KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The second annual Fall Bike Celebration Weekend is starting this Friday, September 18 through September 20.
Ahead of the weekend filled with biking-related events, officials with the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club are reminding participants of some basic safety tips to consider.
“The biggest thing is to remember that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of motor vehicles,” Rene Mitchell of the Kalamazoo Bike Club said. “What that means to bicyclists is that we need to obey all the traffic signals and all the traffic laws that motorists would do. That means stopping at stop signs, stopping at red lights, and when you’re out there riding, just ride as you are a vehicle on the road.”
This also means signalling properly as a vehicle in traffic would.
“Cars have their blinkers to inform people if they’re turning, bicyclists use their hand signals,” Mitchell added. “It’s important to use your signals for turning right or left, and even slowing down, putting your hand lowered next to your side.”
Other rules bicyclists should follow include riding with traffic and not against it, as well as riding no more than two riders abreast.
Local five-foot passing ordinances exist in Kalamazoo and Portage, as well as 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. Motorists are advised to slow down when passing a bike rider.
Paul Wells, education chair of the Kalamazoo Bike Club, is also weighing in. He advises that cyclists do basic maintenance checks on their bikes before riding.
“You want to make sure that everything is functioning properly, you want to have air in your tires,” Wells said. “Bicycle tires leak down quicker than automobile tires do, so you want to make sure they’re pumped properly. Make sure your brakes work, make sure your shifters and chain work properly. If your bike has quick-release levers, make sure those are properly tightened so your wheels are secure.”
Wells adds that biker visibility is also important to promoting safety.
“You want to make sure that you wear bright clothing,” Wells said. “By law, you need to have lights at night. Most of us have been using daytime visibility lights, they’re fairly recent in the last five years or so and they’re very bright. They make you much more visible, and that’s important as a courtesy to drivers so they definitely can see you and give you room when they pass.”
Wells also advises bike riders to be careful around intersections and driveways.
“The majority of bike-motorist accidents happened at intersections and driveways where motor vehicles are changing lanes, turning, backing out of driveways, and those are the number one danger points,” Wells said.
Wells also emphasized signalling properly and making sure the way is clear, especially when getting preparing to get in a turn lane.
More information about the Fall Bike Celebration Weekend itself can be found here, the official Kalamazoo Bike Club website or the event website.
Further safety information about bike riding from local authorities can be found here. Data about bicycle-related crashes in Kalamazoo can be found here.
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