Earlier this month, a 56-year-old Spokane bicylist was hit and killed, as he was pedaling to a nearby Burger joint to fetch dinner. The bicyclist died from skull fractures; the hit-and-run driver who hit him failed a sobriety test when he returned to the scene of the accident (a couple who witnessed the accident “split up” so one spouse could provide first aid to the cyclist, while the other followed the hit-and-run driver, flashing lights and honking the horn to get the driver’s attention.)
This tragic accident serves as a reminder for all of us to pay attention to the bicylists around us: As temperatures rise, we can expect more and more folks to dust off their bicycles and take them for a ride.
Please keep in mind that bicycles have the same rights, duties and responsibilities as a motor vehicle driver. Just less protection. Much, much less protection. Please check the Washington State Drivers Guide’s “Space for Bicyclists” section for more information. Here is a start:
Keep an eye out for bikers of all ages, especially as you back up, change lanes, or open your car door.
At intersections, you must yield to a bicycle as you would to another motorist.
Keep your distance. When passing a bicyclist, allow at least 3 feet of space.
If there is a bicycle lane (marked by a white solid line), you must yield to bicycles in the lane. You may not drive in a bicycle lane, except to make a turn (be sure to look out for bikers), or park in a bicycle lane.
Let’s make our roads a safe place to be, for everybody!