The Chainlink

NYT: Nervous Cyclist Guide to NYC. How Does This Translate for Chicago?

Comfortable getting around on your bike in the city? What advice would you give a nervous cyclist?

Here's a summary of the NYT article. What advice would you give a nervous cyclist? 

"Protect Yourself and Your Bike"

  • Helmet
  • Bike maintenance

"Find a Peaceful Place to Ride"

  • Areas you are comfortable with
  • Ride in parks, on bike paths

"Follow the Rules"

  • Stay off the sidewalk
  • Only one earbud (or none)
  • Bike bell
  • Obey all traffic laws

"Learn to Coexist with Cars"

  • Hand signal your turns
  • Be visible to cars
  • Ride a safe distance from parked cars (avoid dooring)

"Get Help From Experts"

  • Join a club/group

Views: 975

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I'd also encourage them to learn to coexist with other cyclists while riding.

I think this can apply anywhere, but there are some Chicago-specific route choice things you can point out. The nature of our grid makes it relatively easy to ride a lot of places on low-stress streets, and you can often find neighborhood streets that cross arterials at lights or stop signs for easy crossing. More specifically, you can get really far by taking advantage of the Emerald Necklace connection of boulevards and parks.

1. Earbuds increase the chances of the rider getting into an accident (especially if the rider is a novice). 

2. In an accident, you are a lot more likely to injure a part of the body other than the head (broken wrist, broken collarbone, busted ribs, etc.)

3. Helmets protect only in the case of a fall that results in direct impact to the head (and even that's doubtful because a lot of riders/ rookies do not even strap their helmets properly).

Therefore it follows that you could be a lot safer not wearing earbuds and not getting into accidents in the first place as opposed to wearing a helmet that will protect you in case you fall and hit your head.

I am not saying that helmets do not save lives, all I am saying is that it is very rare when they do, and if you don't get into an accident in the first place, then helmets are useless. This conclusion is, of course, based on my personal riding style and may not apply to everyone, but wearing earbuds is still pretty stupid to me. Especially when the slow rider in front of me is blocking the entire lane and does not hear me coming from behind.

Hope that makes sense...

P.S. This was meant to post as a reply to an earlier comment above, and I can't delete it so...

Here are some tips I've seen floating around Chainlink and Let's Go Ride a Bike that helped me:

-Ride in traffic on a weekend when traffic is low (this parks/paths advice in NYT article is only useful for people who don't know the mechanics of riding a bike).

-Pick a short route that you know well and has marked bike lanes.  

-Left turns are most challenging for beginners, so don't feel bad doing a box left turn (Google it if this is an unfamiliar term).

This whole thread makes me sad.  As a relatively old person, I grew up on bikes, riding everywhere.  By the time I was in middle school, I knew very well how to ride in (heavy) traffic.  It says something (very bad) about the urban planning of the last decades that so many younger people haven't a clue about how to survive on a bike in traffic.  But I really applaud them for making the effort to learn as adults!

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service