Oregon 2000 User's Manual
Contents
1. Stop at STOP signs and red lights It s the law to stop for a yellow light too and it makes good sense rushing through a yellow light may not leave you enough time to make it across the intersection before the light changes Useful tip Downshift before stopping at an intersection This will help you cross the street more easily when you start again Making a left turn Stop at red lights and stop signs There are several ways to make a left turn on a bicycle As a vehicle As you approach the intersection look over your left shoulder for traffic and when clear signal your turn see page 9 move over to the left side of the lane on a two lane road or into the left lane or the center turn lane 1 You should be positioned so cars going straight through can t pass you on the left Yield to on coming cars before turning If you are riding in a bike lane or on a road with several lanes you need to look and signal each time you change lanes Never make a left turn from the right side of the road even if you re in a bike lane Box style Proceed straight through the intersection on the right Then stop and either cross as a pedestrian in the crosswalk 2 or make a 90 degree left turn and proceed as if you were coming from the right 3 If there is a signal wait for the green or WALK signal before crossing Yield to pedestrians in crosswalk Ml LINE 1 H2. Its Oregon law all bicycle riders under sixteen must wear an approved bicycle helmet while riding on a public way In the past helmets met voluntary standards like ASTM Snell or ANSI After March 1999 there is a new federal standard developed in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC If your bicyde helmet meets one of the previous standards you do not need to buy a new helmet Unless damaged these bicycle helmets provide sufficient protection for their useful life usually 3 5 years When you buy a new helmet look for the label or sticker indicating it meets the CPSC safety standard Proper fit is important too For a detailed brochure contact the Bicydist Safety Program address front cover Finally if you crash or fall inspect your helmet if there are signs of damage replace it because it may no longer protect you PRACTICES TO AVOID Now that you know what to do you should also know what to avoid The following behaviors cause crashes and create an image of bicyclists as irresponsible and foolish Dont dart out suddenly onto the roadway When entering the road from a driveway always yield to traffic It is dangerous to alternate between the sidewalk and road by hopping the curb or using driveway cuts If you ride on the sidewalk motorists may not see you and may not have time to react and give you space if Darting out onto the road can put you suddenly enter the road you in the path of a
3. either move forward to leave room for a car to place itself over the loop or go to the sidewalk and press the pedestrian push button unless you re turning left You can also lean your bicycle over Lean your bike the loop so more metal is closer to the wires to trigger light Riding on sidewalks In general you shouldn t ride a bicycle on sidewalks Many crashes between bikes and cars occur on sidewalks especially when bicydists ride against the flow of car traffic If you do ride on a sidewalk try to ride in the same direction as traffic next to you and adjust your riding habits for the safety of all sidewalk users by following these guidelines Pp Slow down at driveways and street crossings if a car is coming If you go too fast drivers will not see you they are looking for pedestrians nearby not a fast moving cyclist further away If you crash you may be found at Motorist crossing a sidewalk fault if you were going too fast may not see you on a bicycle Yield to pedestrians sidewalks are for walkers not bicyclists Be courteous and ride cautiously When passing a pedestrian slow down give an audible warning and wait for the pedestrian to move over A bicycle bell works best If you must say something make your inten tions clear For example Passing on your left 14 Walk your bike in downtown areas they are busy with people walking out of doorways stopping to talk to each other or windo
4. hazards A rear light is more visible than a reflec tor Front white Bicyclist B reflectors are not gt gt gt visible to motorists SHE entering from a side street and do not meet legal lighting Bicyclist A with a requ irements front light is visible e Fenders keep you t approaching dry and clean They o also prevent your bicycle from getting dirty in wet weath er Effectiveness of bike lights Bicylist B without a front light can t be seen a reflector is ineffective here 4 This cyclist has lights fenders luggage rack and helmet PRINCIPLE 42 RIDE WITH TRAFFIC Mountain bikes and hybrids are easier to handle than many older bikes They are well suited for city riding thanks to their upright sitting position modern gear shifters and brakes rugged construction and maneuverability To improve your riding skills practice in an area away from cars Learn to ride while looking ahead to the sides and over your shoulder this is needed to check for traffic before turning Avoid distrac tions such as listening to a personal stereo while riding In Oregon a bicycle is a vehicle by law When riding your bike on a road you have the same rights and duties as other road users With a few exceptions the rules of the road for drivers apply to you Consult the Oregon Driver s Manual to become familiar with these rules The most important rule to remember is ride on the right in
5. the same direction as the traffic next to you It s the law This way you will be seen by others When drivers enter a road change or cross lanes they know where to look for possible conflicts If you are riding with traffic you are more visible and drivers will more likely yield to you When riding in a bike lane you are still required to ride in the same direction as the traffic next to you Riding with traffic also shows you are responsible and will help you gain the respect of other road users Ride with traffic to be seen HOW FAR TO THE RIGHT YOU SHOULD RIDE Riding on the right doesn t mean hugging the curb or edge of the road This may not be the best place to ride For example if you hit the curb you could lose your balance and fall into traffic Other times when you shouldn t ride too far to the right include e When avoiding parked cars or surface hazards see below e When a lane is too narrow for a bicycle and vehicle to travel safe ly side by side see page 7 riding with traffic When making a left turn make left turns as shown on page 8 When you re passing another bicycle or car To avoid conflicts with right turning cars On a one way street you may ride on the left as long as you are The above exceptions also apply to riding in a bike lane Road surface hazards Keep an eye on the road ahead Avoid running over potholes gravel broken glass drainage grates puddles you can t see
6. through or other unsafe road conditions But first look over your shoulder to avoid swerving suddenly into traffic If necessary signal before moving over To make riding safer for you and other bicyclists report unsafe road condi tions to local authorities as soon as possible Parked cars Ride far enough away from parked cars so you don t risk being hit by an opening car door Avoid road hazards Avoid open car doors Ride in a straight line This will make you more visible to motorists Don t weave in and out of parked cars you may disappear from motorists sight and get squeezed when you need to merge back into traffic EB Cx _ EE Don t weave in and out of parked cars Riding side by side You and a companion may ride side by side on the road but only if you don t impede other traffic If traffic doesn t have enough room to pass you safely ride single file When you should take a lane If there is no shoulder or bike lane and the travel lane is narrow ride closer to the center of the lane This will prevent motorists from passing you when there isn t room Y ou should also take the lane when you re traveling at the same speed as traffic This will keep you out of motorists blind spots and reduce conflicts with right turning traffic CEJ 2 aD A Occupy more of the travel lane if it is narrow or if traffic is moving slowly 7 Obey traffic signs amp signals
7. OREGON Bicyclist Manual 2000 This booklet was prepared to help adult bicyclists and parents of younger bicyclists understand how to ride safely and legally on the streets roads and highways of Oregon This manual condenses and paraphrases language in the Oregon Revised Statutes It also provides safety advice not included in the law This manual is not a proper legal authority to cite and should not be relied upon in a court of law Traffic regulations in cities towns and counties may go beyond state laws as long as they do not conflict with state law For a complete copy of the statutes relating to bicycling please consult the Oregon Vehicle Code available at your local library Most of the statutes relating to bicycling are found in Chapter 814 of the Oregon Revised Statutes i You can obtain additional copies of this brochure by contacting your local DMV office or by writing Traffic Safety Section Mill Creek Office Park 555 13th Street NE Salem OR 97310 Phone 503 986 4190 Parents of younger riders may wish to teach them a more defensive style of riding For this audience ODOT publishes a booklet called Say you re not from this planet are you It s available at the above address This manual was prepared by the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Program in cooperation with DMV Comments and suggestions are welcome Please contact Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager Room 210 Transportation Building Sa
8. ection they may be stopped to let a pedestrian cross or to let another car through PRINCIPLE 48 BE VISIBLE 6 RIDE ALERTLY Even if you obey all traffic laws there s always a risk of being hit by a motorist who isn t obeying the laws or who simply didn t see you So ride cautiously because cars waiting at stop signs at driveways or parking spaces may suddenly pull out in front of you 1 Also look out for cars that have just passed you and may turn right 2 and cars across the street that may turn left in front of you 3 Be prepared to stop suddenly or to take other evasive action You can also increase your visibility by using lights and reflectors at night see page 4 and wearing light or bright colored clothes Red isn t a good color for evening riding because red looks i black in the fading light Yellow and lime green are very effective i Mirrors can provide opportu 1 7 nities for increased awareness of your surroundings But use the mirror only as an aid you Tiles z must look over your shoulder EE 8 to make sure adjacent lanes OMB nagi I are clear before turning or bN changing lanes Scan the road around you 10 PRINCIPLE 44 PROTECT YOURSELF Even very careful riders can fall or get hit by a motorist And even a simple fall can injure your head The brain is very fragile and often does not heal like broken bones The damage can be for life Helmets provide proven protection
9. g the driver more time to react You also risk a head on collision with cyclists riding in the proper direction The problem is made worse when riding the wrong way on one way streets you can t see signs and traffic signals A FEW MORE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW Railroad tracks Cross railroad tracks carefully Watch for uneven pavement and grooves that could catch a wheel Keep control of your bicycle One way is to rise up from your saddle and bend your arms and legs so your body acts like a shock absorber 7 If the tracks cross the road at a sharp angle change your course so you cross them at closer to a right angle But avoid swerving suddenly this can cause you to fall or to veer into traffic Crossing railroad tracks Traffic signals Many traffic signals are triggered by electrically charged wires buried under the pavement When a vehicle goes over them the metal disrupts the current which sends a signal to a traffic light control box A computer directs the signal to change at the appropriate time 13 Most bicycles contain enough metal to trigger the light but you should know where the most sensitive spots are Look for cut lines in the pavement filled with tar Depending on the shape the most sensitive spots are H ow to trigger loop detectors 1 Diamonds just inside one of the points 2 Rectangles up front in the middle 3 Circles about 4 of the way in If you can t trigger the light
10. lem OR 97310 Telephone 503 986 3555 Copyright 1997 by the Oregon Department of Transportation Permis sion is given to quote and reproduce parts of this document if credit is given to the source CONGRATULATIONS Bicyding is an inexpensive and efficient form of transportation for short trips around town By riding a bicycle you are helping everyone by reducing traffic congestion wear and tear on our roads and the need for more roads and parking You are keeping the air clean and neighborhoods quiet while saving petroleum You are improving your own health and well being through regular exercise You have a right to ride your bicycle on Oregon s roads streets and highways Some basic safety principles will help you enjoy a safe ride The four basic principles Most bicycling injuries do not involve a crash with a motor vehicle Bicyclists are more likely to fall or hit fixed objects such as a mailbox or a parked car To avoid these crashes follow PRINCIPLE 1 maintain control of your bicycle Never ride while under the influence of alcohol or drugs DUI laws apply when you re riding a bicycle Most crashes with motor vehicles happen at road intersections and driveways where bicyclists and motorists cross paths To avoid these crashes follow PRINCIPLE 2 ride on the right with traffic ina predictable manner When motorists and bicyclists collide the fault is about evenly split between them Even if you ride respo
11. middleton ci beaverton or us http www d bend or us publicworks potholeform html webmaster co benton or us Public Works ci corvallis or us stevej co deschutes or us diane bishop ci eugene or us http www2 co multnomah or us transportation serv13 htm Printed on recycled paper Stock 200002 09 00
12. moving car 11 At intersections stay on the road Don t ride in the crosswalk and suddenly reappear on the road again A driver thinking there is no one there may lose sight of you turn the corner and hit you Alternating between riding on the road and riding in a crosswalk is confusing to drivers Never ride against traffic Wrong way riding is against the law It s one of the leading causes of crashes accounting for 15 to 20 of all crashes with cars Riding against traffic is often based on the fear of traffic hitting you from Hazards of wrong way riding driver A is looking for traffic on the left driver B is looking for traffic ahead in both cases a wrong way bicyclist is not in the driver s main field of vision 12 behind and a sense that looking at on coming traffic will prevent crashes In reality bicyclists are rarely hit from behind The biggest danger of riding the wrong way is at intersections you may not be seen by drivers entering crossing or leaving the roadway They are expecting traffic coming from the other direction not a wrong way cyclist see figure on previous page Another danger of wrong way riding is the speed of cars coming at you e fyoureriding the wrong way at 15 MPH then a car going 35 MPH is coming towards you at 50 MPH leaving little reaction time e If you are riding the right way at 15 MPH and a car gaining on you is going 35 MPH then the difference is only 20 MPH givin
13. nsibly some motorists may not see you So remember PRINCIPLE 3 be visible and ride alertly Finally PRINCIPLE 4 protect yourself wear a helmet to re duce the risk of head zzz 1 injury in the event of You can ride safely on busy streets a crash by following some basic principles 3 PRINCIPLE 1 MAINTAIN CONTROL OF YOUR BICYCLE There are many things you can do to control your bicycle even in an emergency First make sure your bike is the right size and adjusted to fit you properly The right size bicycle is easier to control and more comfort able causing less fatigue Your local bike shop can help you choose the right size bicycle for you Make sure your bike is in good working order You should inspect it regularly Here are some important parts to check e Brakes must be powerful enough to let you easily bring your bicy cleto a stop You should be able to easily reach the brake levers e Tires should be in good condition and inflated to their recom mended pressure e Luggage racks and saddle bags let you carry a load while keeping your hands on the handlebars for steering and braking e Lights are required by law when riding after dark You or your bicycle must have a white light visible at least 500 feet to the front and a red light or reflector visible at least 600 feet to the rear These are the minimum require ments More power ful lights will make you more visible to others and help you see road
14. ow to make a left turn Turn lanes When you approach an intersection with several lanes choose the one with the arrow pointing where you want to go You may get cut off by turning cars if you re in the wrong lane If there is a straight through bike lane use it only if you re going straight ahead If you can t make it across traffic to the correct lane use the cross walk instead Choose the correct lane Use hand signals when turning Signal before making a turn to warn traffic behind you To signal a left turn look behind you then hold your left arm out To signal a right turn either hold your right arm out or hold your left arm up with bent elbow You don t have to keep your arm out through the turn you may need both hands on the handlebars to keep control of your bicycle or lt left right gt Bicyclist hand signals 9 Passing other vehicles Pass on the left Only pass a vehicle on the right if it is signaling a left turn or if you are in a dedicated travel lane including a bike lane Y ou may pass on the right in a bike lane but do so cautiously Some drivers may want to turn right at the next driveway or street They may not see you if they aren t looking your way Ride at a reasonable speed and scan carefully for right turning cars see drawing below If a car ahead of you is signaling a right turn do not pass on the right Do not pass stopped cars at a crosswalk or inters
15. s and phone numbers In case of property damage over 1000 or injury to a person fill out a DMV traffic accident report within 72 hours Document your injuries and property damage with photographs or video tape save all receipts and repair estimates Contact your insur ance company if you have coverage on your bicycle You may also want to contact an attorney 15 STATEWIDE AND LOCAL BICYCLE MAPS OREGON Oregon Bicycling Guide Oregon Coast Bike Route Map 355 Capitol Street N E Room 210 Salem OR 97301 1354 Tel 503 986 3556 Free PORTLAND AREA Bike There Metropolitan Service District Transportation Dept 600 N E Grand Ave Portland OR 97232 Tel 503 797 1742 3 95 1 00 S amp H MULTNOMAH COUNTY Multnomah County Bicycling Guide Department of Environmental Services 1620 SE 190th Ave Portland OR 97233 Tel 503 248 5050 Free CLACKAMAS COUNTY Clackamas County Bike Map Clackamas County Department of Transportation 902 Abernathy Road Oregon City OR 97045 Tel 503 655 8521 3 50 1 50 includes S amp H SALEM amp KEIZER MARION amp POLK COUNTIES Mid Valley Regional Bike Map City of Salem Public Works 555 Liberty Street SE Salem OR 97301 Tel 503 588 6211 3 00 1 00S amp H LOCATION PHONE Albany 541 917 7656 Beaverton 503 526 2424 Bend 541 388 5540 Benton County 541 766 6821 Clackamas County 503 353 4529 Corvallis 541 766 6916 Deschutes County 541 383 6718 Eugene 541 682 5471 J ack
16. son County 541 774 8184 Keizer 503 393 1608 Lake Oswego 503 635 0270 Linn County 541 967 3979 Marion County 503 588 5036 Multnomah County 503 988 5050 Portland 503 823 2925 Salem 503 588 6211 Springfield 541 726 3683 State highway in Portland area 503 731 3262 Washington County 503 846 3969 ALBANY LINN COUNTY Albany Linn County Bicycle Map Albany Public Works Dept 333 Broadalbin St SW Albany OR 97321 Ta 541 917 7777 E Mail rirish ci albany or us 4 00 Includes S amp H CORVALLIS BENTON COUNTY Corvallis Area Bikeways Public Works Department PO Box 1083 Corvallis OR 97339 Tel 541 766 6916 Free EUGENE amp SPRINGFIELD Eugene Springfield Bikeways Map City of Eugene Public Works 858 Pearl Street Eugene OR 97401 Tel 541 682 5471 Free ROSEBURG DOUGLAS COUNTY Douglas County 6 Roseburg Bicycle Map Visitors Information amp Convention Bureau 900 SE Douglas Ave Roseburg OR 97470 Tel 541 672 9731 Free J ACKSON COUNTY J ackson County Bicycling Guide J akson County Roads and Parks 200 Antelope Road White City OR 97503 Tel 541 776 7268 1 00 includes S amp H DESCHUTES COUNTY Deschutes County Bicycling Guide Deschutes County Public Works 61150 SE 27th Bend OR 97702 Tel 541 388 6581 Free STATEWIDE AND LOCAL BICYCLE CONTACTS To make suggestions on how to improve road conditions for cycling in your area please call one of these telephone numbers WEBSITE rirish ci albany or us m
17. w shopping Many cities ban bikes from their downtown sidewalks Walk your bike on Riding on paths downtown sidewalks Paths are wider than sidewalks but you should still ride cautiously Ride on the right and yield to pedestrians Be especially careful when crossing a road When crossing a driveway or street slow down and be sure drivers see you Ride more slowly and alertly at night when it s harder to see the surface and edges of the path Pedestrians joggers skaters and other cydists may approach suddenly out of the dark in front of you WHAT TO DOIN CASE OF A CRASH Check for injuries first If someone is injured call for help right away Administer first aid if you are trained After the injured have been helped and removed from harm s way begin gathering information If someone has been struck by a car ask the driver for name and address vehicle registration number driver s license number and insurance policy company and number Oregon law requires motor vehicle owners to carry insurance that covers injuries to bicyclists and pedestrians and to have proof of insurance Don t discuss fault immediately after the collision Make sure to write down what you think happened as soon as possible Carry identification and medical insurance information especially when you cycle alone Give your name and address Ask witnesses including passengers their names and addresses Do not depend on others to take witness name
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