Bicycle Safety 101: Being Visible

One of the most important things when riding on the road is being visible. Safety first! *push nerd glasses back up on nose* You might end up looking or feeling like a giant target, but until drivers become used to bicycles on the road and/or enough bicycle facilities are built, making yourself easier to see can actually help your create a safer riding environment for yourself. You can be more visible by considering the following ideas:

Wear brightly colored clothing. Dig out that old bright orange or yellow shirt you tuck in the back of your closet that clashes with everything, opt for some snazzy neon yellow bike gear or head to the thrift store to buy something bright. Whatever you decide to wear when you ride, opt for bright, bold colors. You will be more visible at dawn and dusk, in rain and when it's cloudy. You will also just be more visible on the road and stand out from the colors of road-side buildings, sidewalks and other traffic. You may feel like you are bold and bright - but, that's because you are. *wink*

Excellent Red Rear Light

Use reflective and light equipment. This is essential! Not only because when you ride at night it's a good idea, but its also a state law (in South Carolina, you must have a front white and rear red light when riding at night). The white front light may or may not provide enough light for you to see the road. It should have enough power to help you be seen as you ride along your way. Even though I have a bright front light, I don't feel comfortable using as my "driving" headlight. I opt for roads and paths that are well-lit, that way I can see any potholes, cracks or obstacles in my path. The red rear light is key creating a presents to any traffic that's traveling with or behind you. If motorists or other cyclists can see you as they approach, then there will be more time for them to adjust and react to you appropriately (slow down, move over, etc.). Also consider having reflective items that have reflective materials like a vest, jacket, shirt, shoes and even tape. Bike wrappers even provide a way for a bike frame to be reflective.

Create a sense of personal space when you ride. Be a confident, but not overly aggressive rider. Body language can speak volumes. It can convey a sense of calm, cockiness, arrogance or respect. When riding, consider the kind of bicyclists you'd like to ride with or drive near and then be that cyclist. You can also do things like take the lane, stop a stop signs and signal lights and ride with traffic to help you create personal space and convey confidence. When you are confident in your own skills and place on the road, a driver is more likely to respond with the same kind of behavior, giving you respect and your own space. And if this doesn't happen immediately when you ride, be patient. Drivers are learning and adapting how to respond to bicycle traffic, as there weren't so many (of us) even 5 years ago on the road.

Follow the rules of the road. Common sense stuff. I'm not going to go into too much detail on this one. For more info, you can read another post about it here.

Consider these bike riding safety tips to help increase your visibility. Good things to consider and put into practice.

Upstate Sorba

Know much about mountain biking? I have to confess I'm not much up on the topic or sport. But there's a huge group of mountain bikers in the Upstate and in the greater southeast region that dig the trails in Clemson Experimental Forest, near Paris Mountain and around other outdoor recreation areas. This group of committed folks helps maintain local trails, supports outdoor recreation organizations and parks and love to ride!

One of the mountain biking groups is called Upstate SORBA. SORBA stands for the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association. Besides ride, they also advocate to keep the trails open to mountain biking, working with land manager and policy makers to develop regulations (that are fair and respect people's rights) governing the use of public and private lands. These guys (and gals) love to have fun, and they are dedicated to helping preserve and bring respect to the sport. Right on! They are also a part of IMBA. IMBA is the International Mountain Biking Association. IMBA's mission stats that they aim to create, enhance and preserve great trail experiences for mountain bikers across the globe. So, a great local, active group is part of a larger international community. 

As it's been a warmer winter, maybe its time to hit the trails and say thanks to (and consider joining) SORBA.

New Year, New News

There's been a bit of biking news in a few communities in the Upstate recently. Read on.

Pendleton. Local cyclists have approached the Pendleton Town Council about hosting a cycling race that would happen this March. The event would be by the American Cancer Society, sanctioned by USA Cycling and is speculated to bring hundreds of cycling to the small town. The area is already popular with local cyclists, and it event could be a big boost to the town, despite the closed roads and traffic re-routing. The Clemson University Cycling Club is leading the efforts, and the Town Council has yet to vote on the event. This could also eventually lead to better marked and signed bike lanes and shared roadways in the community. Contact the Town Council to voice your support!

Spartanburg B-cycle Station

Spartanburg. As you might recall, I blogged about Spartanburg's B-Cycle bike-share program. It is the first bike share program in the state. So far the small program is doing well. Program partner, Partners for Active Living, helped crunch some numbers to help tell the tale of bike sharing.. From the start of the program in early 2011 through July 2011, the 437 B-Cycle program members have taken 1,224 total bike rides and have ridden 8,784 miles. That's like riding from Spartanburg to New Zealand! What a great way to get people moving, outta their cars and using a public investment.

City of Clemson. The City is putting together a survey to provide feedback that will help support and provide information for their bike plan. (The survey will be specifically about bicycle facilities. Stay tune to water bills, the city website and other news sources for release dates.) The survey asks respondents to comment on biking conditions on local roads, safety concerns and attitudes of sharing roadways. Please take the time to complete the survey.

If there's other things going on, please feel free to post about them here. Let the good news role.

Clemson Ciclovia

Did I get your attention? No, there's not one happening, but if it did, would you participate?

Photo of a Ciclovia Event

Ciclovia is Spanish for "bike path." In Bogota, Columbia, the people started hosting car-free Sundays on major roads, and called it a "Ciclovia." It was a movement to recapture the city at the pedestrian level. People came out to walk, bike, skate and run on the streets. It reconnected people to each other, the city and to a healthier lifestyle. Chicago, NYC, San Francisco, Madison, WI., and other cities in the US have hosted events with tremendous success.

I was able to participate in one of the first Ride the Drive events in Madison. A friend and I biked the typically-car-filled route several times at a relaxed pace. We stopped at a few of the stations sponsors had set up along the way - we outlined our bodies in chalk on John Nolen Dr., stopped for a few snacks, passed bicycle repair stations and admired all the different types of bicycles and bicycle riders that came out. It was really fun! (Photo credit.) What was the point? Well, besides obstructing traffic for a few hours on a Sunday, it got people out on their bikes along routes that people were familiar with in a relaxed atmosphere. There was no race, and a lot of fun.

Ride the Drive. Madison, WI.

What route do you think a ciclovia would be fun and successful to ride along in your community? In Clemson, I could see a route down College Ave and following the perimeter of the University campus - along 93 Hwy to Perimeter Road, Perimeter Road to Cherry, and Cherry back to 93, including the heart of Clemson's Campus. In Greenville, would the route include N. Main Street, S. Academy Street and include parts of the Swamp Rabbit Trail? How about in Anderson, Spartanburg or even Walhalla?

Ciclovia's are can be inspirational. They can be a catalyst for biking in a community - take bike planning and propel it into bike action, energy, momentum. It's hard to stop once you start - pedaling, that is.

Patroness of Bicyclists

Did you know that there is a Patron Saint of Bicyclists? A few friends gave me a small gift - a medallion with the Patron Saint of Bicycling - Madonna del Ghisallo - and I wanted to share the story.

The story goes that St. Mary appeared to a count named Ghisallo who prayed for help as he was being attacked by thieves in medieval times in Lombardy, Italy. He ran to the vision, and was saved. She became a local patroness of travel. A small church (see the photo below) was built in her honor by Count Ghisallo. Eventually, a local bicycle race included traveling by the site of the vision and church. And in 1949, an Italian priest requested that Our Lady of Ghisallo become the "official" saint of bicyclists. She has been watching over cyclists ever since. (Photo credit.)

Today the church is a shrine, has a small cycling museum with photos, artifacts and stories about famous cyclists. People make a tough, two-wheel, hilly pilgrimage to the site. An eternal flame to honor cyclists for died is also at the museum. (Photo credit.)

I've also seen some cool souvenirs.

This could be a cool place to visit if you're for a cycling adventure in Italy or just a jaunt off the beaten path. I like to know that someone is looking out for me when I'm on the road. A fun bicycle story to share!

Feeling Safe Enough to Ride

Life gets overwhelming and busy sometimes. There's that famous line that's cliche by now, but it still rings true: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

I've not been able to ride my bike in the last several months. Shorter days. Rain. Mostly a busy work schedule. I don't feel safe riding here, now, this time of year. When I lived in a more bike-friendly area, I would ride almost year-round. As long as the pavement was visible, I rode. Riding in the cold wasn't ideal, but it didn't keep me off my bike. And riding in the dark wasn't my favorite thing to do, either, but if work kept me late, conditions were such that I didn't fear for my life.

Safety is an interesting issue when it comes to bike riding. It's all relative. If people feel safe, they'll ride. Some will ride in almost any condition, on any road, like on Scenic Highway 11. Crazy hills next to the crazy traffic on the crazy bike lanes. Riding in conditions a little less stressful are a safer choice for a majority of bicyclists, like those found on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. If I want to ride near my house, I'm riding in conditions that are somewhere in the middle. Not crazy enough to prohibit people, but not safe enough for novice riders or children. Sometimes it gets to me. I want to scream at the cars riding too close, bang on sides, kick the doors at the next stoplight. I don't, but it would sure feel good. (Graphic credit here.)

 
I wish that the "bike route" that was identified with outdated signs was safer. Debris-filled shoulders that were cleaned. Bike lanes that weren't substandard, being forced to ride in the gutter pan. Speed limits or road conditions or street designs that were a little more inviting or (at least) did not encourage speeding motorists. If you check out the League of American Bicyclist's Bicycle Friendly America Program, you can check out how safe your state (and possibly community) is based on a few criteria. South Carolina is the 11th most dangerous state.

Safety is an issue when bike riding. I used to ignore it, but now I can't help it that my stress level spikes when cars buzz by. I can't wait until the conditions are such that I can get back out my bike.

Biking in Clemson

Clemson University held a Student Meeting for their Bike Plan at the end of November. There were a small, but dedicated group that attended the meeting. The University is looking at connecting the Campus, Beach (once known as "Y Beach," now called "Campus Beach") and the North and South Forest by bike. Clemson University does not own all the land to connect these places by bike lane or path, but they're working on other ways to draw connections between these places that are inviting to people who ride bikes - recreational riders, families, hard core mountain bikers, road cyclists, etc. Their aim is to develop a network that will appeal to a variety of bike riders.

At the meeting, the University was looking for input on routes that cyclists use - around campus and in the Forest. There isn't much in the way of official bike paths, trails or lanes on campus (or in the Clemson area, for that matter), but a good way of developing a good network of paths is by talking to the users. There are many trails in the Forest, but there are user conflicts, unclear trail signage, etc. If you bike on campus or in the Forest, feel free to post a comment below about places you go, things you'd like to see improve or change and other ideas. 

It was also great to hear that the University and the City are talking about their bike plan together. The City is also working on a bike plan. They are just in the beginning phases, but after input after the public meeting on the update to the City's Recreational Master Plan, public interest in developing better bikeways in Clemson is clear.  The City and University will be working on a network of connected routes and destinations. The two entities are known for working together on other initiatives, programs and events. Great things in Clemson!

Clemson is a great college town, and having a network of bike paths would help to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors to the area! It would also be great if the bike routes connected to the larger apartment complexes. There are a high number of students biking from off-campus, and providing them a safe way of getting around would do a long way. Getting the cities of Central and Pendleton to join in or write their own bike plan would also be great. 

Keep up the great energy, interest and biking!