*SHARING THE ROAD WITH BICYCLES*

*I recently looked up what the current La. Drivers Manual says about bikes, and it's not bad. It might be worth carrying a few copies of this to give to angry motorists:*

*SHARING THE ROAD WITH BICYCLES*

Louisiana Revised Statute 32:199: All children under the age of 12, when operating a bicycle or is a passenger on a bicycle, must wear an approved helmet with head straps when on a public highway, bicycle path or other public right-of-way.

Bicycling is a healthy form of recreation for many people, while for others it is an important form of transportation. Bicycles have the same rights to use public roads as automobiles and must follow the same traffic laws as other vehicles.

Many drivers find it hard to know how to react to bicyclists riding in the street. For the safety of both drivers and bicyclists the following precautions should be taken while driving and bicycling.

*Driving Safely near Bicyclists*

*Approaching and passing bicyclists:*

Increase following distances behind bicyclists because bicycle-stopping
distances are shorter than automobiles.

• Be aware that bicyclists not traveling in the extreme right of the lane may be trying to avoid gravel, debris, bad pavement, sewer grates and other obstacles.

• Be cautious of bicyclists moving legally into the center of the lane because of road hazards or into the left lane because of a left turn.

• Avoid passing between a bicyclist and an oncoming car on a two-way roadway. Slow down and allow oncoming vehicles to pass. Then move to the left to allow plenty of room to pass the bicyclist safely.

• A three foot distance must be present between the passing automobile and slower traveling bicyclists.

• Give bicyclists the entire lane when they are passing parked cars. They need the space to avoid opening doors.

• Use caution when passing bicyclists because the air current created by a passing automobile may cause bicyclists to have an accident.

• If you are pulling a trailer, allow for extra passing room when passing bicyclists.

• Extra caution should be used when motorist are near bicyclists in wet, windy, or icy weather.

*Turning near bicyclists:*

• Drivers who are turning left must wait until oncoming bicyclists pass. Accidents occur when turning drivers do not notice the bicyclists in the flow of traffic or misjudge their speed.

• Do not swing in front of a bicyclist to make a right turn. Making a right turn after overtaking a bicyclist is also a cause of accidents. Drivers should slow down and stay behind the bicyclist, or LOOK ONCE, THEN AGAIN. MAKE SURE YOU SEE THE BICYCLE AND KNOW ITS SPEED BEFORE YOU TURN.

• Speeds of bicycles are hard to judge; they can vary from under 10 mph to over 35 mph. Good

communication and eye contact between auto drivers and bicyclists are needed to prevent accidents.

*Watch for bicyclists and use caution in hazardous conditions:*

• When opening your car door into traffic, look first for bicyclists.

• Railroad crossings can cause bicyclists to slow down and possible zigzag in order to cross the tracks.

• Metal or grated surfaces may cause a bicycle to be less stable than a car. Bicyclists should slow down and move to the center of the lane to allow room for handling the uneven surface.

Drivers should be prepared for the reaction of a bicyclist who is less experienced and may swerve to correct for the new surface.

• Long open highways and bridges, trucks creating windblasts can move a bicyclist out of his or her path of travel.

• Children on bicycles may not be aware of their surroundings. Drivers should be aware that the children may make sudden movements or change direction.

• Especially in Louisiana, inclement weather conditions create high winds and slippery surfaces that can cause extreme problems for bicyclists. Because these conditions create stability problems for all vehicles, drivers should allow more following distance for bicyclists.

*Bicycling Safety:*

• Always wear a helmet.

• Use hand signals and eye contact to communicate your actions with other drivers on the road.

• Obey the instructions of official traffic control signals and signs. Stop
at stop signs and for stoplights just like a motor vehicle.

• Ride on the right hand side of the road with traffic. If you are making a
left hand turn, ride on the left side of the turn lane. You may ride in center of lane to avoid hazards.

• Be predictable by riding in a straight line and following traffic laws.

• Yield to pedestrians on crosswalks and on sidewalks.

• When riding at night, bicycles must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector visible from the rear.

• Carry no more persons than the number for which the bicycle is designed and equipped.

• Two cyclists may ride side-by-side, but it is safer to ride in a single file line.

Rick