Sunday, September 13, 2009

How To Drive In a "Bike Friendly" City Part One

They claim that Chicago is a “bike friendly” city. Well, here are some tips to improve upon this statement and to help make it somewhat true:

1. Check your mirrors constantly! Look on BOTH sides and behind you as often as possible - ESPECIALLY when turning. Be alert!

2. Roll back at stop signs! Not only is it illegal not to (yet, no one does), it could save someone’s life - or at least save you a lot of time and money on insurance.

3. Look for bikes when you’re parallel parking; in order to parallel park in this city, you have to go over/through the bike lane, and cars, more often than not, forget to look for bikes.

4. Look for bikes BEFORE you open your door - People get KILLED from people not paying attention to this seemingly minor detail - Point? DO NOT door humans on bikes!!

5. Don’t drive or double park in the BIKE lane, that is NOT the purpose of the BIKE lane.

6. Don’t honk at a person on a bike unless you TRULY believe that they are in the wrong. It can distract them and make them look in a different direction, leading them into missing something else - this could cause an accident.

7. Pay attention for when a bicyclist signals that they’re turning. You have to be able to understand the concept of hand signals. Do not think that it is okay to try and pass the person on the bike before they try turning - You’ll probably end up running someone over…

8. Try riding a bike around in the city, in the traffic yourself. You’ll become much more aware of what you need to do as a driver to keep people on bikes safe and (somewhat) happy.

9. Get off of your cell phone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please.

10. Trust me, this is only part one.

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