Bicycle Safety
Do Drivers Know to Give Cyclists a Three-Foot Buffer when Passing?
On September 16, California's newest bicycle law went into effect, the "Three Feet for Safety Act" law. However, most motorists are unaware of it. Maybe a new sign will help.
A Buffer is Better
What's the best street design to keep bicyclists safely out of the door zone? A buffered bike lane beats a conventional bike lane or "wide curb lane" according to a recent study published in TRB, based on observations in Chicago and Cambridge, Mass.
Checking in on the Bicycle Backlash
Alan Davies writes from Down Under about a recent controversy in the Australian media about the “menace” of cycling in the urban core—where some are tired of the bicycle lobby's advancements of its cause.
Houston Launching 'Goal Zero' Bike Safety Program
Following the lead of New York City and San Francisco, Houston is the latest large American city to launch a program aimed at eliminating bike fatalities. The program includes funding for the creation of a Bicycle Master Plan.
Can New Financing Mechanism Deliver Multi-Modal Safety in Low-Income Areas?
A new bill in Congress would create a new $11 million program amidst the $1 billion Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program. But can it deliver more safety improvements to under-served populations?
Calif. Bill Advances To Recognize Protected Bike Lanes as Class IV Bikeways
Hoping to encourage other cities to follow San Francisco's successful application of protected bike lanes, Asm. Phillip Ting (D-S.F.) would have Caltrans "develop minimum safety design criteria" for what would be a new class of bikeways in the state.
The Number One Reason Why Portland is a Bike-Friendly City
In one word: safety. And, as Sarah Laskow explains, the more folks take to riding, the safer the streets become, so it builds on itself. Critical to road safety is bike infrastructure, like protected bike lanes, bike boxes and bike traffic signals.
Why is Cycling More Dangerous in the States?
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reveals why Americans don't use the healthiest, cleanest form of transportation. Hint: it has to do with the frequent injuries we're trying to avoid.
All Aboard L.A.'s Bike Commuter Train
This train is not steel wheels on steel rail - it is multiple two-wheeled rubber tires, commuting together, providing support and safety to novice cyclists, but sometimes it backfires. Interviewed is a frustrated motorist who intimidated them.
With Bipartisan Bills, U.S. Congress Looks to Improve Bike and Pedestrian Safety
Bipartisan groups of legislators introduced identical bills in the U.S. House and Senate last week that would compel the USDOT and states to measure and improve the safety of non-motorized transportation users.
Do London's Cyclists Deserve Blame for Spate of Recent Deaths?
Tragic collisions have claimed the lives of five London cyclists over the last nine days. Though the causes for the collisions have yet to be determined, Mayor Boris Johnson has suggested the deaths resulted from cyclists' "risky" decisions.
U.S. Traffic Fatalities Increase After Multi-Year Decline
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its traffic fatality data for 2012. Though the overall number of deaths remains historically low, the percentage of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities continues to rise.
When Will Laws and Attitudes Catch Up With Cycling's Growth?
Cyclist deaths are rising across the U.S., but in most cities and states, drivers are rarely punished. As more people embrace cycling and more cities encourage it; it's time our laws, infrastructure, and attitudes are reformed to make cycling safer.
New Study Ties Distracted Driving to Increase in Pedestrian and Cyclist Deaths
Though vehicular deaths have been declining across the U.S., pedestrian and cyclist deaths have risen. While intuition might say our ubiquitous cell phones are to blame, hard data has been scarce. A new study seems to support this conclusion.
How to Navigate Night Cycling
For those who have embraced cycling for leisure or their daily commute, being comfortable biking at night in urban environs may be the final frontier. Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan offers some tips for navigating darkened streets in style and safety.
Why Bike Share is a Boon to the Safety of All Cyclists
Counter to the predictions of mass chaos due to inexperienced riders being unleashed on city streets, the launch of bike-sharing in New York and elsewhere increases safety for all cyclists.
Bike Helmet Safety Not What We Thought It To Be
According to Jim Titus, two federal government agencies will withdraw their claims that bike helmets are "85% effective".
A Modest Proposal for Pedestrian-Cyclist Detente
The impending launch of bike-share is sure to escalate the simmering tensions between New York's growing legion of cyclists and its hordes of pedestrians. L.V. Anderson and Aisha Harris propose a 10-point treaty for pedestrian-cyclist armistice.
Must Cycling Give Up its Outlaw Image to Become a Mainstream Mode?
In cities across America, cycling is fast becoming "just another way to get around," causing friction with its outsider reputation. Sarah Goodyear argues that for cycling to become safer for everyone, riders need to renounce their special status.
Bicyclists in Minneapolis Come Under Attack
John Metcalfe looks at the frightening incidents of violence being directed at bicyclists using Minneapolis' popular Midtown Greenway.
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