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Under Massachusetts law, bicycles have the legal status of
vehicles with the same rights and responsibilities - and governed
by the same rules - as all motorized vehicles on the road. The
bicycle as a vehicle is a legal fiction, of course. Bikes have
no parity - in terms of power, lethality, pollution and demand
on city services - with the motorized vehicles that rule our
streets.
The letter of the law, for example, allows cyclists to occupy
and not yield a full vehicle lane at any time. In reality, to
avoid harrasment, bicycles almost always ride on the right side
of the road in deference to cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles.
Legally, to offer another for instance, bikes must stop at red
lights. In practice, they often cross intersections at the best
time - whenever the coast is clear and it's the safest.
Siting just these two situations, out of possibly dozens more,
the bicycle's legal status as a vehicle quickly skids into a
large gray breakdown lane. Most bicyclists, therefor, routinely
ride by a different set of rules, and mostly with impunity. This
is also due to the fact that transportation infrastructure has
been built with nearly no thought to accommodating the ultimate
urban vehicle, the bicycle.
Given this reality, no discussion of safe cycling in the city
could be - but usually is - considered complete without acknowledging
these practices and presenting the safest possible strategies
for 'riding the rules'.
Before discussing the rules of the road, along with how and
when to override them, let's look at some common sense rules
of thumb.
First - Cell phones. Wonderful as they are, cell phones have
not been a good development fpr bicyclists, or drivers either
for that matter. The only automodile accident I've been in for
30 years was caused by my gypsy cab driver answering his cell
phone while merging onto Collumbus Avenue.
Recent scientific studies have shown, according to NPR, that
the degree of impairment that drivers suffer due to cell phone
usage behind the wheel is equal to that caused by being legally
drunk. In other words - since almost everyone seems to be chatting
on their cell behind the wheel - you now have to ride as if every
driver on the road is drunk. And there are plenty of those too,
most of whom are probably also chatting on their cells. And don't
even get me started about using your cell while biking. Enough
said.
Second - Speed. Whether it's behind the wheel or a set of
handlebars - speed kills. Bike at a steady, moderate speed, and
always in control.
Third - Yield! If there's any doubt about a traffic situation
on the road - yield to the driver. You may be in the right, but
also dead right. There's no shame is this game, it's all about
survival.
Fourth - Manners. Ride in a predictable, and again steady
and moderate, manner that drivers can clearly see and easily
interpret. Don't weave in and out of parked cars, jump suddenly
on and off sidewalks into the street, or cut in front of cars
to claim a travel lane.
Fifth - Signals. Use hand signals and eye contact when dealing
with drivers. The signals make your intentions clear and eye
contact assures that you've been seen and understood. Plus it's
harder to run over someone you've just looked in the eye. If
they don't cooperate, again -yield.
Now we're ready to 'ride the rules'. Let's start with the
most common, but still controversial, rule breaker ... riding
on sidewalks.
According to the letter of the law, it's illegal. Everyone
does it at one time or another, however, and many cyclists do
it frequently. Very rarely does anyone get hurt (pedestrian or
rider), scolded, stopped by the police, arrested, fined or hauled
into court. In Boston, that is. Municipalities vary in their
enforcement. Don't do this in the People's Republic of Cambridge,
you will be detained for reducation.
Curb cuts are a bicyclist's best friend (an unintended consequence
of the Americans with Disabilities Act ) giving you the freedom
of all the cities in the country. But, once you ride up that
short ramp joining street to sidewalk, you must be on your best
behavior.
Pedestrians must always be given the absolute right of way on
all sidewalks, plazas and off-road public spaces (which is more
than they, or we, get in the street). It's up to you to stay
well out of their way, to yield to them at any time, in any situation
and to not alarm or frighten them, especially the aged and infirm
who scare easily and might be unsteady on their feet.
If there's a right/left traffic flow on the sidewalk, which
there usually is, go with the flow. If the sidewalk is at all
crowded, seek another route or get off and walk your bike until
the crowd thins out. Cycle slowly at all times, keeping a lookout
on all sides and be prepared to stop on a dime.
Unlike riding on the road, it's not appropriate to use a bell
or horn or even say "excuse me" to pass a pedestrian.
This is their protected space and you are the interloper. If
for some reason, you do cross paths with a pedestrian and cause
them any alarm or inconvenience, that is the only proper time
to say, "excuse me!" ... and mean it. "I'm so
sorry", would also be appropriate.
Another common, but still controversial cycling practice is
riding the wrong way on one-way streets. Obviously this isn't
necessary and should never be done on two-way streets.
Boston was 'laid out by drunken cows', as the Yankees say
(that is, the natives of New England, not the Evil Empire) and
truly 'you can't get there from here' (another quaint Yankee
saying). The one-way, therefore, is often the best way, or you
will be going far out of your way.
First of all, when riding a one-way, ride on the right hand
side of the street, following the U. S. traffic pattern (and
on the left where they drive on the left elsewhere in the world).
As with riding on the sidewalk, you are an illegal interloper,
therefore be prepared to yield, preferably well in advance, in
any and all possible confrontational situations. Ride slowly
and predictably. Use hand signals if needed. Watch for opening
car doors, they hurt when hit from either direction. Pay attention!
A necessary added precaution is to always be on the lookout
for a good escape route in case of trouble. This could be all
the way over to the side of the street, up a curb cut onto the
sidewalk, or over the curb itself if need be, into a side street
or driveway or between parked cars if you're sure they're not
about to make a move.
Crossing against the lights is a common bicyclist's, and pedestrian's,
habit, although, strictly speaking it is illegal. Plus it has
drawbacks. On the one hand, the best time to cross the street
is when the coast is clear, with no cars coming. On the other,
you have to be sure that the coast really is clear, especially
in situations where cars could be coming from different directions.
To back up a bit, one thing to be aware of, which most people
don't know, is that you have limited legal protection on a walk
light. Cars must yield to people in a crosswalk on a walk light,
but they are allowed to go through a crosswalk if the person
is 10 feet away. Naturally, this limited law leads to drivers
cutting things close. So even on a walk light beware and watch
all ways.
When crossing an intersection either against the traffic lights
or on the walk light, and at all times, in fact - you have to
watch the traffic flow and be aware of the state of the signals
in all directions. The coast truly has to be clear, with no cars
coming in your direction. This can be tricky to guage, especially
when cars are turning left and right. Always err on the side
of caution in this situation. And never trust car turn signals.
One strategy that works well on streets with a median strip
is to cross the street in stages. Cross to the median strip (or
the 'neutral ground', as they say in New Orleans) when the coast
is clear and wait there if any traffic is coming in the next
lane. This gets you safely half way across, and often traffic
will soon be flowing in the lane you just crossed.
... While we realize that many peope 'ride the rules' in the
ways that we've been discussing, obviously we cannot condone
these common practices. We reccomend that everyone bicycle legally,
following the letter of the law at all times.
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