KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Warmer weather means that more people are out and about more often.
As a result, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies are reminding citizens to be mindful of those riding bicycles, especially with the upcoming Kalamazoo Bike Week on May 9-16.
Local five-foot passing ordinances exist in Kalamazoo, Portage and Kalamazoo and Oshtemo townships. Elsewhere in Michigan, a three-foot safe passing law must be observed. Parking and driving in bike lanes is unsafe and prohibited by law.
“Unsafe passing, distracted driving, impaired and aggressive driving, speeding and ignoring traffic control devices pose unacceptable public dangers,” warns Sheriff Fuller. “Following the rules of the road also applies to bicyclists. Don’t run red lights. Don’t ride on the wrong side of the road. You put yourself in harm’s way if you don’t ride your bike like you would drive a car.”
Officials with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) and Portage Public Safety are also weighing in.
“In cities, conflicts between motor vehicles and bicycles create hot spots,” KDPS Chief Karianne Thomas and Portage Public Safety Director Nick Armold said in a joint statement. “We urge motorists and bicyclists to be especially cautious around busy intersections and driveways. Check all around and look behind you before changing lanes and when turning. Don’t drive – or bike – distracted or impaired.”
Education chair of the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club Paul Wells is also reminding bike riders of their own responsibility to safety.
“At our Bike Camp we teach that bike riders are bound by the same rules, rights and responsibilities as drivers,” Wells said. “Riders who think riding against traffic is safer actually run a greater chance of being hit by drivers who don’t expect wrong way traffic at driveways and intersections. Running a red light is especially dangerous – so are turning unpredictably and riding without lights at night.”
Bike Friendly Kalamazoo founder Paul Selden agrees.
“There’s nothing gained by driving or bicycling dangerously, but everything to lose,” Selden said. “We owe it to ourselves to follow – and teach our children to follow – the rules of the road. We owe it to a higher law to treat each other with courtesy and respect. We are all this together. When in doubt, drive and bike as you would like to be treated.”
These statements come as Kalamazoo Bike Week is drawing closer. Since the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in prohibitions on large group gatherings, organizer of the event will be holding some virtual events, while others have been postponed altogether.
More information about these events, as well as tips for riding safely during the pandemic, can be found online at https://kalamazoobikeweek.org/.
