The Rights and Duties of Cyclists - Bicycle Safety

League of American Bicyclists certified traffic cycling instructors demonstrate the rights and duties of cyclists in the United States. The video shows cyclists acting as drivers of vehicles making normal vehicular maneuvers including lane control, lane sharing, left and right turns, through movements and a freeway ramp crossing. This video is intended to show cyclists and motorists how it looks when cyclists act and are treated as vehicle drivers in normal urban traffic in the City of Long Beach, California. These skills are taught by the League of American Bicyclists, Smart Cycling program. You can find instructors and classes in your state at the education area of the League website:
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/course_schedule.php

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Bicyclist
• Cyclist
• Rights
• Duties
• Lane
• Control
• Bicycle
• Safety

[matrich1983]

one of the rights of cyclists should be paying some god damn ROAD TAX!!! oh and not jump red lights all the time!!! they are a nuisance!!

[CyclistLorax]

- All transport is subsidized by general funds, so cyclists, who do 5-6 orders less damage to roads, are actually subsidizing motorists. And how many red lights do we jump in this video? So save you compliants for other videos that feature illegal behavior. The point of this video is to model good behavior.

[TheCOD123456789]

why cant you ride on the sidewalk when there is one... is it that hard

[CyclistLorax]

- In California, sidewalk riding is governed by city law, and each city can vary in whether they allow sidewalk riding, create special rules or speed limits and how peds must be treated, or restrict sidewalk cycling altogether. While it is counterintuitive to many, sidewalk riding carries a much higher crash risk than riding in the road. Our traffic skills intro is on the CyclistView website

[wisdomandchange777]

i see u ride right in the middle of the lane , but i wonder if Texas drivers will think i am taking their lane when i shouldn't or if in fact i am not suppose to be right on the middle of the lane because i am on Texas ? .

[CyclistLorax]

- Only Califoirnia, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and New Hampshire have the unusual wording that makes the impeding traffic law apply to bicyclists. In 43 states, the law only applies to the drivers of motor vehicles (and tw ostates have no such law), so in these 5 states, police can and do use the law to harass bicyclists by using it as a de facto minimum speed limit to kick bicyclists off the roadway. This is what the miscreants in Ennis did to Reed.

[CyclistLorax]

- And who put you above the CA State Legislature that you can dictate to road users? You are yet another ignorant idiot with an opinion. Better still, why don't you get off the road, since your bigotry against other road users makes you unfit to responsibly use public infrastructure.

[zivkovicable]

Have you heard of the exception that makes the rule? I'm sure the Lance wasn't putting in the laps in the pool when he was a road racing pro. He's a fairly average triathlete, compared to the uniquely exceptional once in a generation tour rider that he was. I do see your point though, & I posted that after a few beers. so apologies all round.

[blastofo]

Females can excel greatly in cycling. There is a very steep hill climb by my house that over a thousand cyclists have logged their best times on strava, almost all men. Last time I checked, a pro female cyclist riding through town rode the hill and destroyed everyones records, and is #1 out of over a thousand riders. Men may have an advantage over women with upper body strength, but lower body strength is quite even.

[blastofo]

You don't know any serious cyclists who runs, swims, or does triathlon? Hmmm. Have you heard of a cyclist named Lance Armstrong?

[blastofo]

I was riding my bike on the sidewalk when a lady exited a parking lot and passed through the sidewalk without checking for traffic, hitting me and crushing my bike. The cops said I could not make her pay for my totaled bike, because biking on the sidewalk is illegal. They even said she could have forced me to pay for damage to her car. I had to learn the hard way why biking on the sidewalk is illegal and unsafe. I wish all drivers had this knowledge.

[fixedgearforlife]

I know plenty of motorists who should watch this video.

[simplyxblonde]

Thanks! =D

[EpicFishFingers]

My friend from Thailand used to carry a key in his and when he rode his bike. When people got too close (i.e. so close that he only has to turn the key outwards slightly for it to touch the car, and the side mirrors can actually hit your handlebars), he keyed their cars. It was ecognised by the locals, and if your car got keyed, you knew what you did. It also showed others what you nearly did...

[gordonjans89]

This is a helpful reminder but does not address the issue of rouge vehicle drivers. By rouge vehicle drivers I mean drivers who do not recognize cyclists as designated drivers who share the road.

How do you respond to a vehicle driver who screams at you through their window and curb checks you?