OK, most of you know I ride a bicycle - a lot! I try to commute to work on my bike at least 3 times a week. This puts me on the road with cars during heavy traffic times.  Sharing the road with a bike seems to be an optional concept for some drivers.  Did you know that in most (if not all) states in the US a bicycle has a right to a full lane on the road?  And bicycle riders are to follow the same traffic laws as cars?

When I started biking again 7 years ago, it made me a much more observant car driver.  I am better able to anticipate what a biker is going to do, and I'm much more patient with them.  Here are a couple of questions for you to ponder.

1.  How much room should you give a biker when passing?
a.  As little as necessary to get around them.
b.  Move into the next lane.
c.  3 feet
d.  Aim for them and see if you can knock them over without leaving a mark on your car.

2.  When making a right turn with a biker in front of you, do you....
a.  speed up real fast and make the turn in front of the biker.
b.  slow down, let the biker cross, then turn.
c.  honk at the biker, then make the turn in front of them.
d.  ignore the biker and just make your turn.  They aren't going very fast, you can make it.

3.  You are approaching a biker from behind and the biker raises their left arm straight out, what are they telling you?
a.  Nothing - they are just playing with the wind.
b.  They are going to make a right turn.
c.  They are going to make a left turn or enter your lane.
d.  They are just waving you around.

Sakina - Not bad.  I'll ride my bike in your area!  (I'd love to have bike lanes on every road.)

In MN the law requires a passing car to give 3 feet between the car and bike.  This means the car does not have to move completely to the other lane, but does need to give safe distance.

As for the hand signals - I guess they don't require that on drivers tests anymore.  The correct signal for a left turn, or entering the lane to the biker's left, is the left arm straight out.

The right turn signal is either the left arm point up from the elbow (which is extended from the body), or the right arm straight out to the right.  I prefer to use the left arm signal, since drivers are more likely to see my left arm.

I drive more than I bike lately but when I used to bike every week day for work I would have to deal with traffic but I would take the least traveled roads.

I noticed where I live most people use the arm signals but do not stop for stop signs like they are supposed to

We do have a few streets which are 'bike routes' but I see a lot of people use the busier streets than the bike routes

When I did bicycle a lot, I would pay attention to the cars more than they would pay attention to me.

Jerry