Category Archives: Bike Safety

San Diego bicycle safety best practices and California bike law information for help understanding the rules of the road for bikes.

Caltrans Holds Multi-Modal Field Trip to Celebrate New Bike/Pedestrian Plan

A group of Caltrans workers, including Director Malcolm Dougherty, celebrated the recent release of the new statewide bike and pedestrian plan with a multimodal field trip. The group took their bikes by train from Sacramento to Emeryville before riding the Alex Zuckerman Bicycle/Pedestrian Path along the Oakland Bay Bridge to the new Vista Point. For many of the Caltrans workers and partners who rode along, it was their first ride on the bridge. The plan, called Toward an Active California, was created to push better bicycling and pedestrian paths and access throughout the state by 2040, employing a variety of techniques and philosophies. The first priority action items in the plan include: Putting bicycle and pedestrian safety information into the DMV driver’s handbook Researching methods for setting and enforcing speed limits (as opposed to the current 85 percent rule the state uses to avoid charges of creating speed traps) Closing…
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Be a “Roll Model” – Encourage Cycling Safety in California

The California Office of Traffic Safety is encouraging cyclists in the state to become “roll models.” The effort comes during May, which is National Bicycle Safety Month. Roll models are cyclists who are actively decreasing the risks of traffic crashes, preventable injuries and deaths. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 818 cyclists died and over 45,000 were injured in 2015. Cycling deaths increased 12 percent from 2014, highlighting the need for comprehensive education and awareness efforts. How to Be a Roll Model Ride and Drive Focused. Avoid distractions while cycling, such as listening to music. Ride and Drive Prepared. Cycling accidents can happen in the blink of an eye and can lead to catastrophic accidents and injuries. Prepare and expect the unexpected. Safety First. Make sure you never get on a bicycle without a helmet. Ensure night safety by making sure you have all of the needed reflectors…
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How to Guide: Dealing with an Angry Driver

In San Diego, we are fortunate to have an abundance of bike lanes. This helps to avert many of the confrontations between angry drivers and cyclists that all cities have. When you do find yourself on the road and have a driver act less than friendly towards you, here’s what to do to avoid escalating the situation more than need be. How to Deal with an Angry Driver Don’t react – When a driver is yelling at you for seemingly no reason, sometimes it’s really nothing to do with you. After a stressful day at work, traffic can be the tip-over point that induces a road rage beholden to no form of logic. In these instances, the best action to take is usually to ignore them and let them pass you. Respond positively – If the driver is out to get you and won’t stop bothering you, try to acknowledge…
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