Long Beach, CA Traffic Circle

League of American Bicyclists certified traffic cycling instructors demonstrate how to traverse a traffic circle in Long Beach, CA. The video shows cyclists acting as drivers of vehicles by controlling the entry lanes and exit lanes from multiple directions. The instructors traversed the circle safely at very low speed in the10-11 mph range and also at higher speeds. To safely traverse the circle, cyclists must integrate with motor traffic, and enter it, and exit it, in the same way as other vehicle drivers. You can find instructors and classes in your state to teach you how to act as a driver at the education area of the League website:
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/course_schedule.php

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Long
• Beach
• Traffic
• Circle
• Bicyclist
• Cyclist
• Lane
• Control

[evafan365]

Hamilton has 2 had traffic circles for years. I have no choice sometimes but to use them and as a result have had several close calls. Hamilton is endorsing this type of intersection everywhere. Including residential neighborhoods three way intersections. Traffic speed has been proven related to incidents with ped + cycles traffic circles increase traffic speed.

[CyclistLorax]

@evafan365 - Where is Hamilton? Circles and roundabouts generally reduce traffic speeds but increase throughput precisely because traffic must slow to yield on entry, and follow a circular course instead of a straight course. The US crash stats I've analyzed show a strong correlation between crossing movement (right hook, left cross, and pullout) crashes, which are not heavily speed dependent, and depend more on the cyclist lateral position within the rodaway.

[CyclistLorax]

@evafan365 - Whether you like circles/roundabouts or not, the purpose of the video is to show that when a cyclist operates as a driver (and anyone of normal ability can do so), even at very low speed, then motorists already know how to treat the cyclists as drivers (wait behind or pass).

[evafan365]

Take time to read what I am saying. I do everything I can to endorse cycling. That means I would like to see most people get out on their bike regularly. I have been riding as my main transportation for 40 years now. I am involved with the cycling community in Hamilton Ontario. You should realize that the average cyclist would not boldly ride out in traffic as you demonstrate in the video. I want to endorse facility's that promote cycling not another reason to leave the bike in the garage.

[CyclistLorax]

@evafan365 - I read your words very carefully, and an argument ad populum, speculative at that, is not at all persuasive. I train cyclists to act as drivers, so unlike you, I do not have the same low expectation of people's ability to simply ride further leftward in the roadway. I also reject the "boldness" framing. In fact, I ride to be seen because riding at the edge is harrowing, whereas riding in the lane is quite comforting, because I know that I will not be hooked by exiting traffic.

[duivesteyn]

well i'm confused, is this a roundabout or a traffic circle?

[CyclistLorax]

@duivesteyn - CA Traffic law does not operate as you suggest, and even before the circle was "upgraded" to include some roundabout features, the drivers in the entry legs never had priority over traffic within the circle. Any circular roadway is a traffic circle, with roundabouts being one special subclass of circles. Rotaries are the most general class of loop roadways, with circles being a special subclass of rotaries!

[CyclistLorax]

@evafan365 - There's noting impractical about operating as a driver. As far as I can tell, you have a prejudice agasint cyclists operating as drivers. You have presented no evidence, other than your opinion that driving a bicycle "increases risk" (compated to what, one might ask?), as justification for banning bicycle access to primary transportation facilities like the circle and the roads leading to it.