CALIFORNIA BICYCLE NEWS AND CYCLING SAFETY TIPS BLOG

What’s the Best Way to Deal with an Angry Driver?

At some point or another, every cyclist will run into that one super angry driver that makes the Hulk look like a sedated teddy bear. While you would hope that you could get off with some healthy criticism of your glow-in-the-dark socks not quite glowing bright enough, it’s probably going to be more like a geyser of general hatred for bicyclists and how you shouldn’t qualify as a human being because you ride your bike on the street. Since you, the cyclist, are infinitely more vulnerable in these situations, it will likely fall to you to diffuse the situation. Here are some tips for how to deal with an angry driver. Before you even think about responding, take a peek at their license plate just in case things get out of hand. Make sure that you are always following bicycle laws. Even if you do make a mistake, you don’t…
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California Bicycle Law Places New Restrictions on Cyclists

A new California bicycle law that recently went into effect requires cyclists to do what many say they have been doing all along. Now, bicycles, similar to any other slow moving vehicle, will be required to pull over to the far right of the road when traffic begins to get backed up behind them. The law went into effect at the start of this year, but tons of riders assumed it was a rule before that. “Sharing the road goes both ways,” said Gary Helfrich, executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition. “We always teach in bike safety classes [pulling over for traffic is] how to behave anyway.” However, Helfrich and other officials are quick to remind motorists that cyclists are not required in any way to put themselves in danger. Drivers should not be expecting riders to pull over before they feel it is safe. Same as with…
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How to Get Someone to Start Cycling with You

You know what they say, “misery loves company.” It’s the same with cyclists… but cycling isn’t miserable, we promise! So, since cycling is so refreshing, healthy, and downright fun, why is it so hard to get someone to start cycling with you? It’s because people are not really sure what they are getting into. They may believe that cycling is harder than it is, so it’s our job to show them otherwise. Here’s how to do it. Show How Easy Cycling Is – Cycling is really only hard if you turn it into a race, or if your saddle is set too low, or if your tires are too soft, or if your bike is a rusty old bucket. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be hard at all. Set a Goal – Many people don’t want to start cycling because they don’t know exactly what they are signing up for, so lay…
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