Share the Road

(Originally published in my sports page column Self-Propelled

in the November 20 to 26, 2011 issue of the Baguio Chronicle

--- a weekly newspapers based in Baguio City, Philippines.)

SELF-Propelled remembers the victims of the infamous Maguindanao Massacre (a.k.a. Ampatuan Massacre) which killed 58, 34 of them are journalists, two years ago this week in what could be the single deadliest attack on journalists in history.

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THE bicycle has many attractions as a form of personal transportation. It alleviates congestion, lowers air pollution, reduces obesity, increase physical fitness, does not emit climate-disrupting carbon-dioxide, and is priced within the reach of millions of people who cannot afford a car.

Practically nothing separates the biker from a hostile driver, totally unprotected, not even by the government. Unlike the biker, there is the windshield, the roll bars, the bumpers, the fenders and all those metals (sometimes including guns) to protect the driver from his fellow hostile drivers.

Such is the daily disparity on the road in a country of car culture like the Philippines and of a city like Baguio.

Drivers and cyclists: If there's even been an oil-and-water combination, this is it. We both use roads. We'd both prefer to do so without the other in the way.

But the juxtaposition puts cyclists in far greater peril than drivers. For that reason, nearly every rider would like non-pedaling motorists to know how vulnerable they are. And, yes, riders also need to take responsibility for their own safety, but a few simple tips for drivers will make the roads safer for everyone. You may think that you, as a seasoned cyclist, already know how to coexist with bikes when you drive, but a refresher can't hurt.

SLOW PASSING SAVES LIVES

A study in the UK showed that a pedestrian is eight times more likely to be killed by a car when struck at 30 mph than at 20 mph. The obvious implication is that a cyclist hit by a car has a much greater chance of survival if that vehicle is passing at a cautious speed. Pass efficiently, at perhaps 25 to 30 mph, if the rider is going 15 mph. You may want to speed up because a car from the opposite direction is coming. Well, that means it's not the right time to pass safely. Give way to the biker.

Fifteen states have settled on 3 feet as the motorist's minimum legal distance for safely passing cyclists. (NOTE: We do not have these things in the Philippines, Baguio in particular, to discuss, so we might as well discuss what they have in other countries.)

Gary Brustin, a California cycling attorney, is a huge proponent of the rule, saying it gives drivers the clear, workable guideline they need. "The unsafe, too-close pass easily turns into a rear-end accident, the number one cause of cycling fatalities we see here," he says. He adds that if your car is brushing past cyclists with only a foot to spare, the slightest leftward move by the cyclist can mean a collision.

While Brustin lobbied unsuccessfully for a 3-foot rule in his state, a bipartisan effort helped lead governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign California's Complete Streets Act in 2008, requiring local governments and planners to safely accommodate all users, including cyclists. A push for a nationwide standard is now taking place in both houses of Congress.

Car crashes linked to cell-phone use have led 20 states to ban driver texting, and six currently require hands-free devices for calls. (Whatever happened to this proposition when it was initially discussed at the Baguio City Council some 5 months ago?)

But even with hands-free devices, driving and talking on the phone makes you dangerous to everyone on the road. In one study, psychologists at the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, had subjects "drive" simulators while responding to spoken questions.

Subjects strayed from their lanes, an obvious hazard to cyclists, and their brains (scanned by a magnetic-resonance imaging machine) showed a 37 percent drop in activity in the parietal lobe, the region tied to driving.

RIDE SINGLE FILE WHEN POSSIBLE

Amanda Eichstaedt, a cycling instructor who chairs the League of American Bicyclists' National Legal Defense Committee, says too many cyclists ignore the safety hazards of riding two-up when cars are following or on busy roads.

Use hand signals to indicate your intentions or let drivers know they should pass. It shows you're aware of their presence and gives them more information.

Eye contact with drivers announces your presence. Garmin-Transitions pro Dave Zabriskie says it also reminds drivers that you are a living, breathing person, not a rolling obstacle.

Thirty-eight percent of cycling fatalities in 2008 took place at intersections. Before initiating a turn, drivers need to focus attention on their rear-and side-view mirrors. Turning right? Look for cyclists along the curb who may be going straight.

A few decades ago it was standard practice to count "one, one thousand; two, one thousand," to figure out how closely to follow the car ahead of you. If you reach a landmark two seconds after the vehicle in front of you, you can safely brake in time to avoid a fender bender. Today, car brakes are more effective, and the two-second rule might seem like overkill. It's not. Safety researchers say it takes roughly 0.75 seconds to recognize a stopping situation and another 0.75 seconds to hit the brakes, and that leaves only 0.5 seconds of actual braking.

That makes it imperative that you give cyclists at least as much time as you'd give another vehicle ---and remember that even tapping a cyclist with your 4,000-pound car could kill him.

Until then and have a safe ride all the time. Put on that cycling helmet each time you get on your bike. Remember: YOU CAN BEAT THE EGG WITHOUT BREAKING THE SHELL.* (SP26)*