Faced with soaring gas prices, many commuters have traded in the gas pump for the air pump to tune-up their previously sedentary bicycles. According to a national study conducted by the Bikes Belong Coalition, 95% of bicycle shops said their customers attributed high gas prices to the purchase of new wheels this summer.
\nThe shift to cycling brings new responsibilities. \u201cPeople who are pulling old bicycles out of the garage really need to take them to a bike shop to make sure that they are properly working,\u201d said Avery Stonich, Marketing and Communications Director of
\nthe Bikes Belong Coalition.
\nAdditionally, it is up to bicyclists (old and new) to educate themselves.\u201c The streets are very different now from the way they were 20 years ago. We are trying to make sure that we get the word out about the rules of the road and basic riding techniques so that people enjoy the experience,\u201d said Andy Clarke, Executive Director of League of American Bicyclists. \u201cYou are and should be treated exactly the same as if you\u2019re behind the wheel of a car \u2014 you have the same rights and responsibilities.\u201d
\nThat includes stopping at red lights and stop signs. According to a study completed by the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Federal Highway Administration, 21.7% of crashes experienced by motorists and cyclists result from a motorist failing to yield \u2014 meaning the motorist enters an intersection and fails to stop at a traffic signal, striking a bicyclist who is traveling through the intersection. Equally alarming, 16.8% of crashes involving motorists and cyclists result from a bicyclist failing to yield at an intersection. This means that 38.5% of motorist-bicycle crashes could be eliminated simply by stopping at red lights and stop signs.
\nIf you\u2019re considering making the switch from four wheels to two, there are some simple tips to avoid injury. Stonich\u2019s top three rules: wear a helmet, ride with in the rules of the road, and be predictable.\u201c [Bicyclists] need to be comfortable on the road,\u201d said Stonich.\u201c The truth is, people really need to feel safe to want to ride.\u201d
\nBicyclists \u201care somewhat vulnerable to drivers\u2019 behavior,\u201d said Clarke.\u201c Be predictable, be visible, be ready for that idiot who is going to run a red light or stop sign; don\u2019t be intimidated, but be ready for that.\u201d
\n\u201cWe are all in this together,\u201d said Clarke. \u201cIt\u2019s not about bicyclists or motorists. We all benefit from safe driving.\u201d
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\nSAFETY FOCUS Volume Seven, No.6 October 2008
\nPublished by The National Campaign to Stop Red Light RunningoldId.2008102214080489<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Faced with soaring gas prices, many commuters have traded in the gas pump for the air pump to tune-up their previously sedentary bicycles. According to a national study conducted by the Bikes Belong Coalition, 95% of bicycle shops said their customers attributed high gas prices to the purchase of new wheels this summer. The shift … <\/p>\n