Dear Editor,

In the last few weeks, there have been multiple bicyclist/car accidents here locally, so we should all take a few minutes to review safety issues and remind ourselves of best practices to keep everyone rolling.

With more people commuting by bike, we need to take extra care this time of year as we have less hours of daylight. As gas prices continue to move up, more and more people will be dusting off their bikes, even as it gets colder.

In virtually every accident report involving bicyclists or pedestrians, the motorist has stated, “I didn’t see them.” Distracted driving can certainly contribute to this, but we should not automatically discount drivers’ statements. Just the other night I saw a cyclist riding at night wearing dark clothing, with only a dim front light and no rear reflector or light. So, we all need to up our safety game. This should be a strong reminder to bicyclists to make yourself more visible. This can be achieved in several ways.

First and foremost, wear a helmet and wear it correctly.

Second, ride like you expect drivers not to see you. Ride defensively.

Third, act like a vehicle. You have the legal right to the entire lane. Don’t abuse the privilege but use it when you need it to be visible. And obey traffic laws, signals, and stop signs. Again, act like a vehicle. With privilege comes responsibility.

Fourth, try to ride where drivers might expect to see bicyclists. At night, if you have access to a greenway or bike lane, use them. If not, use the road, but remember to make yourself visible.

Fifth, make yourself more visible by wearing bright and/or reflective clothing.

Sixth, lights on your bike are not only a great addition in broad daylight but are a must at night. Be proactive in making yourself more visible. Most cyclists’ biggest fear is to think the vehicle coming up behind them will hit them. One key solution is to buy a good rear light and set it on the brightest flash mode and see how quickly you get more room from passing cars.

A thought for drivers: If you have gotten this far in the article, please, when driving, put down your phone. We cyclists are sitting up with a pretty good view of you, and we’re drivers with busy lives as well. Way too many of you have not figured out how dangerous distracted driving is. It only takes a split second to alter someone’s life, or unfortunately, take it – and that person maybe someone you know or care about.

Please, slow down and do your part to be a solution, not a statistic.

Bekah Schrag, assistant city planner, Warsaw,
and the Ride Walk Advisory Committee for Warsaw and Winona Lake