The Making of a Vehicular Cyclist
-- About the Author --
The Making of a Vehicular Cyclist-- About the Author -- |
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Fred started commuting to work via bicycle in the mid-1980's and has been riding regularly since 1990, gradually increasing from 65 commuting trips and 1300 miles per year to over 200 trips each year plus other transportation cycling totaling about 5000 miles. In 2007, he took a car to work only 9 times all year, vs. 212 cycling trips! He rarely rides solely for recreation.
| ... the main benefit of this more leftward lane position is that far fewer things go wrong. |
His conversion to a "vehicular" cyclist is fairly typical. A vehicular cyclist operates a bicycle as the driver of a vehicle, following the standard rules of the road. This is the safest and most efficient method of bicycle transportation. Unfortunately, it is counter-intuitive, thus most people do not ride this way. When he started, like most novices, he avoided main roads in favor of quiet residential streets. He occasionally rode on sidewalks where main roads could not be avoided. But he noticed sidewalk cycling creates hazards at intersections and driveways where drivers crossing his path do not look for fast traffic on the sidewalk. He also began to realize the main roads were not as bad as originally thought.
One day he was riding on a sidewalk with his daughter (then age 12) when a car pulled out of a restaurant parking lot, blocking the sidewalk. The driver (as is typical) had not looked for traffic on the sidewalk. His daughter was unable to stop in time and bumped the side of the car. Fortunately, she was not injured, but the experience provided a lesson about the hazard of riding on sidewalks, especially near commercial driveways. It is particularly dangerous to ride the "wrong way" with respect to traffic on the adjacent road.
This experience and a few timely tips from friends taught him that it is safer to ride on the roadway, following the same traffic laws as other drivers. He also learned that if he rides close to the curb, then some passing drivers will squeeze past at unsafe clearance. However, if he rides a bit further into the lane (typically between the right tire track and the middle of the lane), then, contrary to common belief, passing drivers will not run him over but instead they give much more space.
Another benefit of this improved lane position -- there are fewer motorist errors, such as the "right hook" where a car passes, then cuts in front of the bicycle to make a right turn. Still another benefit to riding further left is that it allows a "safety zone" to the right in case something goes wrong. But the main benefit of this more leftward lane position is that far fewer things go wrong.
As he gained this experience, he wondered about his legal rights as a user of the road. Did he have the right to the lane he was using, especially using the full lane? Or are cyclists 2nd class road users, whose greatest duty is staying out of the way, as many believe?
Were cars passing illegally where the lane is not wide enough for both a bicycle and a motor vehicle? Note that many two-lane roads are not wide enough for sharing the lane. Thus passing traffic must often cross a double yellow line to use part of the oncoming traffic lane to avoid squeezing by at unsafe clearance. [1]
Reading traffic laws was little help. Ohio Revised Code (§ 4511.55(A)) says "Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable ..." [2] Except for that word "practicable", this would seem to encourage "hugging the curb", a practice that leads to drivers dangerously "squeezing by". Eventually, he learned that the right tire track is generally a good place to ride -- EXCEPT -- on higher speed roads, where the right tire track may not be far enough left. Then the middle of the lane or even the left tire track is safer.
He also discovered that while riding assertively he can still cooperate with other drivers too. If traffic backs up behind him, he can usually find a safe way to let them pass. (For one thing, once cars slow down, less safety space is needed.) This knowledge is the secret to safer and more pleasant cycling. And he learned that standard traffic laws generally do support safe and equitable use of the road. Its the special "bicycle rules" that create problems.
One morning in 1994, as he was riding on US Rt. 42 (which has 5 narrow lanes including center turn lane) near his home, a police officer ordered him to ride against the curb. By this time he had enough experience to be certain that the officer's order was contrary to safety. He wrote to the police chief suggesting officers need training about operating bicycles properly. However, he did not then know where they could get this training. The chief did not answer the letter.
Four years later, he saw the video Effective Cycling when the NASA Research Center in Cleveland bought a copy for its "Learning Center". He immediately realized it could be a good tool for teaching police, city officials, and others. He bought a copy for advocacy. He also bought several dozen copies of the booklet Street Smarts by John Allen for educating public officials. After two more letters to the chief, an officer finally responded and watched the video.
Fred first heard about local ordinances that require riding on sidewalks and other dangerous practices at a 1999 meeting of the local planning agency's bicycle advisory committee. A cyclist had been stopped in North Olmsted, near Cleveland, and threatened with a ticket for riding on the road. Fred later learned of other communities with similar bad laws, including Avon Lake, OH then certified as a "Bicycle Friendly Community" by the League of American Bicyclists. Ironically, the planning agency has been unwilling to advise cities that certain ordinances need reform. Alas, the "Bicycle Friendly" program continues to reward cities that treat cyclists badly.
The editor of Crankmail, the local bike club newsletter, was also concerned about these dangerous laws. Fred wrote a short article about "Sidewalk Laws" for the Crankmail Web Site (article since moved to BikeLaws.org). Thus began a significant cycling advocacy section that grew to over two dozen articles about Model Laws for cycling, legal defense, plus "how to" information including a parents' brochure, links and more. The "short article" now has information and ratings (on an A-F scale) about the cycling ordinances for 75 communities in NE Ohio. About half of the cities researched had one or more ordinances that mandate dangerous practices. A few communities (including N Olmsted) have revised their cycling ordinances as a result of this work. The city of Brook Park adopted the Model Laws for their ordinances and their rating improved from "F" to "A-"!
One of the most effective venues for advocacy is a good state cycling organization such as the Ohio Bicycle Federation. Fred became a board member of OBF because it has been working on several worthwhile projects, including reforms for Ohio bicycle traffic laws. Most of these proposed reforms became law through House Bill 389 of 2006. [1-3] In 2001, OBF persuaded the Lieutenant Governor to publish Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts (a bicycle drivers' manual) through the Ohio Dept. of Public Safety.
In April, 2002, Fred attended a workshop to become a "League Cycling Instructor", certified by the League of American Bicyclists. This allows him to teach bicycle driving through Smart Cycling (formerly BikeEd) classes. Certification also provides credentials as a cycling expert. You can see a preview of his Smart Cycling course as a Bicycle Driving Seminar.
In 2002, he started a small committee that researched bicycle traffic laws and then developed a set of Model Laws and then began to rate state laws against the model. This Bike Law Reform project can provide valuable help to state cycling organizations trying to improve their laws.
In 2003, he began a new OBF program, the Cyclist Friendly Communities Award Program. This emphasizes safety, education, and treating cyclists fairly. The OBF web site includes an extensive "Toolkit" of resources to help communities meet the criteria.
Fred ran for the board of the League of American Bicyclists as a reform candidate (to correct several serious problems including BFC). However, a faction led by appointed (not elected) directors conspired to give their candidate an unfair advantage. You can read about this at The 2003 LAB Election Scandal.
The election scandal, highly inappropriate advocacy programs (such as Bicycle Friendly Communities) and some sneak changes to the LAB Bylaws led to the formation of LAB Reform, an informal group of long-time volunteers seeking to restore the League as a members' organization that works to benefit cyclists rather than just "bicycle advocates."
Fred's "better half" is Dianne. She is a life partner, former elementary schoolteacher and mother of three. Dianne does little cycling but is a good hiker, cross-country skier and canoeist. She patiently tolerates his many hours typing emails and articles about cycling on the computer.
daughter Robin became a triathlete and "ironwoman". She was a runner in
middle and high school and a swimmer in high school and college. Cycling
is a more recent activity. She is a determined competitor, placing 16th of
all the women at Ironman USA at Lake Placid in 2001 and then moving up to 9th in
2002. In 2003, she went "pro" and took 5th place at Ironman
Wisconsin.
Robin is also a triathlete coach, personal trainer and bike mechanic and
more recently, mother of an active 4-year old.
Fred's other children include Jay, a mechanical engineer, once a serious amateur musician (trombone) now Assistant Professor of Engineering at Arizona State Univ. and Michael, a classical musicain, who plays 2nd horn in the Victoria (Canada) Symphony. The right photo shows all three just outside Carnegie Hall in NY following a performance by Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra in March 2001. The boys were then members of the Youth Orchestra.
[1] 2006 amendments to the Ohio revised code allow passing a vehicle
traveling less than one-half of the speed limit even in a "no passing" zone,
provided there is "sufficient clear sight distance" per §4511.29.
[2] In 2006, the following clarifying language was added to this law in Ohio:
§4511.55(C) This section does not require a person operating a bicycle to
ride at the edge of the roadway when it is unreasonable or unsafe to do
so. Conditions that may require riding away from the edge of the roadway
include when necessary to avoid fixed or moving objects, parked or moving
vehicles, surface hazards, or if it is otherwise unsafe or impracticable to do
so, including if the lane is too narrow for the bicycle and an overtaking
vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
[3] The most important law reform from H.B. 389 of 2006, provides for uniform bicycle traffic laws throughout the state.
revised 10 Jan 2012