How to make traffic less terrifying

BWL Column
The News-Press, 8/3/2017
by Ken Gooderham

Illustration: commuteorlando.com

Are you a cyclist who’s afraid of traffic? Well, you’re not alone… there are a lot of bike riders who go out of their way (or don’t go out at all) to avoid mixing it up with motor vehicles.

But avoiding cars and trucks isn’t always feasible, so there will be times when there’s no getting around getting into traffic. What can you do to make that a safer and less stressful situation?

• Bike defensively. Assume that an oncoming vehicle will do something you won’t like and be prepared to avoid it. This doesn’t mean riding in a perpetual state of fear, but it does mean paying  a lot of attention to the vehicles around you and what hazards they could pose. Usually, nothing will happen… but better to be ready than to be taken by surprise.
• Plan your ride routes to minimize motor vehicles… or to maximize safer facilities. Don’t pick busy streets unless you have no other choice. Do pick roadways with well-designed bike/ped facilities, where there’s room for everyone to travel. Know your options and pick roads with more room or less traffic.
• Act like the vehicle operator you are. Ride with traffic (it’s the law), where drivers are more likely to see you. Signal your intentions when around other vehicles (that means bikes, too). Remember your limitations as a vehicle (no protection, say) and your strengths (faster to stop and more maneuverable, for example).
• Be aware. Pay attention to what’s going on around you so, no cell phones) and use all your senses – meaning no earphones(it’s the law).
• Be visible. In traffic the last thing you want to do is blend in. Wear bright colors, have flashing lights… whatever it takes to be seen by drivers. (Oh, and wear a helmet, OK?)
• Be predictable. Ride steady and straight, don’t swerve into another vehicle’s path or ignore a traffic signal… as the more vulnerable vehicle, you’ll never win any of those interactions.
• Be in charge. Don’t assume the other guy will stop in time or stay out of your way. If something goes awry, stop and wait for the offending vehicle to move on.
• Be friendly. Wave at motorists who do the right thing. Make eye contact with drivers so you know they see you.
• Be smart. If someone is driving or acting like a jerk, don’t engage them. You need to be the bigger person since they’re operating the bigger vehicle. Reporting an incident is always an option.

All this may never make riding in traffic a welcome experience, but they can make it a safe one. They will also give you skills you’ll need to use your bike as transportation, not just recreation – which can also be a good thing for your life (and health and waistline and wallet, etc.).

Bikes, cars and trucks can coexist on the same roadway – particularly ones designed for everyone to have a safe space. (Those kinds of “complete streets” really are safer for all – even motorists.) And if you approach riding in traffic with the right attitude – that you have a right to be there, but that right comes with responsibility – the experience can be a good one for all involved.

School’s back!

Next Thursday marks the start of another school year… and back to school means students will be back on the streets. Whether waiting for the bus or riding or walking their way to school, expect to see more kids out and about.

That means motorists must be more watchful both early morning and later afternoons, both for students along the roads and walkways, and for the buses picking them up. Watch for the school bus’s red lights and, unless you’re on a roadway divided with “a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least five feet wide,” be prepared to stop.

A good time to trim

Summer rains bring summer growth… and soon your yard looks like a jungle as the tropical plants take over.

While you’re staying busy staying ahead of the vegetation, be sure to take a look at any trees or bushes you have adjacent to trafficways – bike, pedestrian or motorized.

Why?

Makes it safer for everyone… bikers and walkers can ride or walk safely on the sidewalk or bike path, and motorists can see what’s coming if the overgrowth is under control.

Makes it better for your plants… since, if vegetation impinges on a public road, sidewalk, bike path or other right-of-way, DOT (or some government agency) has the responsibility to keep that right-of-way clear. When they cut, they work to clear out vegetation first… not always the best for your plants.

So keep the way clear and trim your trees and bushes.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? There’s a Cape Coral 5K on Saturday (3dracinginc.com) at Jaycee Park. Later in the month, look for the North Collier Regional Rampage 5K on Aug. 29 (eliteevents.org).

Ride? You’ll always have Critical Mass rides: Saturday is the fourth anniversary downtown Fort Myers ride, starting at 5 p.m.; Aug. 11 is the NE Lee ride, followed on Aug. 12 with the Sanibel ride. The cycle finishes with the Estero Ride on Aug. 18. For night rides lights are required, helmets recommended, and details and sign-up info is online at www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events.

Both? Willing to drive a little? There’s Tri Sarasota (sprint and international) on Saturday, and Tri at Siesta Key (sprint and super-sprint) Sunday. Nearby, there’s the Naples Junior Triathlon on Saturday, Aug. 12, at North Collier Regional Park (naplesjuniortriathlon.com), and the Galloway Captiva Tri weekend Sept. 9-10… kids events in three age groups on Saturday and the adult sprint on Sunday (captivatri.org).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. 


 

Firsthand experiences are valuable

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 2/1/2017 
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Organizers of Million Mile Movement, which is taking place until the end of March, have added a new element to the challenge. They’re seeking firsthand reports of the good, bad and downright dangerous aspects of our infrastructure as well as behaviors witnessed when out and about.

In fact, because this kind of information is so valuable, anyone is welcome to provide input - including photos and videos - whether or not you’re registered with MMM.

If this option is utilized as envisioned, it will prove useful in getting the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area off the top of the list of most dangerous places in the U.S. for pedestrians.

Your “field reports” of experiences will be collected, analyzed and sent to transportation and recreation decision makers with the intention to spark action, both in specific locations you’ve identified and for the bigger picture.

Beyond documenting user experiences, the hope is that a critical planning element will finally be undertaken as a result. Transportation professionals and Complete Streets advocates are well aware that one of the major shortcomings in our area’s planning process for accommodating pedestrians and bicyclists with the proper design is the almost total lack of any method of counting users on existing sidewalks, paths, trails and bike lanes. Knowing who is using a facility is crucial to making improvements when necessary.

Latent demand estimation is yet another missing aspect of our current process. Private road developers may sometimes build roads strictly on speculation but those who fund our motor vehicle transportation projects with public tax dollars would (almost) never consider investing a dollar without doing their due diligence of using well established (although sometimes flawed and outdated) methods of knowing how many vehicles can be expected. For bike/ ped accommodation planning, other than the existence of well-worn goat paths or when human tragedies make it abundantly clear there’s a need, formal latent demand data isn’t part of decision making, at least from my experience.

It’s easy to pass along your experiences and insights from navigating our roads, pathways and parks. You can go to healthylee.com to find details of the various options or simply tag @HealthyLeeCounty on FB and use the hashtag #MilllionMileMovement to record your observations and experiences.

Some input you may want to submit includes: Did you feel safe during your activity? Why or why not? Did you notice any recent improvements in infrastructure or the overall environment? What were they? What more would you recommend? Were you able to find you way with ease, especially if the area where you were is new to you? Were there particular intersections or traffic conditions that concerned you? What do you suggest to make them better/safer?

Any feedback you deem appropriate is appreciated. By the way, be sure to also report hazard you happen upon to the department responsible for addressing the problem. Finally, to provide input specific to the bike/ped master plan currently being developed by Fort Myers Beach you can find the link at fortmyersbeachfl.gov. Additional information for all of these are at bikewalklee.blogspot.org.

Area bike rides

Once again city of Cape Coral Parks and Rec staff and volunteers did a great job of pulling off this year’s Tour de Cape in challenging conditions. With sustained winds at 15-25 mph (with much higher gusts) all morning, and the threat of thunderstorms and possible tornadic activity looming, the prudent decision was made to forego the 100-mile ride and adjust the metric half-century (62-miles) to loop the 30-mile route twice instead. The 30- and 15-milers went on as normal. This decision meant no riders would be stranded many miles away in the northern part of the Cape and rest-stop volunteers wouldn’t be put in harm’s way. Based on what I heard from those returning form their respective rides, no one complained about the adjustments — they were just happy to be back after a tough ride. Extra T-shirts were given out and a discount on next year’s Tour de Cape was offered to those who had registered to ride the century as a goodwill gesture.

Next up is the annual Royal Palm Classic Ride, organized by Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org). It is Sunday, March 12. It’s being staged from Fort Myers Brewery in Gateway. Distances include 15, 40 and 62 miles. Proceeds will be donated to I WILL Mentorship Foundation (iwmf2.org), an organization that includes bike riding as part of its work with local young people. ¦

- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417.