SRT - Safe Riding Techniques

While we can compile a list of all the possible hazards we face while biking in the city, I want to focus on what cyclists can do to be more pro-active and try to minimize hazards that lead up to dooring crashes.

What are some things you personally do while riding in Chicago, or anywhere, to avoid car door crashes?

How do you utilize SRT while riding?

Thanks,

@lookchicago

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tim S on December 5, 2012 at 3:02am
I always Ride Wide. I will be on the outside line of a bike lane or a few feet away from the parked cars if there is no lane.
Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on December 5, 2012 at 3:10am

We need to TM that phrase for the next City of Chicago Bike map - "Ride Wide"

I see a PSA video with Queen's 'Fat Bottomed Girls' playing in the background....:P

"Get on your bikes and ride....Wide!"

Tim S said:

I always Ride Wide. I will be on the outside line of a bike lane or a few feet away from the parked cars if there is no lane.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on December 5, 2012 at 3:26am

You're over complicating things; being safe as as simple as two basic steps:

1. Be alert and pay attention to your surroundings.

2. Ride defensively.

3. Ride predictably. 

That's it.  

It really is just that simple.  There is no need to turn it into a complicated checklist or something bigger than it actually is.  Pay attention to the world around you, be aware of potential hazards, predict the worst and ride accordingly and don't suddenly do the unexpected near cars or other cyclists and you are going to be as safe as is possible when riding a 30 pound bike around 3,000 pound cars.

Permalink Reply by Tim S on December 5, 2012 at 3:30am

Oh, but that's 3 steps... it's getting complicated.

notoriousDUG said:

You're over complicating things; being safe as as simple as two basic steps:

1. Be alert and pay attention to your surroundings.

2. Ride defensively.

3. Ride predictably. 

That's it. 

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on December 5, 2012 at 3:31am

Well said Dug - 

simple and safe - the hard part is what you may consider 'predictable' other may consider peculiar

Keeping it simple is key though the definition of what that is should be defined for the more novice cyclist.  I know when I first started riding I took defensively as staying as far to the right as possible.  I think we all had moments like that before.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 5, 2012 at 3:56am

Dug's list is absolutely right but Aaron is right that what falls under those points is not always obvious to a novice cyclist.  The list could be the excellent start of an outline for novice cyclists.  Here is my start:

1.  Be alert and pay attention to your surroundings

     a.  Watch ahead and behind.

     b.  Watch the surface on which you are riding.

     c.  Look in car mirrors, at car taillights, in car windows as you pass lines of cars.

     d.  Listen for everything--sirens, cars approaching from any direction, cyclists indicating their approach, clicks of car doors.

2.  a.  Expect others to disobey the law!  If you are right and someone else is wrong, it does not hurt any less when you collide!

     b.  Anticipate that a light might change before you get to it and be prepared to stop.

     c.  Anticipate that a car moving slightly to the right might be intending to turn right soon and do not get between it and its likely path of travel.

3.  a.  Try to ride in a straight line.

     b.  If you have to move out of a straight line use hand signals.

 

Permalink Reply by David Barish on December 5, 2012 at 4:29am

I like the short lists like Dug's. All the variables are really subsets of the bullet points. Mine are similar to Dug's-

Be Alert

Be Visible

Be Communicative

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on December 5, 2012 at 4:43am

David,

I think those three really do sum it up well.  For more novice and beginners a detailed lesson on how to 'Be' each of those could be created, but overall those are the three main things to concern yourself with.

How would anyone expand upon those though?

For instance I take Be Alert as:

  • No headphones
  • No cellphone usage (I have seen it)
  • Constant road scans
    • A block ahead 
    • All cars on the right
    • Frequent looks to my rear
  • Obeying stop signs with at least Idaho Stop 
  • Obeying traffic lights 
  • When seeing brake lights or a quick flash of the reverse lights (usually indicating a shift to D) raise your hand up and down within view of their rear view mirror
  • etc...

As DUG said this can be seen as overkill, but for someone who grew up in Nebraska or Iowa or even Barrington and is starting to ride in the city fulltime it is good knowledge to pass along.  

Changing a flat is a no brainer to me yet the first time I did it....lets just say it didn't break any records or efficiency benchmarks.

@lookchicago

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 5, 2012 at 4:50am

These and Lisa's list above are what I'd include as specifics under the 3 quick topics.  To get more novice and intermediate riders comfortable riding in traffic, it's important to offer details on how to "be" as Aaron suggested.

Aaron Bussey said:

David,

I think those three really do sum it up well.  For more novice and beginners a detailed lesson on how to 'Be' each of those could be created, but overall those are the three main things to concern yourself with.

How would anyone expand upon those though?

For instance I take Be Alert as:

  • No headphones
  • No cellphone usage (I have seen it)
  • Constant road scans
    • A block ahead 
    • All cars on the right
    • Frequent looks to my rear
  • Obeying stop signs with at least Idaho Stop 
  • Obeying traffic lights 
  • When seeing brake lights or a quick flash of the reverse lights (usually indicating a shift to D) raise your hand up and down within view of their rear view mirror
  • etc...

As DUG said this can be seen as overkill, but for someone who grew up in Nebraska or Iowa or even Barrington and is starting to ride in the city fulltime it is good knowledge to pass along.  

Changing a flat is a no brainer to me yet the first time I did it....lets just say it didn't break any records or efficiency benchmarks.

@lookchicago

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on December 5, 2012 at 5:36am

I lookat all cars ahead of me to see if there is exhaust coming out, the brake lights on, a head is visible in the driver's side, the front tires are moving or angled out, a car door is already wedged open a bit and I slow down if any of these exist. This gets easier to do the more you do it.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on December 5, 2012 at 6:21am

Right on Aaron! 

We run in to learning styles issues. Some need a detailed list and others work from an outline.Whatever gets through is good.  Long lists and pithier ones like mine can both do a lot of good. We all have little things we do that will be meaningul and might be put to use by somebody else. I like Gene's comment about looking for brake lights and exhaust etc. 

 My list, and the others I have seen, can be expanded or contracted -For example, when I mention being seen that encompasses Lisa's comment about riding in a straight line. Also, being alert is not just the physical act of checking things its the mental game we play withourselves.  When I did the AIDS ride years ago their mantra was "Stay alert, stay alive" That has stuck with me.  When I'm tired, preocccupied, or whatever, I will repeat the mantra and try to become one with my environment. That helps in a car as well.
 
Aaron Bussey said:

David,

I think those three really do sum it up well.  For more novice and beginners a detailed lesson on how to 'Be' each of those could be created, but overall those are the three main things to concern yourself with.

How would anyone expand upon those though?

For instance I take Be Alert as:

  • No headphones
  • No cellphone usage (I have seen it)
  • Constant road scans
    • A block ahead 
    • All cars on the right
    • Frequent looks to my rear
  • Obeying stop signs with at least Idaho Stop 
  • Obeying traffic lights 
  • When seeing brake lights or a quick flash of the reverse lights (usually indicating a shift to D) raise your hand up and down within view of their rear view mirror
  • etc...

As DUG said this can be seen as overkill, but for someone who grew up in Nebraska or Iowa or even Barrington and is starting to ride in the city fulltime it is good knowledge to pass along.  

Changing a flat is a no brainer to me yet the first time I did it....lets just say it didn't break any records or efficiency benchmarks.

@lookchicago

Permalink Reply by ilter on December 5, 2012 at 2:03pm

"Ride Wide¨ is real :)

On my way back home, after a relaxed ride on the lake front, I took a darker one way street with cars parked on both sides. Strangely this thread came to my mind, just as I thought "now, how would ya answer that safe riding question for a street like this?" someone swung open their car door! 
What saved a close call or worse is that I was riding wide, 3 ft or so away from parked cars.  Riding that way, closer to the middle of the road, narrows the road for approaching cars, and slows them down (to the speed limit actually).  If I was riding close to the side, it is not difficult to imagine the car behind not slowing, and even speeding up to make the green light & clipping me when I swerve to avoid the door..

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