CALIFORNIA BICYCLE NEWS AND CYCLING SAFETY TIPS BLOG

What’s Stopping a Dockless Bike Sharing Program in San Diego?

Have you ever wished you could summon a bicycle with your smartphone, take it where you need to go, then leave it wherever you wish? Dockless bikes, which have locking rear wheels to use when the bikes are no longer needed, are rapidly becoming popular throughout California. Imperial Beach, National City, Coronado and many college campuses already have networks of dockless bikes. But will the trend reach San Diego, the largest market in the region? If so, it could be a while. The city has an exclusive deal with docked bike sharing provider DecoBike which could prevent any other companies from providing similar services. San Diego is the only city in the region where this potential conflict arises. Dockless bike companies believe that there is enough of a difference between docked bike sharing and dockless bike sharing that the exclusive contract does not preclude the implementation of dockless bike sharing. Allowing dockless bike sharing could be the key to bolstering bicycle ridership in San…
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Proper Braking Techniques for San Diego Cyclists

Braking is one of the most essential skills for a cyclist to master, but even if you have been riding since you were a kid, you may not know everything there is to know about safe, effective and proper braking. When you apply the brake, push your body weight backwards. When you brake, your body naturally shifts forward toward the front wheel, meaning that the majority of your braking power goes to the front brake. By leaning back, you even out your braking power, making it easier to control your bike and brake effectively. This is especially useful if you must brake from high speed; it helps prevent flying over your handlebars. To practice this technique, you can do emergency stops in a parking lot or a grass field. Avoid braking while turning. Ideally, you want to slow down, get low and take your turns smoothly, but if you absolutely…
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What to Do After a “Right Hook” Bicycle Accident

One of the most common types of bicycle accident is the “right hook” bicycle accident. “Right hook” bicycle accidents occur when a vehicle takes a right turn and cuts off a bicyclist. There are, generally, three ways that this occurs: A vehicle is waiting at a red light when a cyclist stops on the right. When the light turns green, the driver of the vehicle takes a right, running into the cyclist. To make yourself less likely to be involved in this kind of accident, avoid the vehicle’s blind spots. Stop slightly ahead of the vehicle or directly behind it. Do not try to get ahead of the vehicle when the light turns green. A driver is traveling faster than the cyclist and passes him or her. The driver then suddenly turns right across the cyclist’s path, causing the cyclist to crash into the side of the vehicle. To avoid…
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