“Hundreds of cyclists are killed, and thousands injured, each year while navigating the nation’s roadways. Bicycle riders can help prevent crashes by following a few basic rules of the road:

• Always wear an approved bicycle safety helmet to protect your head from serious injury when riding. [Good advice, but not a law for adults anywhere, and not something that will "help prevent crashes."]
• When riding with others, form a single line, one bike length apart, on the right–hand side of the roadway. [Only three states require single-file riding in most circumstances. While this says 'right-hand side of the roadway', it could easily be read as the right edge of the roadway, given that there's no statement anywhere about the importance of moving left to avoid hazards, keep away from right turning vehicles, or to get into position for a left turn.]
• Walk your bike across busy roads and intersections. [Not the law anywhere, not likely to improve safety, and definitely not a mobility improvement.]
• Use hand signals to show others that you are stopping or making a turn. [But how do you make a safe left turn?]
• Help other drivers to see you. Wear light or brightly colored clothing. [It is the law to have a headlight at night. They never mentioned this anywhere in the list.]
• On streets where cars are parked, watch for car doors opening into the roadways. [This assumes you will be riding in the door zone.]
• Avoid riding after dark or if the weather is bad. All cyclists are at risk during the hours of darkness. [A definite cramp on your mobility. You won't be able to cycle home from work much of the year. Again no mention of the required lights.]
• Give cars and pedestrians the right–of–way. It’s an act of courtesy, and it’s safer, too. [Yes, the most important rule: yield to cars at all times.]

I hope the League will take measures to improve the quality of information distributed by AAA.

It turns out that at least some of the AAA’s clubs provide ‘bike safety’ information directed at motorists. For example, the Mid-Atlantic club offers this advice:

Sharing the Road – How We All Can Make a Difference

Each year, there are more than a half-million collisions between motor vehicles and bicycles in the United States. Many of these incidents are the result of motorist, failing to properly yield to bicyclists. The following safety tips can make a difference:

• Motorists need to increase their awareness of bicyclists when making turns and remember to look for bicyclists when traveling in a straight line. [Unclear and not specific enough in terms of right hook and left cross.]
• Check for bicyclists along the edge of the traffic lane before opening car doors so you do not cause a collision when exiting your vehicle. [Fine, but should also mention that safe bicyclists ride out of range of opening doors.]
• Allow three feet of passing space between your car and the cyclist. Tailgating or honking can startle or fluster a bicyclist, causing them to swerve further into the driving lane. [Fine, except that 3 feet is insufficient if you are going fast or driving a truck.]
• Be patient. Remember, cyclists are moving under their own power and can’t be expected to go the same speed as cars. [And you might have to wait before it is safe to pass.]
• Pay special attention to blind spots. Due to their size and the location of bike lanes, bikes can often get lost in a car’s blind spot, so double check before changing lanes, making right-hand turns or before opening your car door on the traffic side when parked. [This seems to assume you will be turning right while leaving room for a bicyclist to pass on your right, rather than merging right before turning, as required. ]
• Bicyclists also should use bike paths and always watch for turning and parked motor vehicles. [Yes, staying off the road is the best way to share it.]
• Bicyclists should be encouraged to clearly communicate their intentions to motorists by using proper turn signals. [And use the proper lane position and yield before moving across the road.]
• Wearing helmets, visible clothing and using bike paths when available are key factors to ensuring a safe, pleasurable biking adventure. [Again with the bike paths -- but still no mention of lights.]

* Phoenix says: “You have the right to use . . . the sidewalks in business districts if you feel unsafe, unless posted signs say otherwise.” CORRECTION: You may never ride on sidewalks in business districts, and posted signs may prohibit sidewalk use elsewhere.

* Phoenix says: ”You have the right to ride two abreast on any roads with multiple lanes in the same direction. (If there is only one lane in each direction, you must ride single file, but may pass on the right.)” CORRECTION: You may ride two abreast at any time. However, the rider on the left must move right if failing to do so prevents someone from passing where it would be otherwise safe to do so.

* Phoenix says: “You must follow all traffic laws — that means stopping at lights and crosswalks and riding on the right side of the road.” CORRECTION: You may go when the traffic signal is green, but may not enter the intersection when it is red. You only need to slow or stop at a crosswalk when it is not controlled by signals and a pedestrian is in it or within 10 feet of your half of the road. You must generally use the right half of the road, not necessarily near the curb.

* Phoenix says: “You must keep to the right when passing a car.” CORRECTION: While you may pass on the right, it is almost always safer to pass on the left. Passing on the right leaves you vulnerable to motorists turning right across your path and puts you within range of opening doors of parked cars and even sometimes of motorists stopped in a queue at a light.

* Phoenix says: “You must signal your intention to stop or turn using either hand.” CORRECTION: The law that went into effect on April 15, 2009 added, “provided, however, that signals need not be made continuously, and shall not be made when both hands are needed for the safe operation of the bicycle.” Furthermore, the general rule on giving signals says that they must be made “before stopping said vehicle or making any turning movement which would affect the operation of any other vehicle.”

* Phoenix says: “You must give pedestrians the right of way when riding on a sidewalk, and give a shout before passing any pedestrian on the right.” CORRECTION: Almost correct. The law says “A person operating a bicycle on the sidewalk shall yield the right of way to pedestrians and give an audible signal before overtaking and passing any pedestrian,” but of course it doesn’t say “on the right.”

* Phoenix says: “You must carry all items in a basket, rack, or trailer.” CORRECTION: The law says, “The [bicycle] operator shall not carry any package, bundle or article except in or on a basket, rack, trailer or other device designed for such purposes.” The phrase”other device” leaves room for backpacks, water bottle cages, paniers, and even shopping bags. The point is that your hands must be free to operate the bike, not that you must use a government-sanctioned carrying mechanism.

More importantly, the summary of “bike laws” from the MassBike website, on which this short Phoenix article is based, is fundamentally misleading, because it summarizes the special rules that apply only to bicycles. The most important rules for safety apply to bicyclists and motorists equally. These include the rules about where to ride on the road, how to pass and be passed, how to make turns, and when to yield the right of way.

And in the lead article in the same special insert, there are a number of statements that could be contested, but none more so than this one which appears without refutation:

“When it’s car versus cyclist, the car always wins,” warns [Boston] Transportation Commissioner [Tom] Tinlin. His advice: “Back off and be safe.”

We’ve heard this canard many times before. It’s absurd and dangerous. You could just as well say, “When it’s cyclist versus asphalt, the asphalt always wins. When it’s car versus 18-wheeler, the 18-wheeler always wins.” So back off and be safe. Don’t drive your car on any road where big trucks are allowed. Don’t ride your bike except on soft grass.

Too many bicyclists are already scared into riding dangerously. “Back off” means keep far to the right edge of the road, preferably on the sidewalk. Ride facing traffic so you can see the cars coming and jump out of the way to avoid them. Ride in the door zone because otherwise motorists might get mad at you. People do these dangerous things because everyone has told them riding in the road means sudden death. And thus they suffer crashes and injuries. The last thing we need in promoting bike safety is people in positions of authority such as Commissioner Tinlin repeating this stuff.

Use as much of the road as you need and be safe. Happy bike week.

P.S. The AAA gets it even more wrong, with such “bike safety” advice as “Bicycles should stay to the right along the curb” and “Walk a bike across an intersection rather than riding.” See the post on the MassBike website.

Remember Me? I was the first birthday gift that you asked for and actually got. We’d get away and explore new places, limited only by imagination and sunlight. All the other kids wished they were you: lucky, fast, and free. What do kids wish for now?

Turns out it’s part of a national ad campaign “designed to inspire non-cyclists to ride.” I’m not sure that these ads will be that effective, although a second part of the campaign is promised. For the past 10 years Bikes Belong has tried to increase bicycling by promoting “more and safer places to ride.” This usually means grants to support advocacy for bike paths. How about promoting the network of places we already have — the public roads? It turns out that the Bikes Belong Foundation, a non-profit spin-off launched in 2006, has a “Share the Road” project that so far has done one pilot event at Stanford. I hope this effort expands. From 2003 to 2006, Bikes Belong funded a few bicyclist skills training programs, but no longer does. There was no explanation about this change on the website.

I had a look at the manual that comes with all Jamis bikes. It advises, “Ride in designated bike lanes, on designated bike paths or as close to the edge of the road as possible, in the direction of traffic flow or as directed by local governing laws.” The first part of the sentence is exceedingly poor advice, and does not match any traffic laws in the U.S. that I know of.

It continues: “Stop at stop signs and traffic lights; slow down and look both ways at street intersections.” Stop even if the light is green? Slow down and look even if you have the right of way?

And more: “Remember that a bicycle always loses in a collision with a motor vehicle, so be prepared to yield even if you have the right of way.”

Do their lawyers make them say this stuff? Or if I send them a nice letter will they change it to reflect the law and, better yet, good riding practice.