Bicyclists, motorists need to share road

I was recently bicycling down a D.C. street, and a driver honked at me. I was breaking no law and doing what bike safety advocates, such as those who teach the Washington Area Bicyclist Association’s Confident City Cycling classes, say is safest, but this driver apparently had some misconceptions about how people on bikes ought to ride.

Later, I was driving, and encountered a few people biking in ways that made me want to honk at them (though I did not). We’re all told to “share the road,” but we could all share better if we understand what is legal, and safe, to do.

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A PSA from the Washington Area Bicycle Association warns drivers about the dangers they can create for cyclists. A graphic from Bike Arlington also has tips for how cyclists, drivers and pedestrians can stay safe.

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Here are five things drivers need to know, and often don’t, about sharing the road. Dr. Gridlock has the flip side below.

●Cyclists might be on the left side of the road. If someone on a bike is turning left, the correct and legal thing for them to do is to move to the left, just as a driver would, and then turn left from there. If a cyclist is on the left side of the road, or a left lane of a multi-lane street, don’t honk or get angry; realize the cyclist is probably getting ready to turn left or making some other necessary maneuver.

●Riding outside a bike lane is often okay. Bike lanes are great. They make many cyclists feel more comfortable on the road. They move many cyclists into a separate space so that drivers can pass without having to wait for the slower vehicle. However, a cyclist might be elsewhere on the road for many reasons, including the left turns mentioned above. In the District and Virginia, a cyclist can choose to ride outside the bike lane for any reason.

Cyclists also often ride in the left part of a bike lane to be farther from car doors that might suddenly open.

●If turning right across a bike lane, move into the bike lane first. Say you’re driving on a road with a bike lane on the right side. You want to make a right turn. What do you do? Many people just drive up to the corner in the “car” lane, then turn from there. That’s unsafe.

The right way to turn across a bike lane is to first merge into the bike lane a short distance before the corner. Signal to move right and look over your shoulder like you would changing lanes on a highway. If there are no cyclists coming, move over, then make the turn from there. Don’t move into the lane while stopped behind a line of cars at a light, because then a cyclist can’t get past, but do it when you’re ready to turn right and have the green.

●Bicycles are faster than you might think. A bike is slower than a car most of the time, but often not that much slower. If you’re driving and pass a cyclist, give some extra time before moving back into the lane, because that bike is also moving.

If you pass a cyclist and then plan to turn right, realize that the cyclist probably isn’t still back where you were when you passed, but has moved a lot farther. It’s generally safer for all to avoid passing a cyclist just before making a right turn, because the cyclist can end up in your blind spot.

Don’t honk. Some drivers think that it’s a courtesy to honk to tell a cyclist they’re coming. Trust me, they know. Cars make a fair amount of noise. Horns make an enormous amount of noise.