Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry Bike Sense - Manual (Page 19)

B I K E S E N S E — T H E W I S C O N S I N B I C Y C L E O P E R A T O R ’ S M A N U A L 19
When you approach an intersection,
ride in the right-most lane that takes you where you want to go.
Watch for vehicles turning across your path
and be prepared to avoid them. Always enter intersections
either ahead or behind vehicles in your lane.
Parked cars
Ride no closer than three feet from parked cars to avoid being hit by
an opening door. The doors of some vehicle types can swing far into
your lane. If you can see that the car is occupied, be particularly care-
ful. Where cars are parked intermittently, ride in a straight line
instead of swerving in and out between the parked cars. This increas-
es your visibility and predictability for car drivers on the road.
Intersections and turning lanes
Approximately 60% of motorist-bicyclist collisions occur at intersec-
tions. The majority of these happen when the bicyclist is moving
straight ahead. To minimize the dangers you must observe the fol-
lowing rules at intersections and turn lanes.
When you approach an intersection with several lanes, choose the
rightmost lane that takes you where you want to go. You may get cut off
by turning cars if you are not in the appropriate lane. If there is a single
lane of traffic, position yourself in the third of the lane appropriate to
If you are uncomfortable in the center of the lane, consider taking an
alternative route. It is important to bicycle within your confidence
limits and comfort when dealing with heavy or high-speed traffic.
See the Wisconsin Bicycle Laws in the appendix. 346.80(2)(a) lists
conditions when it is not practicable to ride far right.
Road surface hazards
Keep an eye on the road well ahead of you to see if there are pot-
holes, gravel, glass, drainage grates or other hazards coming up. If
you have to move over into traffic to avoid these, look over your
shoulder first and use a hand signal if necessary. An abrupt swerve
into traffic can easily lead to a collision. To make riding safer for you
and other bicyclists, report unsafe road conditions to local authorities
as soon as possible.
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