Chris Gidney and Alex Margolis

November 10, 2011

Before we begin, this isn’t an anti-driving post, we’re not lambasting drivers. As much as drivers need to be more cyclist aware, follow road rules and drive safely, vice versa also applies!

Learn to share

As a car driver you may think the road belongs to you, but nobody owns the road. Everyone has a right to pass and re-pass on public highways. By law, a bicycle is a vehicle, so treat it like one.

Appreciate that cyclists are helping you

Counter-intuitive to what you may believe, cyclists actually reduce congestion on the roads by not driving cars. They ‘re reducing the time you spend in traffic jams as they’re taking up so much less space. Cyclists have a phrase for this, often seen on t-shirts and posters: One Less Car.

Avoid dooring cyclists

It’s illegal! It can also be fatal, and happens more than you’d expect. Don’t  open any doors without checking there aren’t any cyclists behind you. You could easily sweep them clean off their bikes and it won’t be pretty. Think about the breadth of your door, it’s easily 1-1.5m wide.

Realise cyclists are vulnerable

You’re driving a vehicle hugely heavier and more powerful than theirs. In any impact, they will be the losers. Perhaps it’s best we take after most other European countries which operate ‘strict liabilty’. These regulations result in the motorist’s insurance usually being deemed to be responsible in any crash involving a cyclist. In the same way that a cyclist would be at fault in a smash with a pedestrian. With the driver always at fault in any accident, drivers become evidently more cautious around cyclists.

Helmets don’t equal guaranteed safety

Of course they’re definitely worth wearing, it’s just that drivers often think a cyclist with a helmet is 100% safe. Well, they’re not.

A helmet is designed to withstand head-on impacts of no more than 13mph! Some cyclists choose not wear to wear helmets and a UK study showed they are given more caution by drivers. A cyclist with a helmet, however, is by no means invincible.

Exercise some caution and be patient

90% of cyclist casualties in recent years were caused by careless inattention, firstly by drivers, secondly by cyclists (nidirect.gov.uk) It’s your responsibility to avoid hitting the cyclist, not the responsibility of the cyclist to avoid getting hit by you.

Pay attention and be on the lookout for cyclists at all times, especially when reversing. Use your mirrors as cyclists may overtake slow-moving traffic on either side. They may sometimes need to change direction suddenly, so just be aware of this and observe any indications they give such as looking over their shoulder. Don’t  tempt them into taking risks or endanger them.

Allow plenty of space

When overtaking a cyclist you’re required to give them as much room as you would a car. They may need to swerve to avoid hazards. Always anticipate that there may be a pothole, oily, wet or icy patch or some other obstruction. Cyclists endanger themselves by cycling in straight lines!

Don’t drive too close behind a cyclist as you may not be able to stop in time if they come off their bike or do something abruptly. Unless you have an entire clear, empty lane in which to pass, slow down and wait until there is room to pass. Pass them slowly!

Drive slowly on low-vis roads

On rural roads or those with limited visibility remember that a cyclist could be around the next corner. It could also be an elderly person, a child or an animal. Reducing your speed reduces the risk of something happening.

You can’t see ahead of hills and curves, slow down as you don’t know what’s on the other side. Make sure you can stop the car at all times. At night the need to do so is more exaggerated. You need time for the headlights to shine on the road ahead and recognise that there’s something there.

Cyclists have a right to claim the lane

That’s correct. They have as much right as you do to take up the entire lane. You may think they’re being utterly selfish by doing so, but in fact they’re preventing having an accident. They really aren’t trying to slow you down, it’s just the safest way for them to cycle particularly if there’s a blind bend, a narrowing of the road, a high risk junction, pinch point or traffic lights ahead. Additionally if there’s a narrowing of the road, they’re stopping you squeezing through far too cosily beside them.

Cyclists should never cycle in the gutter as it gives no room for avoiding obstacles and leaves them no room to fall if an accident occurs, meaning they could go straight under your wheels. Not nice.

Beware a left turn

Turning left is how most accidents occur. A cyclist may sneak up, perfectly legally, beside you while you’re waiting impatiently at a red light. It’s not at all illegal for cyclists to filter on the left or right of lanes but it is often difficult to spot them, especially when hidden by your blind spot. You’ll hit the cyclist as they carry straight on and you’ve made a left right into them. Also be vigilant when pulling out of a side street, or car park.

Get on a bike!

Not until you experience what it’s like to be a cyclist on a busy road will you truly be able to empathise with them and realise how careless drivers can be at times. Cyclists can too be careless, but it usually ends in them getting hurt, not you!

http://veloallegro.org/2011/11/cyclist-aware/

Formerly Martin’s Magical Mystery Tour because we haven’t seen Martin in quite a while.
Start Time & Location
Unless otherwise noted, ride departs at 7:30 AM from the Long Beach Marina parking lot just behind the Sea Port Marina Hotel off of Westminster Ave./2nd St. and PCH. Click here for a map.

Route Info
South PCH to Crown Valley
Left turn on Crown Valley
Regroup at the Church
Left turn on La Paz Rd.
Left turn on Moulton Parkway (note name change to Irvine Center Dr.)
Left turn on Alton Parkway to University Dr.
Left turn on University Dr.
Regroup for water at Mobil Station
Go past Jamboree up East Bluff Dr. to Jamboree
Right turn on to Jamboree
Right turn on PCH
Go to Polly’s

Thank You from Memorial Medical Center Foundation

Velo Allegro is proud to be supporting the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center (JJCCC) at Long Beach Memorial Miller Children’s Hospital.  Our support of the hospital is a way for Velo Allegro to give back to the local community and support one of the most important health institutions in the City of Long Beach.  Our first donation was a gift of 31 new family rated DVDs to JJCCC.  The movies will be thoroughly enjoyed by the children who come to JJCCC for care and treatment.  It is gratifying to know the DVDs will receive a lot of use and help to make each user’s stay at the hospital a little nicer.

Unless otherwise noted, ride departs at 6:30 AM from the Long Beach Marina parking lot just behind the Sea Port Marina Hotel off of Westminster Ave./2nd St. and PCH.

Overview
Approximate mileage – 90
Topography – Rolling with about four moderately difficult climbs

Route Info
South on PCH to Jamboree
Left (north) turn on Jamboree
Right (east) on Santiago Canyon
Regroup at top of the canyon
Road changes name to El Toro Road
Continue to Laguna Canyon
Left turn on Laguna Canyon to PCH
Regroup at the fountain
Right turn to Polly’s
Questions? CONTACT us for more information.

Learn the essential skills for riding safely and confidently visit Bike Safe California. You can also find a bike safety class near you and learn about bike-related state laws, bike lights, helmet fitting and much more.

If it were up to Octavio Orduño, he’d still be cruising Long Beach on a two-wheeled bicycle. But his wife insisted he get a tricycle. The city wants to make him an ambassador for cycling: ‘He’s our poster boy for healthy, active living around here.’
Read the full article at LATimes.com

2010 has been a stellar year for biking in Long Beach, with many significant advances occurring on all fronts. New bike routes, innovative bike facilities, bike safety education, bike corrals, and more – and we’re just getting started. The purpose of all of these improvements is to make Long Beach a healthier, more active, and more livable community for all of its residents. We are a perfect community to take advantage of cycling and mobility given the great bike paths along the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers as well as our own Beach Bike Path. Read the full report BikeLongBeach2010

Velo Allegro welcomes Surf City Cyclery as our new shop sponsor in 2011. Surf City Cyclery was founded by Sean Flynn and opened the doors to its 11,000 square foot location in Huntington Beach in June 2006. As the former General Manager of Supergo Bike Shop in Fountain Valley, Sean managed a staff of 40 highly skilled employees for 13 years. Upon the sale of Supergo to Performance Bicycles, Sean decided to strike out on his own, armed with a handpicked management, sales, and service staff from Supergo.

Surf City Cyclery, a Specialized Concept Store, has enjoyed solid annual growth since its inception due to its core belief that customer service is paramount to the success of the business. This belief, coupled with the best selection of bikes, parts, apparel, and accessories, as well as a fully staffed Pro Service Department, have lifted the company to the level as the premier bike shop in Southern California. Thanks to the loyal patronage by its strong base of repeat clients, along with its ability to gain and retain new clients, Surf City Cyclery expanded its reach by opening its second 9,000 square foot location in Costa Mesa in January 2010.

Every member of the staff at both locations is a cyclist, many in multiple disciplines. Because of this, they are able to assist in every aspect of cycling and advise each client’s individual needs. Surf City’s Service Departments also pride themselves in specializing at the high end, although they provide service for all makes and models. From custom pro-builds to fixing a child’s bike, they approach each customer with complete care and professionalism. Each department has well over 30 years combined experience in servicing bikes, and they stand behind their work.

Velo Allegro looks forward to its’ new partnership with Surf City Cyclery. We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful resource for our members.

Surf City Cyclery
714-842-1717
www.surfcitycyclery.com

Did you miss the videos that were shown at the club party, want to see them again? Allan Crawford did a great job of putting these together for the club. Enjoy.