Two Bay Area Biking Stories in the News and What To Learn from Them

Bay Area news outlets survey bike and motor vehicle accidents when they occur, particularly when they involve serious injuries and/or lead to traffic congestion. However, these media reports often fail to contextualize these crashes and help readers understand what they mean and how they can prompt better safety habits. Below, we report on two scary […]

San Francisco’s First Raised Bike Lane Project To Keep Cyclists Safe

  San Francisco’s newest safety measure for cyclists is hard to see from a distance, and its future success may be even harder to see. A raised bike lane on eastbound Market between 12th and Gough has been installed, allowing cyclists to ride 2-3 inches above the height of the regular road, which puts them […]

Bike Theft

Because of their value, ease of transport, and ease of resale, bicycles are popular targets for theft.   Bicycle theft can be the broken down into two primary categories, theft of bicycles (theft of the bicycle frame and/or component parts) and theft from bicycles (theft of accessories such as lights, baskets, and data recorders). In […]

Posted in Law

Mandatory Helmet Laws: A Controversial Topic

While there is much agreement as to the appropriateness of mandatory helmet laws for children, mandatory helmet laws for adults are one of the most controversial topics in the world of cycling.  Proponents argue that helmets help prevent and/or lessen the effects of head injuries and that therefore helmet use is a valid legal requirement for cyclists of all ages. […]

Posted in Law

5 Challenges that Make Bay Area Biking Especially Difficult

Bikers in the Bay Area face a unique set of challenges that can make navigating the local streets difficult. These include: Our exceptionally steep streets. San Francisco streets may be beautiful and picturesque, but they create special hazards for drivers, pedestrians and bikers alike. For instance, cars and bikes have a harder time braking on […]