Advisory Committee Teaches Bicycle Lane Safety
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Staff Report-
The committee was initiated in January to further community-wide bicycle and pedestrian efforts in the areas of engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation.
A bicycle-pedestrian master plan is slated for completion this year, and it will provide a foundation for future planning and development.
The committee, consisting of representatives from several community organizations and government agencies, exists to oversee and execute the plan.
More information about the committee can be found by calling Staci Young at 574-372-9554, Ext. 224, [email protected], or by following the effort on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RideWalkWarsawWinonaLake
Fact or fiction: In Indiana a cyclist must ride in a bike lane when available? fiction.
Fact or fiction: In Indiana pedestrians are always allowed to walk in bike lanes? fiction.
Fact or fiction: In Indiana a motorist cannot travel or park in a bike lane? fact.
Fact or fiction: In a bike lane there is two-way cyclist traffic? fiction.
A bike lane is an area of the road that is set aside for the exclusive use of cyclists. This means that unless there are signs allowing joint usage, even pedestrians are not supposed to travel in a bike lane.
There are some other exceptions to this rule as well. A driver on official duty (such as mail delivery) may be in a bike lane, and if a person is operating a mo-ped as a bicycle, that person must use the bike lane.
Even though the bike lane is for the exclusive use of cyclists, a cyclist is not required to remain in the bike lane.
A bike lane is created by marking two solid white parallel lines.
The space between the lines is for the exclusive use of cyclists, and will contain a bicycle logo with an arrow that indicates the direction of travel.
This direction is almost always in the same direction as motor vehicle travel.
At intersections the bike lane markings will break with other traffic lane markings; motorists and cyclists should then interact according to the normal rules of the road.
As a motorist do not drive in, park in or otherwise position a vehicle in such a way that it impedes bicycle traffic.
People are required to yield the right of way to cyclists in the bike lane. The most common reason for crossing a bike lane is to turn into a private drive or alley.
When doing this do not merge into the bike lane. The motorist should signal their intention to turn and wait until the bike lane is safely clear of cyclists before executing their turn through the lane.
At intersections where the bike lane breaks, motorists who are turning should operate as required by the state.
This means if a person is making a right turn they must wait for approaching cyclists on the right to clear the intersection before executing a turn.
As a cyclist people should use the bike lane for straight-through travel whenever it is safe to do so.
If a person is in a bike lane and needs to make a left turn, do not ride up to the turn and suddenly swerve into traffic or stop in the middle of the bike lane.
Cyclists should anticipate their upcoming turn and safely merge out of the bike lane into the left side of the travel lane.
They also can get into the left turn lane if present, then execute their turn as if no bike lane exists.
When turning right, cyclists should move to the right side of the lane (this may or may not require you to leave the bike lane), signal your turn, and execute your turn when it is safe to do so.
Do not forget to watch for and yield to crossing pedestrians who may have the right of way.
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The committee was initiated in January to further community-wide bicycle and pedestrian efforts in the areas of engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation.
A bicycle-pedestrian master plan is slated for completion this year, and it will provide a foundation for future planning and development.
The committee, consisting of representatives from several community organizations and government agencies, exists to oversee and execute the plan.
More information about the committee can be found by calling Staci Young at 574-372-9554, Ext. 224, [email protected], or by following the effort on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RideWalkWarsawWinonaLake
Fact or fiction: In Indiana a cyclist must ride in a bike lane when available? fiction.
Fact or fiction: In Indiana pedestrians are always allowed to walk in bike lanes? fiction.
Fact or fiction: In Indiana a motorist cannot travel or park in a bike lane? fact.
Fact or fiction: In a bike lane there is two-way cyclist traffic? fiction.
A bike lane is an area of the road that is set aside for the exclusive use of cyclists. This means that unless there are signs allowing joint usage, even pedestrians are not supposed to travel in a bike lane.
There are some other exceptions to this rule as well. A driver on official duty (such as mail delivery) may be in a bike lane, and if a person is operating a mo-ped as a bicycle, that person must use the bike lane.
Even though the bike lane is for the exclusive use of cyclists, a cyclist is not required to remain in the bike lane.
A bike lane is created by marking two solid white parallel lines.
The space between the lines is for the exclusive use of cyclists, and will contain a bicycle logo with an arrow that indicates the direction of travel.
This direction is almost always in the same direction as motor vehicle travel.
At intersections the bike lane markings will break with other traffic lane markings; motorists and cyclists should then interact according to the normal rules of the road.
As a motorist do not drive in, park in or otherwise position a vehicle in such a way that it impedes bicycle traffic.
People are required to yield the right of way to cyclists in the bike lane. The most common reason for crossing a bike lane is to turn into a private drive or alley.
When doing this do not merge into the bike lane. The motorist should signal their intention to turn and wait until the bike lane is safely clear of cyclists before executing their turn through the lane.
At intersections where the bike lane breaks, motorists who are turning should operate as required by the state.
This means if a person is making a right turn they must wait for approaching cyclists on the right to clear the intersection before executing a turn.
As a cyclist people should use the bike lane for straight-through travel whenever it is safe to do so.
If a person is in a bike lane and needs to make a left turn, do not ride up to the turn and suddenly swerve into traffic or stop in the middle of the bike lane.
Cyclists should anticipate their upcoming turn and safely merge out of the bike lane into the left side of the travel lane.
They also can get into the left turn lane if present, then execute their turn as if no bike lane exists.
When turning right, cyclists should move to the right side of the lane (this may or may not require you to leave the bike lane), signal your turn, and execute your turn when it is safe to do so.
Do not forget to watch for and yield to crossing pedestrians who may have the right of way.
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