Riding and Surviving in Orange County
We don’t know about you, but watching “Le Tour de France” last month made us all want to hit the streets on our road bikes! And there are plenty of beautiful places to ride in the OC—over 1,000 miles of bikeways (and according to the OCTA more to come!).
But some riders in the OC actually fear taking that road bike out of the garage. Why? Well, it’s because of the never-ending battle between motorist and cyclist. You may remember the recent tragedy in LA’s Mandeville Canyon that Bicycling magazine called “the road rage incident heard ’round the cycling world.”
Two riders were riding side by side on a steep, narrow road when a neighborhood resident came up behind them in a car. The driver exchanged some words with the riders, then pulled in front of them and slammed on his brakes. One of the riders went headfirst through the back window of the car and was seriously injured. The driver was found guilty of six felonies, including assault with a deadly weapon.
Many drivers feel resentment towards riders who they feel are not “sharing the road” by riding abreast. Some feel that they need to “teach cyclists a lesson”.
Rock n’ Road has been involved for years in the movement to increase the education of both motorists and cyclists in following the laws and co-existing peacefully. We’re sure you all do your part in educating your non-cycling friends and family on how they can respect the rights of cyclists, but it’s important that we all do our part too. You can help by:
* Riding on the road—the right side, not the left or the sidewalk. Share with cars so you don’t cause “road rage”! Single file if you need to.
* Using front & rear lights when riding at night. We’ll help you pick some out.
* Take good care of your bike: a well-tuned machine is a safe one. We can help you with this too!
* Obey lane markings & road signs, use hand signals so drivers know your intent.
* WEAR A HELMET! We have lots to choose from—and will help you find one that fits, looks, and feels great.
For info about OC cycling bikeways check out;
http://www.octa.net/bikeways.aspx
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