Bikers beware

There always seems to be that one guy or gal coasting alongside your car with calf muscles the size of their head, a finely tuned bike and perhaps an oddly shaped helmet. They always seem to flow through traffic with ease, cruising beside the cars they share the road with.

Portland is a great city for the bicyclist. We have many bike lanes, bike boxes and well-founded cycling communities. Though, with recent biker fatalities and common complaints about cyclists, one has to wonder if Portland drivers and cyclists can coexist.

They can, but the biker may have to take charge.

It is not entirely uncommon to see a line of cars behind one or maybe even two bike riders. Though Portland has a great number of bikers in the city, it may seem that we rarely come across that one avid cyclist who keeps up. Many appear to be less a part of traffic and more of a burden upon it. The number of bicycle riders in Portland is growing and shows no sign of stopping. Therefore, we need to send a strong message to start good biking habits, not only for bike riders, but for drivers as well.

First of all, if you’re a bike rider and you aren’t wearing a helmet, start. If you can’t understand immediately why, then get off the bike.

One thing that is especially important, and quite annoying to drivers, is the bikers who use roads that carry high traffic from cars. If you can’t keep up, then you shouldn’t be on that particular street. Maybe someday, when you have earned your calves of steel, but not today. This sets the stage for that moment most drivers can relate to: waiting behind riders, until they can finally try to pass them. This is not good traffic.

Bike riders too can relate, as passing too closely can cause grazings from cars. The website www.bikeportland.org, which is dedicated to the local bicycle community, even has a page dedicated to stories of “close calls,” where cyclists can post their experiences. The “close call” is not an uncommon tale. It is also not that difficult to remedy, as there is usually a much safer street one block over with fewer cars to hold up. Take the time to head over that one block where the street is mostly automobile-free.

On that note, if a rider can’t avoid streets with high traffic, then he or she must stay as far to the right as possible. The middle of the road is not OK. Though many cyclists may complain about the occasional close call, they can easily be avoided if they simply don’t ride in the middle of the road and stay to the right.

As the avid bike rider knows, being aware of what’s around you–the cars, other riders, etc.–can protect you as much your helmet. This includes what is coming up behind you. Don’t run red lights. If you are using a transit way made for cars, then adhere to the rules. This mostly becomes a concern when a bicyclist runs straight across your front fender while you have the green.

The average cyclist and Vanguard reader might say, “Well that’s not me. I don’t ride like that,” and I would mostly believe them. As in any community, there will be those who make the others look bad. Of course, there are cyclists out there who are serious and know what they’re doing. They stick with traffic. Though, just as there are bad drivers, there are bad riders.

On the other hand, the others, the ones riding side by side, stringing us drivers behind them on a commonly traveled street, need to pay attention. Just as with any bad driver, these bad riders need to shape up and stay sharp. We all run a risk traveling on the road, and this risk can be far greater on two wheels.