Cycling in the city
| • | Bike maintenance, suitability also matter |
| • | Bike quiz: Rules of the road |
By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
O'ahu residents are nothing if not resilient. Within the first few days of the bus strike, hundreds adapted to the loss of service (or the subsequent traffic congestion) by adopting that most healthy and reliable mode of transport — the bicycle.
Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser Headgear Road noise Sidewalks Crosswalks
Unfortunately, it was soon obvious hat a lot of new or returning riders need to fine-tune their understanding of basic traffic laws, cycling etiquette and safety precautions.
Bicycle safety:
What not to do
What's wrong with this picture? Spanish visitor Felipe Bremer, 21, figured out that riding a bike is a great way to tour the island. But he could improve his chances of a safe journey with a few adjustments.
It's always a good idea.
Headphones can hinder your ability to hear and react to sirens, horns or nearby traffic.
Riding on sidewalks is legal in some areas, but not in business districts, where Bremer was.
There is no specific law against riding through crosswalks, but, like pedestrians, you should stay on the sidewalk (dismounted if necessary) while waiting for the light.
"No doubt, there's a lot more bicycle riders out there since the strike," says Marie Carlisle, a McCully resident who's been riding her bicycle to work downtown for the past four years. "I don't know if they're bus riders or just people who want to avoid traffic, but there's a lot of riders now — maybe double what there used to be."
Carlisle says she's watched cyclists riding against the flow of traffic or zipping by pedestrians on sidewalks. She's also seen a daring few risk insult and injury weaving their way through stalled traffic.
"Some people don't have a clue," Carlisle says. "They do dangerous things on the road and that makes it really hard for other riders who follow the rules."
To be sure, it's not just the recent wave of stranded bus riders turned cyclists who are at fault. There's a long history of tension between local cyclists and car drivers, a situation often exacerbated by mutual ignorance or misunderstanding of simple road rules.
"Every bike rider is like a vehicle and you have the same rights and responsibilities as any other vehicle on the road, " says Vincent Llorin, State Bicycle and Pedestrian coordinator. "You have to follow the rules. Taking responsibility and showing courtesy will inspire the same others."
Llorin says drivers can do their part by being aware of cyclists and making whatever adjustments are necessary to share the road safely.
"Drivers have to keep in mind that every bicycle out there means one less car on the road," he says.
Kelly Shih, 19, would settle for regular use of turn signals. The Kalihi Valley resident said he injured his wrist after a car cut in front of him making a right turn. He can't even put a number on the near misses he's had.
"It goes both ways," he said.
"... (Cyclists) and drivers have to watch out for each other. But it's hard because cyclists are the only ones getting hurt."
The Advertiser talked to bicycle riders in the downtown area, and asked them some basic questions about cycling laws and conventions (Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 10 from the accompanying quiz).
As a snapshot of cycling awareness, the results weren't pretty. Of 10 cyclists, four were unable to answer any of our four questions correctly. Three got one answer right and two got two answers right. Only one answered all four questions correctly.
Several riders said they've inadvertently been breaking traffic laws for years without being corrected. A few said it wouldn't matter anyway — they do whatever is necessary to protect themselves from aggressive or unaware drivers.
"Drivers aren't aware of bicyclists as much here," says Tom Friedman, 28, a Honolulu Community College student originally from Minnesota.
Friedman rides on sidewalks and through crosswalks to avoid drivers who he says cut him off or hog the right lane.
Downtown resident Christopher Hyatt, 52, said traffic has been better without buses "barreling down on you in traffic," but he'd still like to see more bike lanes and a better-educated driving public.
Although headgear isn't required for bicyclists 16 and older, wearing a helmet is a good idea anyway.
"A lot of vehicles just aren't into sharing lanes," he says.
Bicycle riders are subject to the same laws that govern other vehicles on the road — with a few exceptions and limitations.
Speed is one of the primary factors determining how and where a cyclist travels on the road.
As long as cyclists are traveling as fast as traffic, they are regarded the same as a car, with entitlement to the full width of the lane in which they're traveling.
If they are traveling slower than the rate of traffic, they should ride near the right-hand curb, on the edge of the road or on the shoulder of the roadway, allowing faster-moving vehicles to share the lane.
There are exceptions, of course. For example, riders may use other parts of the roadway if their lane is too narrow to accommodate a passing vehicle, or if there are hazards in their path. Cyclists are also allowed to ride on the left side of one-way roads that have two or more lanes.
Contrary to popular belief, it is illegal to ride opposite the flow of traffic. Llorin says many bicycle-related accidents occur when cyclists ride against traffic.
Riding on sidewalks is another area of confusion for cyclists. While it is legal to ride on sidewalks in limited situations, there are plenty of things to consider:
- It is illegal to ride on sidewalks in business districts and in Waikiki. Cyclists who ride on sidewalks in other areas must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and give audible signals before overtaking or passing a pedestrian. They also have to ride 10 mph or slower.
- When riding at night, cyclists must have their bikes equipped with a lamp mounted on the front of the bike (with a white beam visible at least 500 feet) and reflective material visible for 600 feet on both sides. Bikes should also be equipped with a red reflector at least 4 inches wide that is visible from 600 feet when illuminated by standard car low lights.
For a complete accounting of state and city and county bicycling laws, visit the Hawai'i Bicycling League Web site, www.hbl.org, and check out the section under "Rights and Responsibilities."
The overview, compiled by John Wendell, includes official language of the laws as well as easy-to-read summaries. HBL is also a great source for bicycling information and instruction.
Beyond the letter of the law, cyclists are encouraged to know and learn some basic riding etiquette:
- It is customary for cyclists to pass on the left, calling out their intention ("To your left!") to the person they intend to overtake.
- While it is legal to ride side-by-side in bike lanes, most experienced riders will stay single-file so they don't force passing cyclists into the traffic lane.
- Responsible cyclists often use hand signals to indicate slowing, stopping, turning and — for the benefit of nearby cyclists — approaching road hazards.
Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2461.
