Category: Safety

 The first automobile accident in U.S. history is said to have been recorded in New York in 1896 when a car collided with a bicycle. There were fewer bicycles then — the invention was about 25 years old — and a heckuva lot fewer cars, so it’s hard to imagine how the two managed to…

Protect Yourself Even a simple fall can cause a life threatening head injury. The brain is fragile and often does not heal the way that broken bones can. The damage can stay with you for life. Helmets provide protection. By law, bicycle riders under 18 years of age must wear a bicycle helmet while riding…

Two Bike Accidents Reported At Same Intersection 24 Hours Apart by Bay City News February 16, 2012 2:15 PM Two collisions involving bicyclists were reported at the same San Francisco intersection about 24 hours apart this week along a corridor that is notoriously dangerous for cyclists, a police captain said today. Both accidents, which also involved…

Cyclist anti-harassment law applies in Berkeley from today February 16, 2012 7:30 am by Tracey Taylor The new law allows bicyclists who are harassed or assaulted to take a driver to civil court. Photo: Nancy Rubin Today, Berkeley joins Los Angeles as only the second city in the nation to provide specific civil recourse for harassed and…

The “left cross” is another common crash type. It happens to both bicyclists and motorcyclists. This can also be divided into 2 basic circumstances. The first happens when a driver simply does not see a cyclist or motorcyclist who is plainly visible. The best way to prevent this is to ride prominently, seek some indication…

The crash type known as a “right hook” is another common urban crash. There are 2 basic types of right hook crashes. One happens when an oblivious driver overtakes a cyclist and immediately turns right. This is best prevented by riding far enough into the lane to make drivers change lanes to pass, the ones…

Cyclists in large cities become aware of this one sooner or later. “Dooring” is what happens when a motorist or passenger opens a car door into the path of a bicyclist. A dooring can be relatively minor—resulting in nothing more than scrapes, bruises and rattled nerves—or it can result in death. While a cyclist can…