This item is to talk about the business of riding bikes in traffic.
According to Michigan law, bikes are a vehicle just like a car or
truck, and therefore have a right to use most roads.  They are
prohibited from using most freeways, though.

Because bicycles are vehicles, cyclists must also follow all traffic
laws.  This means riding the wrong way down a one-way street or
rolling through stop signs are violations.  When I lived in San Diego,
I actually got a ticket for running a stop sign.

I don't have the law in front of me, but it says that bikes must ride
as far right as practical.  The key word is "practical."  If the road
is bad or there is glass on the road, a cyclist will move over.

If a bike lane is provided, the cyclist must ride in the bike lane.
Again, if the road is bad or there is glass in the bike lane, the
cyclist may move out of the lane.

My advice to cyclists is to keep alert when riding in traffic, and try
to position yourself so as to be visible to motorists.  I am also
somewhat aggressive about asserting my rights to the road.  I like to
make eye contact with motorists to assure that they see me.  In more
than five years, and probably 10,000 miles of cycling, I have yet to
have a serious brush with a car.

46 responses total.

I've had more problems with people in the bike paths than with cars.
(Of course, I try to be courteous to car drivers, so they seem to be
returning the favor.)  People on other bikes who don't scootch over
a little, walkers who don't move, parents on family walks who let their
kids wander around randomly (i.e. in front of my bike)....

I'm not sure if you are correct on the bike lane law Dan.  (Not to be
confused with bike pathes.)  It is difficult to make a left turn out
of a bike lane that confines you to the right side of the road, not
to mention illegal.

I didn't mean to imply that you had to make a left turn out of the
bike lane.  The way I read it, though, you do have to stay in the bike
lane if you are proceeding straight down the road.

Is there any local ordinance about the bike paths the city spent my money
to lay down all over, and the posted "official bike routes"?

Heh...you must not ride the paths much. The newest (fuller-gallup-
dixboro) is a decent one, but the rest of them haven't been touched since
they were laid down. I challenge Dan Romanchik to ride his bike on the 
path on Huron Parkway from Plymouth to Washtenaw without screwing up his
rims.
        And all they seem to require of a "sidewalk bicycle route" is 
something that looks vaguely like curb cuts. AA-EMU via Packard is a good
example of this. Most of the curb cuts are 1" or greater lips.
        And the sidewalk itself is no less trashed than any other.

        Anyway, there are definitely time on the "official" biek routes
that it's safer to ride in the street.

        Conversely, there are any number of idiots who ride in the street when
there's a perfectly fine sidewalk path alternative. I see this 
every day on Fuller. The blind, no-shoulder part by my apt buildings has 
a mediocre but more than rideable, amply wide sidewalk. But idiots 
still insist on riding in the street. Sometimes even against traffic.

        So, uh, I don't know what my point is. Excpet the obvious
obsession.

        Oh, and that they don't spend near as much as you think on the 
paths. 

The path down Huron Parkway is +miserable+.  Ruts, overhanging branches,
a huge hill, cracks big enough to swallow you and your bike....too bad
it's more dangerous to ride on Huron Parkway.

Why should I ride that bikepath?  As I believe I said somewhere else,
bike paths are generally unsa, and in this case, poorly maintained.
As I live on the west side of town, I can avoid Huron Pkwy altogether.

As to city ordinances, I don't believe there are any that require
cyclists to use them.  I did not live in AA before they were put in,
but it sounds like good intentions not jibing with reality.

Do bikers HAVE to obey stop signs, etc???

Legally, yes, if they're in the street.

For safety and courtesy, they MOST DEFINITELY should, if there are any cars,
pedestrians, or anything at or close to the intersection. My rule of thumb 
is, if I can see a car, I obey the signs. The only time I don't is out in the 
middle of nowhere, or on hills when every direction is completely clear (so
as not to lose all momentum when going uphill).

I wish to hell Ann Arbor cops would start ticketing bicyclists in town. I 
realize they've got other things to do, but it's at the point where it's an
extreme safety hazard. The eplosion of mountain bikes on the scene, and the
"ecologically correctness" of biking has put so many more idiots on the 
road it makes my head spin. If you hear someone yelling "one way street!",
"Stop sign!" or "red LIGHT!!!" it's probably me. Going to work I saw, oh, 
about 20 people disobeying laws in dangerous ways. The non-dangerous (just
obnoxious) ones were to numerous to mention.

        Oh, and a safety tip: 

        *** Be aware of what type of lane you're in, as a cyclist! This is
an exception (sort of) to the keep-right rule! If you are in a right-turn-
only lane, EVERY car in that lane is going to turn right! If you go straight,
and are on the right side of these cars...You will get hit! Especially 
dangerous because people turning right very often are looking exclusively
to the LEFT, watching for traffic! Keep to the right IN YOUR LANE, but be 
ready to change lanes when neccesary, signaling first, of course! ***

        And at any intersection, when stopped, you should be IN THE MIDDLE
of a lane, anyway. If you come up on the right (or left) side of cars, they
may very well not notice you, and turn into you. Even if they're not signaling,
it doesn't mean they're not turning. Once you're across the intersection, 
move back to the right side.

One thing I have seen at least one example of is stop signs in the bike paths
The one I've seen, and was glad to see, was at Huron Parkway and Huron River
Drive.

A fairly treacherous area. 
Oh, and Dan, I was saying you should ride Huron Parkway so you'd see 
why I tell people to get mountain bikes. I have to ride that a couple of
times a month, usually, and every time, I say "boy am I glad this bike can
mostly take this". Of course, with all the bouncing I'm doing on the path,
you can hardly make out what I'm saying...
There are stop signs on the gallup path at Fuller, and some people actually 
stop! I am stunned each and every time!

I used to take that path, I always thought it in decent shape.  But of course,
that's because Geddes downhill to the river was my alternative...

The path is okay from Plymouth to Geddes...and after Washtenaw.

I am pleased and impressed to see such good sense expressed here.  As a cyclist
of more than 20 years who rides both night and day I have always been appalled
at the vast numbers of unsafe and inept cyclists in Ann Arbor-Ypsi, but 
realize that most of them have never cycled in such an environment until they
were sent off to school without a car, and have no understanding of how to
safely use the road and their equipment.  I have pondered for years whether a
driver's ed. and licensing for bicyclists should be put in place, but am still
not sure if the cost justifies the result.  It would be a long time before
people would take it seriously, especially in this transient town, and there
would be little or no enforcement.  I would be glad to take (or teach) 
effective cycling, and I know there have been some good classes taught in this
town as I remember seeing one of them on cable public access a few years ago.
We need more of that, including on cable, and perhaps the most effective way
to address it would be through the city bicycle coordinator (do they still
have one?) and a similar position at the University, to reach all possible
parents of resident students both in AA and wherever they are, and make the
case that the safety of their kids depends on receiving basic skills and 
safety training about cycling.  That might make a small dent in the problem, 
but would require resources that the city and the big U might not be willing
to commit.  As it is, the bozo cyclists give the rest of us a bad image, and
we all suffer as a result.  Does anyone have other ideas?

In general, I'm against most laws.  I prefer education instead, though this
is more difficult to adminester than a law.  Licensing means little.  Just
look at the way some licensed drivers drive.  Since drivers education is
required in most states, maybe some mention of bicycling should be made 
there.  Often even the police are not aware of laws r.e. bicycles.  Perhaps
literature could be included with every bicycle sold and 1 of the 10 questions
asked of drivers for re-licensing could pertain to bicyclests.  I also feel
that social views on bicyclists plays an important role.  The people in Ann
Arbor are quite tolerant, and often respectful of bicyclists.  Get out towards
Whitmore lake and beyond and it's like stepping back in time.  Last summer,
while riding west of Whitmore, I had 3 people yell at me while I was out 
riding around the lakes there.  One of them was mowing the lawn in his front
yard!
Reuben Chapman is the current Bicycle Coordinator to the best of my knowledge,
though I think it's part time.

Well, I am less tolerant on cyclists driving on sidewalks trying to run over
pedestrians.  They shouldn't be on the sidewalk except for going against
the one way direction on one way streets.  They should obey red lights
just like cars, and should not go faster than a pedestrian if they are using
the sidewalk or street crossing from the sidewalk.  The last one is
really dangerous both for the cyclists and car driver.

Maybe the AA police should make one day each quarter "bicycle
enforcement" day and ticket cyclists breaking traffic laws.  The
penalty for infractions could be a bicycle safety class.

Ditto the last few responses.  I bike to work on campus every day,
and there are times you can't believe how fast some of these a*holes
ride on crowded sidewalks.  Lots of cyclists seem also to believe
that stop signs and traffic lights are only for motorists.

responf
respond
ke and he got hurt, and I knw that cars are very dangerous.  If i went in the
road i  would follow the signs, but i don't, and when i'm on the sidewalk i try
 d people, but what pisses me off is a*holes wallking on the street who take up
the whole f*king sidewalk, i cant get around, i especally hate it when they are
coming towards me and don't move.

If they are walking on the street, how are they taking up the whole
sidewalk?
 

I think he was talking about a group of people taking up the entire
sidewalk.  I've noticed that lately, too.  People are getting very impolite.

I'll agree, people in general are getting very impolite.  It's not
any different for the pedestrians -- who won't yield to each other
on sidewalks.  It's just plain hazardous to be out and about I guess.

Life in the big city  :-(

Cyclists reaally shouldn't complain about pedestrians on the sidewalk.  If
you don't like going at the speed of the pedestrians, use the street. 
That's what it's there for.

Ahhh, I missed that.  Sidewalks are indeed primarily for
pedestrians.

I sort of agree.  If I'm riding on the sidewalk and encounter pedestrians,
I yield everything I can - it's their right of way.  I have seen some
pedestrians whose behavior is inexcusable, nonetheless.  If I'm a pedestrian,
and I can get out of someone's way just by stepping aside, I'll do it;
this seems no more than common courtesy, which is remarkably uncommon
today.  (I've seen many more bike riders than pedestrians who are
recklessly discourteous, though.)

I'll get out of the way as much as I can, *if* I have advance notice
of a bicycle approaching.  Unfortunately, bicycle riders in this
town do not generally give a warning (bell, horn, a "comin' though"
etc.).  After you've had the bejeezus scared out of yourself three or
four times by bicyclists whooshing by from behind so close and so fast
as to create a breeze, you basically say the hell with it, I'm going
to walk on the damn sidewalk and if one of these jerks hits me, I'm
going to sue...  And I will not hop off a dry sidewalk into the mud
because a bicyclist wants through, though they seem to expect that
sort of "courtesy".  I'm glad though, that davel will yield to
pedestrians.  Thanks.

When I'm riding, if it's muddy I expect to go around.  There are lots of
places where sidewalks are better for bikes than the streets (at least,
when I'm the rider - uphill in traffic, for example), but they're
there for pedestrians not bikes.

You won't get arguments from me about the rudeness (& suicidal stupidity)
of a lot of bike riders around.  It is definitely something that gets
me really mad.

I second the second statement!

When I was a student at U of M and rode my bike about quite a lot on 
sidewalks, I always preferred it if the pedestrians just kept walking and 
allowed me to go around them.  When they did try to jump out of the way 
they ended up creating a bad situation because then I didn't know where to
steer.  When they just kept walking, it was easy for me to give them a 
wide berth  (even in the engine' arch).

...you're not supposed to *ride* your bike through the W. Engine arch...
The problem seems to be that bikes are going *too fast* to react to
pedestrian moves.  That's not the pedestrian's fault.

The key in very tight situations like that is to go the same speed as the
pedestrians.  That way nobody has to react to anybody.

re #32:
Yeah, that's more or less true.  I don't remember exactly what I did,
but I never had a problem there.  Re #31: Where, exactly does it say
that you can't ride your bike through the engine arch? I did it for 5
years and so did everyone else.  A2 is one of the few municipalities where
it is actually LEGAL to ride on the sidewalk!  (At least it used to be 
when I lived there!)

It's only been illegal for the last year or two, and it says it on signs
at each end of the arch.  The signs are usually covered up with concert
ads, though, and I have yet to see anybody get off a bike and walk it
through.  There was one time when I was afraid I was going to get busted
for it when I passed a UM police officer as I was riding through the arch,
and then I noticed the police officer was riding a bike.

I've seen the campus police ticket bikers riding out of the archway.
And yes, there are signs telling you to walk your bike at both ends
of the arch.  Even if there weren't common sense (and the usually
heavy amount of foot traffice) in and around the arch would tell you
to get off and walk it.

If it's really crowded I will usually put a foot down to stabalize the
bike, and no matter how empty it is I would never ride through there
faster than walking speed.  If I'm going the same speed as the walkers I
will not pass them in a way that might scare them, and I have enough
control over the bike to avoid hitting them.  I should note, though, that
my bike handling skills are probably a lot better than the average person's.

Re biking on sidewalks around pedestrians.  Where there are pedestrians, i.
e. downtown, there are usually too many cars to bike safely in the street,
so I walk my bike around pedestrians.  In other areas I will often stop and
walk around pedestrians on the sidewalk, and in most cases they politely move
aside and I thank them very much.  If they are walking to one side of the
sidewalk and there is room to pass, I warn them verbally first (Bicycle!) and
go by as slowly as possible.  I am often a pedestrian myself.  In Quebec the
bike lanes have little pillars between them and the car lanes as protection,
but I would never use a bike lane here if a sidewalk were available.
   Has anyone noticed that American cars are mostly designed with the tailpipe
on the sidewalk side, so that the fumes are all blown towards defenseless
users of the sidewalk or the bike lane?  European and Japanese cars are not.

Rereading the above, please note that the first use of 'around pedestrians'
means 'in the vicinity of pedestrians' and the second use means 'to get from
behind to in front of pedestrians'.
        The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (which I heard
of from a second cousin working with them) publishes something called
Sustainable Transport, possibly quarterly.  Their current address and phone
etc:  ITDP  115 W 30th St., Suite 1205, New York, NY 10001,  212-629-8001,
email Mobility@igc.apc.org.  Issue number 8 Winter 1998 has articles on the
Budapest Metro, Prague Threatened by Auto Mania, Manague Plans to Bike Around
Transport Pitfalls, Making Bikes Work for South Africa, etc.  About half the
articles are on bikes.  They are involved in distributing free bikes to
medical workers, setting up bike repair clinics in Haiti, etc., and would put
any donation to good use, as well as sending out the publication.  Cuba has
apparently gone heavily into bikes after losing their source of cheap oil,
and even has special trucks set up to ferry them across busy bridges.  But
Jakarta banned the cycle-rickshaw and China is considering banning bikes in
some streets.  Pretty idiotic thing to do, but cars are more prestigious and
the countries don't want their tourists to think they are poor.

Why is this item not linked with environment and/or hippie?  I would not
normally go anywhere near 'cars', only stopped by to help a neighbor whose
car needed oil and noticed it while browsing.
My roommate has horror stories to tell about biking in traffic and now bikes
only on the sidewalk if there are cars anywhere in sight.   I stay on the
sidewalk because the air is somewhat less polluted there.

I've got a *bell* on my bike.  :)

Me too, but the little nut in the middle keeps unscrewing itself somehow and
I can never count on it to work.  How many grexers bike all winter?  I quit
a couple of days ago after hitting an icy patch at night and fortunately
falling off before the bike skidded near a car.  I see a lot of people out
on bikes this month.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss