#41 - Safely Pass a Cyclist in the Road

As many of you know, I love my bike. I love riding along the back roads and seeing the horses on the horse farms. However, sometimes being passed by a car is scary. Though this isn't a new thing for me to learn...I can't help but use my blog for a quick little education piece.

Cyclist Print by PaisleyImpressions on Etsy, $14

So here are some tips on passing a cyclist:

1. Wait until it is safe to pass! 
Please do not pass us in a blind curve or hill. We both know if you meet a car head on you'll swerve to miss and take us out instead of hitting a car. Not fun for either of us.


2. Be patient.
There are times when a cyclist may take up the entire lane of the road. Be patient. Most likely we are planning to make a left turn and it's a little early to signal it, we're avoiding some debris on the road OR trying to save you from yourself and keep you from passing us in a blind curve or blind hill. Just be patient...we'll be out of the way in a few minutes.


3. Give us space. 
Cyclists need about 3 feet to their left to keep from scaring the heck outta us.


4. Glide by.
Once you have established it is safe to pass, just ease over in your lane a little and glide on by. You don't have to go completely into the other lane to pass...just give us about 3 feet between us and your car.


5. Don't cut us off.
Remember some of us are fast! So don't cut right back over in front of a bike or make a right turn right after you pass us. Some cyclists can travel at 20 mph or more!


6. Be respectful.
Remember we are just trying to get from one place to another as you are. So we'll respect you and you respect us. Life is good.


Other notes:

• You don't have to floor the gas, honk your horn or do anything else to get our attention. We almost always know you are back there (unless you drive one of those super stealth quiet hybrids! Then just realize we might not know you are back there in a hybrid!

• Remember on hills we are using our (sometimes already tired) muscles to move us up it and sometimes it's stinkin hard to get up there! I promise my few minutes of struggling up a hill isn't going to impact you THAT much! :) It's not much different than getting stuck at a red light.

• If there's a giant hole in the road, a road bike (or any bike) simply can't ride right through it. Our tires can't handle it and we will likely wreck. Remember sometimes we have to dodge things on the sides of the road so don't ride super close to us.

• There are bad cyclists just as there are bad drivers. Don't hold it against us because some idiots also ride bikes! Most of us are trying to be safe and look out for ourselves as well as drivers. :)

Thanks in advance for being nice to us. :) I'll do my best to stay out of your way and be courteous to you as well.

Wanna see someone safely pass a bike? click the video below