==
Bike-Walk Alliance of NH ==
Bike-Ped Items of General Interest
Downloads and "Fun Stuff" may be helpful
BWA-NH is pleased
to promote standardized bicycling and pedestrian education programs for all
levels of interest. Whether the program is offered by BWA, the League of American
Bicyclists (LAB) Certified Instructors outside BWA, or privately by other organizations,
we want to spread the word that bike-ped education is important and the courses
can be a lot of fun. Bicycling is a life-long activity, not a short-term sport
undertaken for a few years then dropped. From students in grade three through
college graduates and grandparents, there is a bike-ed program available for
you. Check out the LAB "TS-101" course
for adults which was conducted in April and will be offered again later this
year. At this time several bike-ed programs are being implemented by BWA for
elementary school age children, usually funded by Safe Routes to School grants
award to the towns. These include more complex pedestrain and bike-ed training
including on-bike practice when possible. For more details about the LAB courses
offered by BWA, please visit the LAB
web site or contact BWA at info@bwanh.org.
Note: The links and articles provided below
are not supported, funded, or vetted by BWA-NH. They were found or recommended
by others in the nation-wide bike-ped community and may be useful to you, therefore
they are provided as a service but with no guarantees.
How
blind are you?
We often say motorists simply do not see bicyclists because they are not looking
for them. Adverse driving conditions, drugs, alcohol, dark nights, poor lighting,
drowsiness, distracted driving - the list goes on - are all factors, but what
if you are wide awake and not impaired in any way yet you still don't see a
bicyclist in time to prevent a crash? Don't think this can happen to you? Please
think again!
Motorists can be easily affected by "motion induced blindness". If
concentrating on a particular object, you may not see what else is close to
you. A cyclist pedaling along the extreme right hand edge of the road may not
be seen by a motorist looking straight at the car directly ahead. The cyclist
is safer to move into the lane to be seen then move to the right (but not into
the gutter) to allow a motorist to pass if safe to do so, otherwise the cyclist
may legally occupy the full lane.
So, are you affected by motion induced blindness? Take this test and find out!
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has this test posted on their web site. Try
it out by concentrating on just one dot. The others will seem to randomly disappear
while they are really there all the time.
http://www.msf-usa.org/motion.html
Please pass this test along to your friends and contacts. The more people who know about motion induced blindness, the safer our roads will be for all of us.
Blog by Suzanna Morse is interesting and informative
Check out Suzanna's
blog about her bicycling experience in Nashua NH and beyond. The photos
alone on "Bicycles
in Motion" will have you coming back again and again!
Bike
travel case available, new offer as of June 2012:
for free loan to BWA-NH and GSW members
With many thanks to Jan Lars Mueller, Bike-Walk Alliance of NH is now in possession
of a bike travel case available for use by any BWA-NH or GSW member in good
standing. Jan owns the case but since he does not have an immediate use for
it, he wished to offer it to any interested member. For details, click
here.
Some of the handouts used in support of bicycling in NH are available for downloading. Please scroll down for other links to "Fun Stuff" which also include "education with a twist."
-- "Road Hog/Road Warrior" brochure from NH-DOT is an excellent summary of the laws concerning interactions between bicyclists and motorists. The actual NH laws (called RSA's) are referenced. Taking a brochure in your bike bag can help when informing others about the "do's and don'ts" regarding our shared roadways!
-- "Be a Safe Bike Driver" handout (993 kb file size) used by BWA-NH in elementary schools. Covered are helmet fitting, bike checks, rules of the road, and proper clothing. This info is actually good for everyone to know, regardless of age! This handout is also available in color: Page 1 (1.5 mb) and Page 2 (186 kb).
-- "A
Beginner's Guide to Healthy Cycling" includes various links to age-appropriate
bicycling education pages and national organizations.
(Note: The Treadmill Reviews web site requires a version of Adobe Flash Player
to be installed in your browser. This may present a security risk -- caution
is advised.)
-- Car and Traffic Safety for Kids -- Fun games and activities are two of the best ways to start teaching kids about traffic safety.
-- Intro to bike racing for fun and sport including history, equipment, training plans, tactics, and safety.
-- "Ride Your Bike Safely" by Motosport provides many links and good info for children and motorists alike.
-- "The Bicycle Safety Guide" compiled by the Guardian Insurance Company. Many good resources and links are provided. (There is no connection to or endorsement of Guardian Insurance by BWA-NH.)
-- Another "Guide to Bicycle Safety" compiled by the "Parts Geek", an on-line discount automotive parts dealer, is listed for general reference. This guide is intended for children and does not reflect all NH laws or some of the LAB "best practices" but it is an "easy read."
-- Steps to become a League of American Bicyclists certified instructor may be of interest. Additional training is required to attain the "Master" level of certification as required to training and certify the "Bicycling 1-2-3" Youth and Skills Instructors.
-- Ride Leader Guidelines from the Granite State Wheelmen. Includes suggested actions if bicyclists ignore safety rules and if motorists harass bicyclists, this including blatant violation of the "3 Foot Rule."
-- Ride Sign-In Sheets (On-Road and Off-Road versions) used by the Granite State Wheelmen and BWA-NH. Hardcopies may be obtained from the GSW Office or Rides Coordinator but the downloadable version could be convenient.
-- Listing of NH Police Chiefs with non-emergency phone numbers for reporting incidents or requesting assistance. Harassment by motorists, flagrant violation of rules by bicyclists, or information requests might be reasons to call the local NH police department instead of "911".
"Fun Stuff" -- education with a twist
We find some articles and videos which are both entertaining and informative without being actual educational material. Feel free to check out these links and maybe learn a bit more along the way!
How do you bike on narrow roads?
The following animation provides a good overview of where a bicyclist should ride on the road in order to be seen, avoid hazards, and be predictable as a vehicle operator. A couple errors appear in the text ("vehicle" is spelled wrong) and the scan should be to the left, not to the right, at "the bush" but otherwise the animation does a very good job of highlighting lane usage.
http://commuteorlando.com/ontheroad/animations/narrowlane/narrowlane.html
Bicyclists shed Lycra to inspire new riders
Bike advocates leverage "cycle chic" style movement to make it more appealing to casual riders
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/13/living/bicycle-fashion-tweed-ride/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
And you thought you knew how to ride a bike?
These two German
girls on bikes are incredible! Wonder if they could ride a Century?
How about 16 girls and bikes?
"China's Got
Talent" -- bicycle acrobatics:
http://www.flixxy.com/chinese-bicycle-acrobatics.htm
Beware of the Beta -- new Google bike mapping story
The following contribution came from NH LCI Ken Colburn. His experience gives new meaning to the word "Beta."
"Beware of the Beta" story and map
Can you be seen when cycling?
One critical aspect of cycling is being visible. Here is are four awareness tests you can take in just a few minutes by watching the videos. Be sure to turn on the speakers connected to your computer!
BWA-NH wishes to
thank Peter Warner and the Transport for London (TFL) for permission
to post these video awareness tests.
"Whodunnit?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubNF9QNEQLA
"The Bus" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz-ph32CnJA
"The Phone Test" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cd63P54PaI
"Basketball Test" http://www.dothetest.co.uk
Did you pass the
tests on your first viewing? Just think about how motorists view bicyclists
then act accordingly. You must be seen to be safe, but thinking you have been
seen does not make you safe! Bicyclists must establish eye contact with motorists
before crossing their path. And better than just eye contact, a "friendly
wave" to get the motorist's attention can help avoid a crash caused when
the motorist did not "see" you.
For additional info about the bicycling education programs and materials offered by BWA-NH, GSW, and LAB, please contact:
Dave Topham
BWA-NH Director
LAB M-LCI # 39
603.898.9926
dave@bwanh.org