The bicycle law study committee created by the enactment of HB232 had its first meeting August 7, when it identified priority safety issues to examine. One change to state traffic law that BikeWalk NC has recommended is that night lighting requirements for bicyclists be upgraded to require a rear lamp. Cycling in darkness is important for commuting and other forms of utility cycling. Visibility is a concern, however. About 1/4 of car/bike collisions in North Carolina happen at night, including about one half of all bicyclist fatalities. Black and Hispanic bicyclists represent over half of … [Read more...]
Search Results for: rear lighting
HB232 Bicycle Safety Law Study – Working Group Discusses Safety Benefits of Riding Two Abreast – No Legislation Recommended to Limit This Existing Right
The Working Group brought together by NCDOT pursuant to House Bill 232 to study bicycle safety laws held their final meeting November 18th. The group focused on the legislative directive to look at whether cyclists should be required to ride single file or allowed to ride two or more abreast. The committee unanimously approved a motion to recommend no new regulations on riding abreast and instead for NCDOT to develop an education and outreach program (with funding) to promote safe group riding practices, safe cycling, and safe motoring, including advice spelled out in the resolution … [Read more...]
BikeWalk NC Presentations to the HB232 Study Committee
BikeWalk NC Board member Steven Goodridge is serving on the HB232 bike safety law study committee in order to support cyclists' interests and present information on best bicycling practices to the committee. Below are materials BikeWalk NC has presented to the committee: Background Papers: Evolution of Stay-Right Laws (PDF) Passing Laws (PDF) Best Bicycle Driving Practices and North Carolina Law (PDF) Slide Presentation: Safe Passing and Riding Abreast (Presented 9/11/2015) PDF File Blog Articles: Night Visibility, Rear Lighting (Blog Article) What is a Courteous Cyclist? (Blog … [Read more...]
BWNC Materials for HB232 Bike Law Study Meetings
Safe Passing and Riding Abreast (Slide Presentation) PowerPoint File PDF File Bicyclist Lane Position (Slide Presentation) PowerPoint File PDF File Background Papers: Evolution of Stay-Right Laws (PDF) Passing Laws (PDF) Best Bicycle Driving Practices and North Carolina Law (PDF) Other Topics: Night Visibility, Rear Lighting (Blog Article) What is a Courteous Cyclist? (Blog Article) Bicyclist Licensing (Blog Article) … [Read more...]
Autonomous Driving and Collision Avoidance Technology
Implications for Bicyclists and Pedestrians Will autonomous cars and automatic braking systems live up to their promise to improve public safety? Or will a rush to market flawed technology create greater peril for pedestrians and bicyclists? by Steven Goodridge, Ph.D. As I pedaled my bike along the road, Mercedes driver Farhan Ghanty approached me from behind at 45 mph, engaged the self-drive function of the E-Class luxury car, and took his hands off the wheel. It was December 4, 2017; BikeWalk NC Director Lisa Riegel and I were attending an autonomous vehicle demonstration held … [Read more...]
Motoring: First Come, First Served
Assured Clear Distance Ahead Faster drivers must yield to slower and stopped traffic ahead. All vehicle operators must travel no faster than is safe and will allow them to stop within their sight distance. This legal principle is known as assured clear distance ahead. “The Assured Clear Distance Ahead (ACDA) is the distance ahead of a vehicle or craft which can be seen to be clear of hazards by the driver, within which they should be able to bring the vehicle to a halt. It is one of the most fundamental principles governing ordinary care and the duty of care and is frequently used to … [Read more...]
Traffic Bicycling: 1. First Come, First Served
1. First Come, First Served Faster drivers must yield to slower and stopped traffic ahead. All vehicle operators must travel no faster than is safe and will allow them to stop within their sight distance. This legal principle is known as assured clear distance ahead. As a bicyclist, you have a right to use the roadway, and other drivers are legally required to respect your right of way, but you must act visibly and predictably to allow them to do so. Each driver who is already on the road is entitled to the space their vehicle occupies, plus reasonable clearance behind and to each side, … [Read more...]
BikeWalk NC Feedback on NCDOT’s H232 Study Report
BikeWalk NC submitted the following feedback to NCDOT on December 29, 2015 in response to NCDOT's draft report on the H232 study. The feedback document was accompanied by a cover letter that can be read here. BikeWalk NC Feedback on NCDOT’s H232 Study Report 12/29/2015 Abstract BikeWalk NC is greatly concerned by multiple NCDOT recommendations in the H 232 Bicycle Safety Laws Study Report that contradict unanimous votes by the Study Committee and will make bicycling in North Carolina more dangerous and more difficult. We oppose NCDOT’s recommendations that (1) bicyclists be required … [Read more...]
Defanging the Automobile
Sensor-assisted cars that can avoid injuring pedestrians and cyclists are here, and will become the standard in a few years by Steven Goodridge "A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm." - Isaac Asimov's First Law of Robotics An interesting thing happened on the way to the self-driving vehicle: Smart collision prevention technology such as automatic emergency braking became practical for regular cars. After premiering in high-end vehicles with adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning systems, radar and camera systems … [Read more...]
Important NC Traffic Laws Applicable to Bicyclists
Like other states, North Carolina traffic laws treat bicycles as vehicles and treat bicyclists as drivers of vehicles. This article lists some of the most important traffic laws applicable to bicycle operation in North Carolina. For more detail and a list of all state traffic laws, consult the resources listed at the bottom of this article. NC Bicycle Laws on Vimeo. Bicyclists are Drivers of Vehicles § 20-4.01(49) Vehicle. – …for the purposes of this Chapter bicycles shall be deemed vehicles and every rider of a bicycle upon a highway shall be subject to the provisions of this Chapter … [Read more...]