instructors), and a little practice (CS Train Your Bike and Tour sessions), much of the mystery is solved.

CyclingSavvy helps people learn how traffic works, and how to participate in the existing system to get what we need through planning, courtesy, and mindfulness.

Jenn’s confidence in her ability to back up with a trailer attached to the car improved through a few brief exercises. She knows that she can go places using a trailer, which enables her to carry stuff with the car that she might not have been comfortable carrying before.

Similarly, you can become a safer, happier, more confident cyclist by attending a CyclingSavvy workshop and using what you learn. A little bit of focused experiential learning and a little bit of practice with new skills will help you realize why the tag line is Empowerment for Unlimited Travel.

And if you’re in my hometown of Louisville, look me up. I’ll be glad to show you how to do some real hauling with your bike.

sofa hauled by bike

Bill (not in this picture–Tom was using Andy’s trailer, so he’s there beside Tom, wearing his helmet) truly appreciated Tom hauling his sofa and several boxes of books, under plastic to protect from the rain

Hauling more by bike than by car

When I worked at a bike shop, I could haul more cardboard on my trailer than the store owner could in his minivan. This load weighed about four hundred pounds

Hauling barrels by bike

These 55-gallon barrels won’t fit in my car, not at the same time

bulky load by bike trailer

We had to dispose of an old mattress and box spring set. It was easier to haul it with my bicycle than with a car

dogs traveling in roomy bike trailers

Our basset hounds, Wilbur and Orville, always want to go with us, however we travel

bicycling

The Special Mode

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No reasonable person expects pedestrians to behave like vehicle drivers. If you’re walking down the street and planning to turn left at the next intersection, nobody expects you to walk in the left turn lane to do that.

Similarly, no one expects motorists to behave like pedestrians. Driving on the sidewalk is illegal — as well as highly dangerous and impractical.creating a virtuous transportation culture

But when it comes to bicycling, some people expect cyclists to behave as pedestrians, and some expect them to behave as vehicle drivers. Many cyclists switch back and forth between the two approaches.

Bicycles were both commonly and legally defined as vehicles by the 1880s, well before the invention of the automobile. Until the middle part of the 20th Century, most people expected bicyclists to behave as drivers. Practically speaking, the operating characteristics of bicyclists are that of a vehicle, not a pedestrian.

We don’t design different types of pedestrian facilities for “beginner” and “experienced” walkers. We design pedestrian facilities based on their operating characteristics and legal requirements. We generally want those “beginner” pedestrians to become “experienced” as quickly as possible, because we know experienced road users are safer.

While we don’t provide different types of sidewalks and crosswalks, we recognize that quiet neighborhood streets present fewer conflicts than busy commercial arterials, so we prefer that beginner pedestrians (children) keep to those neighborhood streets until they are mature enough to handle the busier ones. More experienced pedestrians (parents) prefer to accompany their kids on those busier streets.

We don’t have special lanes or facilities for beginner motorists.

We design their facilities based on their operating characteristics and legal requirements.

We generally want motorists to become “experienced” as quickly as possible, because we know experienced road users are safer. As with pedestrians, parents prefer to accompany their teen drivers or have them taught by professionals — especially in more complex driving environments — until they have shown they are competent to drive on their own.

Best bicycling practices often counterintuitive.

Unlike with walking and motor vehicle driving,

few parents understand the strategies of successful, experienced bicycle drivers, and often believe them to be unsafe. So they themselves stay with the untrained and inexperienced pedestrian approach to cycling, and teach their children to do the same. This inexperience has now been passed along for a few generations.

This approach is okay on quiet residential streets. But when used in busy commercial districts, it greatly increases the risk for the cyclist, due to all the turning and crossing conflicts with motorists.

Is it possible to provide bicycle facilities for “beginner” cyclists?

Yes, but the opportunities for such facilities are very limited. Trails in their own rights-of-way are great places to learn bike handling skills and get comfortable operating the machine. But when a path is placed along a busy urban or suburban street, it presents users with more turning and crossing conflicts with motorists than a cyclist would encounter using a regular travel lane. In Central Florida, where I study bicycle and pedestrian crashes, 82 percent of motorist-caused bike crashes involve cyclists riding on sidewalks, sidepaths and crosswalks.

savvy cyclists co-exist with ease

Rebecca Bealmear in St. Louis understands where the risks are (and where they are not) wherever she rides

Bikeway advocates are fond of calling experienced bicycle drivers “strong and fearless.” How often are experienced pedestrians or motorists referred to in that way? The key characteristics of bicycle drivers are their understanding of how conflicts and crashes are most likely to happen, and their use of the best strategies to prevent those conflicts. Inordinate strength and fearlessness are simply not necessary for successful bicycle driving.

This “strong and fearless” framing is clearly intended to marginalize cyclists who are competent and experienced. How many novice cyclists would express a desire to become “strong and fearless”?

Ultimately, whatever type of accommodation is provided along our roads, cyclists will need to understand the true causes of crashes and the best strategies for avoiding them. Neither the causes nor the strategies are common knowledge, and they sometimes run contrary to popular belief. That’s why cyclist education is essential.

how to change American bicycle culture

How to jumpstart a virtuous traffic culture

At the American Bicycling Education Association, we also want America to have the best motorists. By “best” we mean competent, predictable and courteous. Here’s what’s exciting:

We bicyclists can create a virtuous transportation culture.

It’s beyond the scope of this post to describe how, but when you explore CyclingSavvy Online or attend a CyclingSavvy workshop, we’ll show you how. You’ll discover how motorists who seem so dumb and careless can become quite smart and courteous when you change your behavior.

The best bicyclists are educated bicyclists, who fully understand the difference between being a bicyclist operating as a pedestrian, and bicyclist operating as a driver.

The best cyclist is a savvy cyclist.

ABEA wants American bicyclists to be the best in the world.

savvy cycling instructors

Introducing The Nation’s New CSIs

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Eight more dreamers in our ranks!

The solid citizens who traversed the country earlier this month to become CyclingSavvy Instructors might be surprised to hear themselves described as such. But right now there’s still so few of us (people who know how to go by bike anywhere now, rather than waiting for some imaginary future when it will finally be “safe” to ride).

That’s OK! These guys are going to make dreams come true. I’d like to introduce you to the nation’s newest CyclingSavvy Instructors:

Jacob Adams

Jacob came the shortest distance with an audacious goal: He’s ready to transform the University of Florida’s car-centric culture.

He’s in a position to do so. Jacob currently works on bike programming for the university’s Office of Sustainability. He intends to use both education and encouragement to show people how easy it can be to choose bicycling.

CyclingSavvy Instructors learn from their colleague Jacob Adams in Orlando.

CSI Jacob Adams (at right) uses his engaging and entertaining style to make an intimidating road easy to navigate by bike

Jacob lives in Gainesville. He’s a lifelong cyclist passionate about sharing the value of cycling with the world. He’s managed bike shops, worked as a community organizer, organized bike races throughout Florida, and delivered food for Jimmy John’s — by bike, of course.

Jacob described his training weekend as “an invaluable experience.”

“The CyclingSavvy curriculum is a game changer for safer cycling and for improving the overall standing of cyclists in the hierarchy of transportation resource users,” he observed.

“The system feels like magic when it’s implemented. I want to give that gift to other cyclists.”

Jacob loved working directly with CyclingSavvy co-founder Keri Caffrey.

“Keri and the entire CSI team at the seminar created an accepting and encouraging space that made it possible for all the instructor candidates to learn and grow during the weekend. Having the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the program from the team that conceived, developed and implemented it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always look back upon fondly.

“Turns out Orlando isn’t so bad after all!”

Randy Dull

nation's new CSIs (Feb 2018)

CSI Randy Dull is at the front on the right, leading instructors to their next destination

Randy lives in Columbus, Ohio. He’s been involved with USA Cycling as both a racer and coach. He’s done race promoting and taught bike maintenance classes. He rides almost every day. Check out the impressive ride log he keeps on his company’s work site.

“I love to ride,” Randy wrote. “In addition to recreational riding, I’ve been commuting to school and work by bike since I was 15 — an opportunity for two more rides per day!”

The process for becoming a CyclingSavvy instructor is intense. Randy observed that he learned quite a bit from his fellow students as well as the instructors. He looks forward to passing it on.

“Helping others to gain skill and confidence on the bike is my quest,” he said. “CSI training provided great help with both subject matter and teaching techniques. This was time well spent.”

Carl Fenske

CyclingSavvy instructors at the beginning of an intense and rewarding day.

CSI Carl Fenske (at front left) describing what to expect on the Tour of Orlando

Carl hails from Greensboro, NC. He describes himself as a cycle tourist, urban bike commuter and cycling advocate. He’s ridden across America and led several self-contained youth cycling tours from Maine to Florida, as well as in England. During his 38-year career as a science teacher, Carl commuted six of those years to and from school by bike, and taught summer cycling camps.

Carl never heard of CyclingSavvy until last fall. “When I first discovered CyclingSavvy, I watched several of the videos and was intrigued by the concepts presented there,” he said.

He immediately subscribed to CyclingSavvy Online, but then discovered and signed up for a three-day workshop in Charlotte, led by veteran instructor Pamela Murray.

“It was there that I was able to gain new approaches to teaching cycling skills and strategic riding practices,” Carl said. “I inquired about becoming an instructor because I wanted to continue my CyclingSavvy journey.”

Carl called it a “privilege” to work with Keri during his instructor training — and then took his observation a step further.

“She’s identified and solved so many common problems that urban cyclists frequently encounter, she may become known as the Mother of Modern Bicycle Transportation.”

Les Leathem

Les is one of the guys behind These Guys Bike. He maintains there’s a big difference between knowing how to balance on two wheels and riding.

Les Leathem practicing chalk talk.

CyclingSavvy instructors learn all sorts of ways to communicate. Les Leathem practices “chalk talk” in a parking garage in Downtown Orlando

“Riding a bicycle means feeling confident at any time,” he says. “It means the ability to ride in most weather conditions, it means using it for exercise, transportation, or just the sheer joy of getting outside and doing something!”

A native of New Orleans, Les has returned home after many years away. He is Louisiana’s first CyclingSavvy instructor. He’s excited by the rapid rise of bicycling in NOLA, and looks forward to helping people discover savvy cycling.

“Remember: Whenever, however, wherever you ride, you are an advocate,” he says. “And what you communicate matters.”

Les was already one of the nation’s top cycling instructors when he decided to check out CyclingSavvy. He’s a coach for the League of American Bicyclists, teaching others how to become League-certified instructors.

This bicycle expert was surprised when he took CyclingSavvy.

“Taking the basic course, I learned a lot,” Les wrote in his application to become a CyclingSavvy instructor. “The focus of the course was very useful and different. I’d like to be able to offer that perspective to the community.”

Damon Richards

Damon is the executive director of IndyCog, the bike advocacy nonprofit serving Indianapolis. He’s an Indianapolis native and Indiana’s first CyclingSavvy instructor. He says he’s “pretending to be retired” from running a small computer consulting company. As head of IndyCog, he wants to create more bike riders in Central Indiana.

Damon & Randy describe their road features for the Tour of Orlando

CSI Damon Richards and CyclingSavvy co-founder Keri Caffrey discuss the road feature he’ll be leading later that day, as instructor trainer Lisa Walker and CSI Randy Dull listen

And not just Indiana. Damon’s recent ride across America led him to an epiphany. Every single day delivered kind encounters, almost always with strangers and even when he thought it might be otherwise.

He’ll never forget being stranded on a lonely road in Oklahoma as he changed a flat tire. A guy in a large pickup truck roared by. As he flew down the road, Damon looked up to notice the guns on the rack behind the bench seat.

A couple of minutes later, the guy came roaring back. “This can’t be good,” Damon thought to himself, and started looking around, wondering what he could grab to protect himself.

The guy jumped out of his truck and heaved a huge tool chest over to Damon and his bike. “I see you have trouble,” he said. “How can I help?”

That ride set Damon on a mission. He realized that biking was about so much more than the bike. His research afterward led him to savvy cycling, as a way to restore kindness and civility to everyday human encounters.

Scott Slingerland

This training included not one but two directors of bike-ped organizations. Scott serves as director ​for CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, in eastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley.​ He comes to bicycling-pedestrian-transit advocacy & education as a “recovering engineer,” with 12-plus years’ experience working on power plants and pressure vessels.

CyclingSavvy instructor training in Orlando (Feb 2018)

When you’re bicycling, you have choices! CSI Scott Slingerland describes the pros and cons of options for cyclists when using this road and its sidepath

Bicycling has been a big part of Scott’s lifelong journey for synergy of transportation, sport, health and freedom. He first biked to school at age 11. He’s done mountain bike racing and bicycle touring in the United States, Costa Rica, Germany, China and Taiwan. He’s not owned a car since 2008. He bikes daily for transportation, averaging about 7,000 miles per year.

Scott used a combination of Greyhound, Amtrak and his own power to get from his Easton, PA, home to the Orlando training. His trip included visiting friends in Daytona Beach. He rode from there to Orlando.

Scott decided to pursue instructor training last fall after taking CyclingSavvy. “I’m fascinated by the extensive communication methods taught to foster cooperation between cyclists and motorists,” he wrote in his application to become an instructor. “I want to bring this method to local cyclists in my official capacity and extend the teaching to motorists as well.”

Scott continued: “I also find the classroom portion of CyclingSavvy to be eye-opening with clear presentation and graphics.

“In the general realm of expanding bicycling, I would like to focus on teaching skills, driver awareness, and cyclist-motorist cooperation, rather than fighting for, or against, infrastructure.”

Jeff Viscount

He’s called the “Mayor of Biketown” in Charlotte, NC. Jeff runs WeeklyRides.Com, an impressive compilation of rides, tours and all things bikey around Charlotte. He’s a recreational road cyclist and commuter. “I want to help others learn and understand the principles and techniques taught through CyclingSavvy,” he wrote in his application to become an instructor.

He did a fabulous job in Orlando.

CSI Jeff Viscount with an excellent "chalk talk" in Orlando

CSI Jeff Viscount created an excellent “chalk talk” of an intimidating intersection in Orlando

Brian Watson

Someday lots of us will be earning a living teaching savvy cycling. Right now, Brian is!

CSI Brian Watson explains how to safely navigate a complicated interchange

CSI Brian Watson (kneeling) describes how to easily bike on a busy road under Interstate 4 in Orlando

Brian lives in Bremerton, WA, and teaches Seattle-area adults and children through BicycleTeacher, his bicycling education coaching service. He is Washington State’s first CyclingSavvy instructor. Every weekend from mid-April through late September, Brian teaches, often for Go Redmond, a mobility program in Redmond, WA. His students include those who have never been on a bike to people with many years in the saddle. When Brian’s not on his bike, he’s busy in Watson Studios making one-of-a-kind creations in wood.

“Becoming a CyclingSavvy Instructor has been a long-time goal, and was a rigorous and rewarding process,” Brian wrote afterward. “The insights and thoroughness of the CyclingSavvy approach will allow me to offer the best in bicycling education in Washington State.”

When he got back home, Brian wrote this awesome post on the instructor forum:

Pedaling home from a long day of CSI training, I experienced a poignant moment of civility that CS behavior inspires. It was dark, so I had my lights on, and was wearing my reflective vest and wristbands. I had moved into the left tire track (after scanning, signaling, and verifying that the lane was clear) at a stoplight to turn left. As I was waiting at the light, a driver pulled up behind me with her right turn signal blinking. Since there was plenty of room in the lane for us to wait side-by-side, I gave her a friendly wave to come on up beside me.

She rolled her window down to thank me, and then said, ‘It’s just so nice to see a bicyclist following the rules.’ Even though she was some distance behind me as we approached the light, she was able to see me, see my signal, and correctly read my intentions from my lane positioning. She was genuinely appreciative of my behavior, and I returned the gratitude to her for her civil driving.

I then gave my best ‘red light speech’ extolling the CS approach, and encouraged her to check it out so she too could ride her bike anywhere, any time.

The light turned green all too soon, and we parted ways with a wave and a smile.

In today’s climate of fear and incivility, this brief encounter was a small but powerful demonstration of the potential for creating trust, respect, and kindness with simple changes in cycling behavior.

CS gives me HOPE.

cyclingsavvy instructors in orlando, florida

The nation’s newest CyclingSavvy Instructors. From left: Lisa Walker (instructor trainer), Jacob Adams, Les Leathem, Scott Slingerland, Carl Fenske, Damon Richards, Randy Dull, Jeff Viscount, Keri Caffrey (CyclingSavvy co-founder), Brian Watson and Karen Karabell (newly minted instructor trainer)

 

william phelps eno

William Phelps Eno, My Hero

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On this day devoted to love, I admit to adoring a man who’s not my husband.

Yes, Harold knows. He also thinks highly of the guy, though he’d draw the line at “adore.” Not me. I love what this guy did for humanity.

thank the father of traffic safety for your safe travelsWhen you go out today — reasonably certain of being able to get where you want to go without incident — thank this man. He had something to do with your safe travels, even though you’ve probably never heard of him.

His name is William Phelps Eno. Well over 100 years ago he created pretty much everything we take for granted as we move about on our public roadways. Stop signs, crosswalks, traffic circles, one-way streets, drivers’ licenses: That’s all from Eno, and much more.

Perhaps the biggest thing he did was develop the “Rules of Movement” that we still use today. At least most of us. Yes, there are people on bicycles who don’t use them — and more terrifying, people in cars. I’ll get to that in a minute.

Eno didn’t invent the Rules of Movement. He observed the way ships operate on the high seas, and applied these ideas to our public roads.

New York City 1909 traffic code

A section of the world’s first traffic regulations, drafted by Eno and issued by New York City in 1909

Our streets and roads

are BY FAR our largest public property. We’ve used them for centuries not just for travel, but for socializing, commerce and play.

Lately we’ve been using our public property to make statements. #InsertYourCause and go march on a large arterial road.

Eno started thinking about traffic in 1867, when he was 9 years old and stuck with his mother in a buggy on a New York City street. He later wrote: “That very first traffic jam (many years before the motor car came into use) will always remain in my memory. There were only about a dozen horses and carriages involved, and all that was needed was a little order to keep the traffic moving. Yet nobody knew exactly what to do; neither the drivers nor the police knew anything about the control of traffic.”

guy riding wildly on his bicycle

The Scorcher

Things got worse before they got better, in part because of nifty new machines that everyone was riding. Hooray for bicycles!

At the turn of the 20th Century, “scorchers” were accused of scaring horses and causing crashes. Many victims were children playing in the street, which led to a public outcry. Somebody had to do something!

Eno did.

He’s described as a “public-spirited citizen” who insisted three things were needed to bring order to our streets:

  • Concise, simple and just rules, easily understood, obeyed and enforced under legal enactment
  • These rules must be so placed and circulated that there can be no excuse for not knowing them
  • Police must be empowered and ordered to enforce them, and trained for that purpose

At age 40 he left his family business to work on road safety and traffic control. His innovations led to the elegance and simplicity that define the US transportation system, and others around the world modeled upon it.

People on bicycles fit right in.

It took me awhile to truly understand and embrace this. I learned the basics when I first took CyclingSavvy.

What? The guy who created rules for safe traffic flow and designed the world’s first traffic plans and is honored as the Father of Traffic Safety never drove a car? Eno died in 1945, so he could have driven one.

He’s said to have detested cars, and predicted they’d be a passing fad.

Father of Traffic Safety never drove a car

Well! This was inspiring. I loved learning that the rules regarding traffic were developed well before the rise of the automobile. But look what’s happened since then. We’ve watched Eno’s ideas scale “up” to the point where private auto use has become ubiquitous. These days, cars are overused to the point of ridiculousness. One of every four auto trips in America is less than a mile. That’s heartbreaking.

Our challenge now is showing how Eno’s ideas scale “down.” Hell, yes, you can use your bike instead of your car!

There are certain things you need to know to keep yourself safe. Back to bicyclists and motorists who think the rules don’t apply to them:

Your safety is a product of your behavior.

When crashes happen, we can almost always identify the behavior that led to the crash. That’s a big part of what we do in CyclingSavvy: We show people what really causes crashes, and more important, how to avoid them.

I wish Eno were here. I’d take him on a bike ride.

He’d instantly understand how savvy cycling — created by two other people nobody’s ever heard of — could make the use of cars…not a thing of the past — they’re just too useful — but much less necessary.

I will be forever grateful to Eno for teaching me that the Rules of Movement — which he so brilliantly applied to our public roads — have nothing to do with size or speed. They have a whole lot to do with another “S” word, as well as a couple of “C” words. No, one of those “C” words is not cars!

Safety, courtesy and cooperation are the hallmarks of the US transportation system. While the rare bad encounter sticks in your craw, think about how good and uneventful your typical commute is, however you convey yourself.

For this you can thank Eno.

 

CyclingSavvy is a program of the American Bicycling Education Association. Our mission is to provide programs and resources for the education of bicyclists as drivers of vehicles, and bicycling-related education for traffic engineers, transportation planners, law enforcement professionals, educators, and the general public.

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