Berlfein is the chair of Encinitas BikeWalk and lives in Encinitas.
To: My dear friends who drive cars and to my dear friends who pedal bikes, a few tips on keeping us all alive.
From: Your neighbor who pedals a bike and drives a car.
Dear Bike Riders,
I don’t want to hit you. I really don’t. But sometimes I worry that I might just by accident. Please help me out: make yourself visible. Sometimes the light is in my eyes. Sometimes it’s night and it’s dark. Sometimes there are cars and bikes coming from all directions. It would help me a lot if you would:
- Wear bright colors — think bright red T-shirt, reflective green vest, neon colored basket — anything to make you stand out. If you’re wearing gray or black or brown, consider yourself invisible!
- Turn on your lights at dusk and leave them on until dawn — If I can’t see you, I might hit you. Lights on the front of your bike and the back, lights on your helmet, lights on your wheels. You can’t have too many lights.
- Signal — Let me know what you plan to do so I can plan accordingly. Turning right — no problem, I’ll slow down and give you the right-of-way. Turning left — no problem, I’ll let you merge across lanes if I see your left arm extended. If you have a mirror on your bike, it will be easier for you to see me coming.
- Make eye contact — let me know when you’re about to go at a four-way intersection, don’t just bust on through.
- Don’t surprise me! — Don’t expect me to do any of these things if you speed up at 40 mph from behind a blind curve and think I’ll know you’re there. I don’t have eyes in the back of my head.
With gratitude,Your neighbor who drives a car.
Dear Drivers,
I know things have changed a lot in the last few years. I know driving used to be a lot easier — all you had to do was watch for the infrequent pedestrian and you were good to go. Now it’s different. There are many more of us on the road — bikes, pedestrians, scooters. Sometimes you may feel like we’re attacking you from all directions. I get it. It can be scary. I have faith. We can make this work. And you can help.
- Slow down — Of course it’s fun to drive fast. I get it. But it’s not fun to hit a cyclist. So take the freeway if you want to go fast. If you hit me going 40 mph, chances are I will probably die. If you hit me, going 20 mph, chances are I will recover. If you know there are bikes in the area, take it slowly. Arriving one or two minutes later to your destination will safe my life and won’t kill you.
- Make eye contact — Look at me and I’ll look at you. I’ll even wave and give you a thumbs up when you allow me to cross the intersection first. Thank you!
- Signal — Somehow, signaling for cars seems to have gone out of style. It helps me a lot when you signal. I can be on my guard if I know you’re turning right. It’s best if you slow down and let me pass — but if you don’t, at least I can prepare and slow down myself.
- Notice the green paint — What’s all that green paint, you ask. It’s a reminder that bikes have their own lanes. Sometimes the paint is solid. That’s a bike lane. You are supposed to stay in your car lane and I will stay in my bike lane. But sometimes you and I need to change places. You’re turning right and I’m going straight. That’s where the broken lines of green paint come in. That’s where it is very tricky. I need to move left and stay in the bike lane and you need to move right. I will do my best to not surprise you. And I ask that you approach any right turn with the utmost of caution. Check your mirror — turn your head, before you cross those broken lines of green paint. Be sure that I’m not coming from behind. If you see me coming, please slow down and let me pass. Please don’t speed up and jump across the broken lines in front of me.
- Don’t surprise me! — Don’t expect me to do any of these things if you speed up at 50 mph from behind a blind curve and think I’ll know you’re there. I don’t have eyes in the back of my head.
With gratitude,Your neighbor who pedals a bike.
