Bikes And Cars And People
Saturday, April 28, 2012 @ 6:37 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The snow is gone, temperature is warming up and soon the sand and gravel will be cleared from city streets. And what it all means is that those of us who like to ride on two wheels instead of four are much more in evidence.
Motorcyclists are back on the roads and want to ride safely but face a number of hazards in doing so. Jack Giannisis, owner of Prince George Learn To Ride, says more people are driving, the roads are busier and there are too many drivers who are distracted by things like cell phones. “I still see people texting while driving, their heads down texting when they’re at intersections, and it’s nerve-wracking when you’re out there so ya, definitely the roads are busier than they’ve ever been and it’s more hazards for us riders.” He also says many drivers now are a lot more aggressive as they rush to get to where they’re going.
Giannisis says motorcycle riders are trained by his instructors to pay attention, being a lot more pro-active in the way they ride, recognizing situations that could lead to an issue where you can’t get out of the way if something does go wrong. Angela Regan, the manager at PG Learn To Ride, says riders tend to get sloppy. “I think that over the years we tend not to pay attention to the things we should be paying attention to. We teach people how to ride defensively so we tell them “you ride like you’re invisible out there, ride like your life depends on it because it does.”
Regan says bike riders need to leave room between themselves and other vehicular traffic to allow for reaction time. “It’s all about being prepared for what might happen, anticipating a problem ahead of time.” Giannisis says you don’t want to ride side by side. “The problem with that is if a hazard happens to pop up, the rider won’t be able to move out of the way and if they have to move laterally to avoid the hazard you’re going to take out who you’re riding next to.”
Regan lists the top three things motorists should be aware of:
1) That motorcyclists are on the road
2) That they take up less space so they’re not as visible
3) And that they should look twice to avoid a collision
As far as the bike riders go, Regan says if you’re on a bike “we can be dead right or dead wrong, either way we’re dead. So we have to think about our safety. Anyone who’s stupid on a bike, they’re taking their life in their hands. So I make sure that I ride safe because if I go down I’m going to get hurt. The driver in a car may not, so it doesn’t matter whose fault it was.”
Ride safe, drive safe, be aware and share the road.
Comments
Distracted driving is a problem, but so is driving with impaired attention due to the unavoidable necessity of attempting to dodge the many huge potholes and cracks in the roads…
As a bicycle rider on Prince George streets, I would like to remind drivers to try and be courteous to us also. So many times vehicles go blowing by me too closely, often when there is two lanes in one direction with ample room to move over.
It’s tough out there for bike riders. Trying to stay clear of the rocks, glass, and winter crud left at the edge of our roads. And of course we are also dodging pot holes (just like you) that can destroy bike wheels and tires. Thanks!
Follow the rules of the road bicycle riders, stay off the damn sidewalks.
Bicycle and motorcycle riders follow the rules of the road like everyone else. How come bike aficionados never seem to criticize their own kind? Crotch rockets blowing by with some idiot wearing shorts, T-shirt and running shoes with their girls friends hanging on wearing even less. How about the useless tiny skidlids, and the noise. I guess the noise is a way to make up for some physical impairment. So Jack clean up your own back yard before looking into some body else’s.
What ever happend to “Defensive Driving”. of which the first rule is follow the rules and dont worry about the next driver.
And remember that bycycles have the same rules as a motorized vehicle. They dont have to ride at the edge of the lane where all the crud has been blown like glass and nails and in PG the winter sand. And worst of all where vehicles park in the bycycle lanes where they exist
Cheers
Seamutt, if you were to take the time to discuss your opinions with a seasoned, mature motorcycle rider, you would be perhaps surprised to learn that many of us share at least some of the same views on things like careless or aggressive riding, inappropriate riding gear, excessively loud exhaust.
I believe that the thrust of the article was that as we all share the road, it behooves every one of us to not only respect the rules, but also one another.
Also, any vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle whatever that has a ‘right’ to use the road should be able to keep up with traffic. That excludes bicycles, in most instances, so they should be ridden at the side of the road where bike lanes are absent.
metalman.
sorry noway. On some of our roads its a deathwish riding on the roads. Try riding between parked cars and vehicles driving by inches off your elbow. I respect pedestrians and give them lots of room if im on a side walk, but after countless close calls, the side walk is much safer.
The city has no money for pedestrian sidewalks and even less than zero for *away from the road* dedicated bike lanes!
We don’t pay enough taxes to expect luxuries like sidewalks and bike lanes, apparently.
Most drivers respect cyclists; however many drivers leave too little room, probably because they don’t appreciate the challenges of cycling through gravel, potholes, broken glass, and cars parked in the bike lanes. Some drivers are amazingly hostile towards cyclists, deliberately crowding, throwing objects, or swearing at them. These drivers often do this while they have their children in the car – imagine the social skills their kids will develop! NoWay’s comment above is hostile. Cyclists often use sidewalks to survive, and in some places, it’s even legal and condoned by signs asking people to share the pathway.
Maybe Ms. Green can send an invite to Mayor Bicycle in Vancouver and have him come visit us and enlighten the folks in PG how important bikes are.
I doubt those fat butt doughnut eating pizza gut mayor & council people even remember how to ride a bicycle.I bet if we challenged them to ride to work every day and to every council meeting for the rest of the year(rain or shine)half of them would die of a heart attack or simply succumb to exhaustion…
The streets are not too clean this year!!
Glen I have been slowed down by cyclists hogging the road for no reason except being idiots. I do ride a bicycle and at one time could bang off a hundred miles without breathing hard, and being courteous while doing it.
Comments for this article are closed.