May 28, 2008 6:43 pm US/Central
Cyclists, Drivers Reminded To Share Roads Safely
Rising Gas Prices Means More Bicyclists On Streets With Cars
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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As more and more bicyclists like Ed Dixon take to Chicagoland's roads, authorities are urging cyclists and motorists to follow the rules of the road and be more cautious.
CBS
Warmer weather and high gas prices mean more cyclists are sharing Chicago roads with drivers.
Ed Dixon, a dedicated cyclist says riding in the city means you have to pay attention.
And fruit flowers delivery driver Casey Rincon says driving in the city means staying on the lookout for cyclists.
"If they move they move suddenly come out of a side street or a driveway it gets me nervous," he said. "Mostly I notice is that sometimes they are in the main roadway they don't stick to the designated bike lanes that you see.
Dixon while riding said, "This is one scary part here when you are in the bike lane riding legally and there's a car parked in the lane illegally. Your only choice is to pass on the right, which is stupid, or pass on the left, which is dangerous."
But as more and more bikes take to Chicago's streets the injury and mortality rates for cyclists have not increased, and that's welcome news in the biking community.
"It says as more people are out there on bicycles, are out there cars, are understanding that -- it also become easier to be seen 'cause you are not the only one out there," sad Ron Sadowsky of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.
The city on Wednesday reminded drivers to safely share the road with bikers, and stressed the importance to cyclists of obeying traffic signals and the rules of the road.
Drivers will know they are at a safe distance if they can be seen in the rear view mirror and drivers should look for them in those same spots.
"A lot of people in cars don't think about bikes being out there, they don't look for you and it looks real ugly real quick," Dixon said.
Cyclists and drivers all have their own irritations when it comes to sharing the road. We can take some comfort in learning we're getting along better than we had imagined.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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