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As sad as the death of Alice Swanson has been, the level of genuine interest in understanding what happened so that a repeat occurrance can be avoided has been very encouraging. As I posted yesterday, it’s appearing that the driver (in a large garbage truck) failed to see her in the bike lane next to him, and turned right into her, across her path.\u00c2\u00a0 This is a situation that I think most of us who have used bike lanes have encountered.\u00c2\u00a0 The solution I’ve arrived at – beyond the hypervigilance any rider should have – is to move to take the lane before any intersection.\u00c2\u00a0 This puts you squarely in view of the driver behind you while barring the possibility of there being a vehicle next to you in a position to come across in front of you.<\/p>\n
There are many different situations that require different tactics, of course.\u00c2\u00a0 Yesterday, I linked to Dave Zabriske’s Yield to Life<\/a> foundation, and they have some excellent tips – both for cyclists<\/a> *and* motorists<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 As many have suggested, there’s also a role for larger education campaigns aimed at both groups.\u00c2\u00a0 But in the end, I think it’s primarily a cultural issue – we simply have to be more aware of others.\u00c2\u00a0 There’s no special societal prescription for that, I’m afraid.\u00c2\u00a0 But whatever the path to it is, I bet it starts with each of us.<\/p>\n Recommended resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n Bicycle Safe<\/a> – Some excellent situational analysis, recommending smart tactics.\u00c2\u00a0 Worth a quick look. Lane Control video<\/a> – A very informative video illustrating the benefits of taking the lane (from Cyclistview.com)\u00c2\u00a0 I learned a few things from it.\u00c2\u00a0 About 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
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