Or you should design a city that's not car centric and prohibitive to riding a bike. That area has no true infrastructure from the looks of it and I'd be scared to ride my bike as much as I do here in NC. Protected raised bike lanes need to be common everywhere. Bikers are just as vulnerable as pedestrians and cities should be designed for people first not cars
not "or", "and". we should definitely shoot for having more bike accommodations but they do not exist presently (but can! and probably will!) and these are sensible rules for the roads as they exist presently. altho I didn't learn much new from this tbh. Except for the hand signal for stop but I don't think I've ever seen anyone use that before lol.
And...Wear a police outfit so that people will give you the right of way and give you plenty of clearance. You will get the respect a bicyclist is entitled to. If you don't people will honk at you for legally taking the lane. Cops get respect... Bicyclist don't..! It would be nice to see the bicycle cops write some tickets to drivers who don't follow the laws. Especially when some idiot parks in a bike lane. In Portland that is a $300 parking violation that is rarely enforced. Parking enforcement looks at the violation and walks on by. Selective enforcement of the law is a violation. You cannot pick and choose who the law applies to. And cyclist die because of it. I bet this video would have been much different with a cyclist that had bike clothing on.
Well spoken, Rob. I was thinking the same thing. I would like to add that I know, and I think most people would agree, that making eye contact with drivers is critical as well.These tinted glass windows should be banned for safety reasons. I hate having to ride in front of someone stopped at a stop sign, for example,being totally unable to see that he's looking the other way as I must blindly pass in front.
that was two years ago...police don't get the respect they deserve.. and today, that would make you a target of the terrorist groups ANTIFA and BLM. LOL
I get shouted at by road pirates all the time telling me to not use the road despite there being no bike lane or sidewalk. I refuse to not bike to work in california cause of the cost prohibitive gas prices and the fact that its close enough to not warrant driving.
@@masonwong8007 Mason.. what works best for me: I have a GoPro camera mounted to my helmet and a sign on the back of my recumbent trike that says, "smile, i'm streaming live to the web" if someone starts honking/screaming, i take my lawful position on the road.. i do not allow space to share a narrow road, that is dangerous) and i aim the GoPro at them indicating they are being filmed. Usually, when they realize they are on film, they immediately calm down. When i have space to pull off the road, i do wave them to pass. or allow them to go around. but only when it is safe. Bicycles were here before cars,, Cyclist are responsible for the first paved roads.. We are grandfathered into rights on the road.. Make sure those crazy people know they are being filmed..
Ridiculous. This vid applies only in an ideal world. You need to actually use a bicycle to understand how dangerous it is to ride a bicycle next to vehicles, at least in my state (MD) . Vehicles don't see bicycle nor they know about the rights of bicycles on the road. It's like asking a jogger to use the freeway while jogging and feel safe.
I'm convinced that traffic laws concerning bikes and bicycle "infrastructure" in the US are created by people who have never ridden a bike past the age of 10.
I know right? It's way easier and quicker to stop a bike than an automobile and yet nearly all cyclists choose to ignore stop signs, red lights, and pedestrians unless it's in their own immediate self interest to stop.
@@dfgarciajust so people know stop signs are in place so people in cars actually stop and check thier blindspots as a cyclist you have no blindspots so stopping is just dumb cus then you have to build up speed again instead you can just ajust speed to pass safely
They forgot to add a segment on what to do if motorists become hostile. So many motorists are stuck in the 1950/60s they forget that cyclists are also using the roads.
So whats your thoughts on a bike holding up a bunch of cars in a spot where you cant pass them, and they dont get out of the way? Say the speed limit is like 45 and theyre not even going half that. In any other vehicle/motorcyle or on foot would be empeiding traffic but on a bike its just fine? Makes no sense to me. Not saying i condone becoming hostile at the cyclist, but i see where the frustration from motorist comes from.
I ride frequently in my area. It still amazes me that a 80,000 commercial freight truck and a bicyclists have the same rules for the same space. What's more is that we allow these "rule makers" to remain in there offices when obviously they lack basic common sense
More than a century ago Dutch lawmakers realised that bicycles are different from cars and different from pedestrians so they made different rules for car drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. North America: cyclists should behave like car drivers.
@@georgeemil3618 yeh I am always worried about drivers that are not paying attention that might hit me, but is has been close to a year and I got used to now I'm confident to ride on the road daily to work and school.
Correct but in Netherlands nobody commutes 60 miles to their job and then have 2 cyclists impeding traffic in the rush hour. I assure by European laws if implemented in USA American roads would be considered unsafe for cyclists and cycling would be forbidden. USA roads are designed to be car centric and cyclist are too slow and in unsafe position. There should be difference between having bicycle as only means of transportation and hobbists who are there for the pleasure. If you are recreational cyclist there should be strict hours in the morning and evening when you can go on the road.
I should share this to everyone I know because, when I cycle, so many cars go incredibly close to me or shout expletives and tell me to get off the road. They don't drive like they expect me to go around potholes and broken glass, and they certainly don't like it when I use the turning lane to turn. It's frustrating because this is my mode of transportation.
This Rules of the Road video is so skewed towards bicycles staying out of the way of automobiles. STOP signs are for autos. YIELD signs are for bicycle users in other countries. Cars can cause major danger by not stopping at red lights or STOP signs. Bicycle users in essence do not cause damage. And know when it's safe to continue. How is it safer to ride on the street rather than the sidewalk? Without going on, I suggest you check out the rules and infrastructure in place in countries where the automobile does not bully pedestrians and bicycle users off the roads.
Pappy, I agree with the sentiment, but as a police department, I think they are just telling you what the laws in Illinois are. It is true that bicycles should not have to stop at stop signs if there is no other traffic ("Idaho stop"?), but our laws were written with the capabilities and dangers of cars in mind. Personally, I carefully ride through a stop sign, only slowing as much as the visibility and other traffic require. If cars are at a 4-way, I stop like one of them. I believe that requiring bikes to stop at stop signs is actually more dangerous, partly because of aggressive car drivers getting angry at bicycle re-startup time. As for the safety of roads over sidewalks, I will ride on a sidewalk when the road is too dangerous. However, on the sidewalk, I am far less visible to cars, especially turning cars. The drivers are not looking for someone moving fast on the sidewalk. Years ago a runner-friend told me that he always runs in the street because he is much more likely to be seen by drivers crossing or turning. One thing they should have highlighted: If you are riding on the sidewalk, ride in the direction of traffic that matches the side of the road next to the walk. Crossing drivers will only look in the direction from which traffic is coming. Contraflow riding is one of the most dangerous things you can do. I know they often have contraflow bike lanes in The Netherlands, but, their drivers are much more attuned to bikes on the road, and their infrastructure is designed to prioritize pedestrians and bicyclists over cars.
Kids should bike on the sidewalk, but it saver to bike on the road?? Does anybody hear the contradiction in that? Or do Americans hate children, pedestrians or bikers maybe all of them? Please explain.
Unless you live in Chicago, I recommend you find quiet streets, sidewalks, and bus routes to help your bike commute. Otherwise if you act like the cop in this video you’ll get yourself killed and be blamed for it
This is video absolute lunacy! To expect the average person to ride their bike amongst cars without any physical barrier is absurd and extremely dangerous.
I have ridden a bicycle on roads almost every day for 30 years. I have had two major crashes. One was when an unleashed, large dog attacked and took me down. The other was when a bicyclist turned left immediately in front of me without looking. Riding with car traffic can be safe it people would do what they are supposed to do.
This is the guide for how to get car drivers to get pissed for you taking up "their" road and then attempt to run you over or threaten to. Just because something is the law doesn't make it safe.
The original use of the stop sign was to make you stop at a dangerous and unclear intersections. For this use it makes sense for cyclists to stop too. But nowadays it is used in North-America as a traffic calming device. For this use it makes no sense for cyclists to actually stop. Cyclists are already much slower than cars and have a very short breaking distance. The best solution woul be to have a road design that slows down cars naturally, the second best solution would be to have separate signs for both applications.
No, stop signs exist becausecross traffic and pedestrians exist too. That is the laziest excuse for cyclists ignoring traffic controls aside from "don' wanna".
@@dfgarcia You first sentence does not contradict my comment. They are currently used as a means to slow down traffic to make the street safer for pedestrians. But you can do this much better by a different street design. In the US many streets, even in domestic areas, are build like highways. So it is speeding happens almost automatically, Narrowing the streets, adding chicanes and speed bumps works much better than speed limits and stop signs.
Stop sign is there for the reason. If you want to ride bicycle use it. Don't make excuses for yourself. Anyway your suggestion will never be implemented but it will not stop you from breaking the law.
@@Mick698 Read my comment again. The reason for most stop signs is to slow down cars. They are a lazy excuse by road designers not to design safer roads. Well designed roads guide you to safe behaviour automatically. Luckily I do not live in the US, so I do not need excuses to break silly US rules.
I'm too scared to ride on the intersection like that. I just stop a bit ways, get off and use the crosswalks (walking not riding) until I get to the right side of whatever side of the street I need to be. You have no idea how many people on bikes just cut diagonly on the intersection like they think it's an abandoned street. Or they'll be riding on one side of the street and then suddenly cut across so the cars have to slow down to not hit them.
Great video. My takeaway on it would be that if I had a badge and a gun then my odds of survival on a bicycle are far better here in the USA. Now that we can open carry a firearm here in Texas then perhaps I can get halfway there. All kidding aside though: Excluding bicyclists that aren't following the laws of the road and being a jerk there must be a reason for all the animosity I see against bicyclists here in the United States that were following the rules and not getting in anyone's way. Anyone have a valid consensus on what that reason might be?
Aww it’s good but it would be cool to mention streets that says “ bikes may use full lane” that’s important many streets on the side are parking and many cars themselves don’t know about staying 3 feet from the side of the bikes they just want to be the first.
This video was very helpful but my problem is that I can’t ride on the sidewalk so even when I’m on the side of the road a few cars honk at me. Like I follow every rule and I stay completely on the side, I don’t know what to do in that situation.
Tell me why it’s less safe to ride on the sidewalk. Why is it safer for a 7 year old but not a 17 year old? I don’t think anyone of any age wants to be hit by a car going 50 miles per hour. It’s also kinda funny how drivers have to leave 3 feet of space when some painted bicycle lanes are barely that wide. And cars leaving that space will cross over the line into traffic moving the opposite direction. There are so many more dangers that cyclists face every day and nothing is done to make cycling safer or inform/punish drivers for being idiots.
At a walking pace it his safer. At double or triple that you'll not be seen soon enough by turning or crossing traffic. Also you won't have time to safely react to those crossing/blocking the sidewalk. One of the most common scenarios where cyclist are injured/killed is referred to as the "right hook". His his where a motor vehicle operator fails to give way to a cyclist going straight and turns right usually into a parking lot or driveway resulting in an accident. It you are riding on a sidewalk the possibility of his goes WAY up. I've been cycling for decades and most of my close calls have been right hooks, please, take the lane. Law Enforcement should be in the look out for drivers who; fail to maintain their lanes, cut off others in a dangerous way, fail to give way, ect. They do not.
Speaking from experience, it's less safe on the sidewalk because there's a whole lot less chance that cars will notice you as they pull up. I've almost been hit a couple of times while biking because I was on the sidewalk when a car was pulling out of their driveway and I couldn't see them. You're simply more visible if you're on the road. However, if it's a busy road, then it's kind of a crapshoot. Do what makes you feel safest.
I am here because when I ride on the sidewalk and come to an intersection with stop signs I get nervous and don't know what to do. So I wait 10 feet from the corner until all cars are gone and then I cross.
Statistically speaking you are less likely to get hit while riding your bike if you yield at stop signs instead of stopping at them. Laws should probably reflect this.
...and if the relationship with motorists is a major part of the problem, requiring each and every bike (in a group) to come to a full stop at a sign is not going to help.
Especially at four way stops! If I get to a 4 way and I see no other cars have made it to the intersection yet, I'll be damned if I'm stopping just so the drivers can give me confusing glares while pulling out in front of my right of way after I was polite enough to stop.
I just saw a cyclist hit by a car today in Tucson. I also just got my first mountain bike to ride to work so I think I need to check this out because I’m honestly kinda scared with the way people drive here in my area. Lots of pedestrians and cyclist get hit.
As a cyclist who lives in NYC (The Bronx), and a former bike messenger (1979-86), it's important to obey the rules of the road. Now 62 years old and still riding it's a bigger challenge with E-bikes and scooters who DON'T obey the rules of the road. Great video but it just doesn't apply to NYC standards. I always obey the rules of the road. Maybe that's why I'm still alive.
Traffic laws, by and large, are designed to organize and prioritize motorized traffic. Following them on a bike often creates more danger than it avoids, and it absolutely negates efficiencies gained by riding a bike over driving. My rules are simple: Don't hit anyone or anything, avoid being a hazard to others, and avoid getting hit by a motorist. I'll do whatever works to achieve those three things.
Watching this from Germany, your rules are pretty similar to what we have here. Which is only logic, since traffic itself is a similar concept all over the world. But honestly, law says, the same rules count for any kind of vehicle. I say, this is NOT the best way to ride, it's very dangerous sometimes to move around just like a car would in the same spaces as cars would. No matter where on the planet I am, I always ride in a way, that it's safest for me and others, even when it doesn't comply with the law. I think it's pretty naive from the law makers to enforce the same traffic rules on something tiny, slow and agile as a bike, and huge heavy trucks and everything in between. This inspires me to create my own riding instructions video. But still gotta say, nice video. Good to educate the people in this way, because however they ride, totally obeying the law or going my style - both would be better than the approximately 80% of all riders, who do a lot of dangerous crap on the road because they don't realize, how it's done properly and safely.
I feel the same. Some times the law doesn’t make sense. It says bike and scooter can only ride on the furtherest right on the road, but there you are in the blind spot of cars. What if the car suddenly decide to turn or open the car door? It’s dangerous sometime. True, cars SHOULD check their blind spots before taking any action. But not everyone does it. 🤷🏻♀️
@@karenzhang1020 It would be great, if --not everyone-- would do it. In my experience, only few do it. It is a very common thing to change lanes, open doors, turn and park all without a shoulder check and mirros. 90% of all possible accidents only don't happen, because coincidences don't line up. People turning and changing lanes so often without looking but being lucky enough, that nobody's there. I as an intense cyclist, got my eyes everywhere. Anytime somebody would move into me because of not looking, I anticipate it beforehand. I am preventing possible collissions on a daily basis this way.
@@marcfuchs6938 That's right. I have limit experience biking on the street but whenever there is big traffic, I get off and push the bike on the sidewalk. lol I am planning to get a e-scooter but I am still worry about riding it on the road (where there is bike lane).
@@azzu63 It is not easily possible to find such a place on the Internet, everything is rather scattered. But lucky for you, I am an official driving instructor, so I can tell you personally, I know very well of all the rules. Basically, bicycles have to ride on a bike lane, if one is there. But this is only mandatory, if the bike lane has a round, blue sign with a white bike on it - that's the sign, that this lane has to be used by cyclists. If this sign is not there, you can ride on the street. If the street seems a little dangerous or too narrow to ride on, next to many cars, you can also ride on the sidewalk, even though it is not allowed. But cops will not punish you in such a case, when you say, it seems too dangerous on the road. Other than that, similar rules apply to bicycles like to cars. You have to watch for lights - if there is a traffic light with a bike on it, that one counts for you, not the car light. If there is no light with a bike on it, the normal light for cars applies to you with a bike. Aside from those things, just ride cautious and safe and you shouldn't have any issues. But if you have more questions, feel free to ask them, I will answer them, and I have the knowledge.
" ride on the right side of the road " ??? i would like to see that law . it might exist in some states and or towns but generally that is not the law and is bad advice .most Drivers believe that a bicycle MUST ride to the right and become irate if they don't . however if there is no law stating that then it is safer to take up the entire lane making drivers pass you as if you were a car .riding to the right is dangerous in that one may encounter drainage grates , glass or other tire puncturing debris and it encourages dangerously close passes by cars .
The thumbnail made me think this was going to be a funny ironic video about just **North America things** like 1) yelling at cyclists for rolling stop signs when car drivers do it anyway 2) take the lane, motorists will really appreciate having to drive 20km/h in a 50 zone behind you 3) my personal favourite, a bike is just like a car or truck. "The road is safer than the sidewalk but only if you're an adult" is a new one to me. Assuming they mean "Safest for pedestrians, not you, you maniac adult cyclist," I actually couldn't find much about how often cyclists have actually injured people on sidewalks. A Google search turned up a lot of injury lawyers to help you sue marauding cyclists and news articles about dead people on bikes. Pretty much got what I came for, minus the irony!
actually has more to do with psychology and road design. north american roads are designed excessively wide and are often long and straight. both of these things subconsciously encourage drivers to go faster than what might be considered safe because they're virtually identical to a highway. take a look at traffic calming measures which actively and subtly encourage drivers to slow down because it feels safer to drive at those lower speeds. even something as simple as making a road out of brick, instead of asphalt, makes drivers want to slow down because high velocities = more noise which just makes for a less pleasant drive.
I was driving around a corner and a man with his kid were coming straight at me! They weren’t going with the flow of traffic and the father flipped me off for a solid 10 seconds. I really hope people learn how to bike because I know for a fact that kid is going to get hurt, and learn poor manners.
I tried every thing in the video and so far nothing works even when I wanna turn left with out changing lanes thing if I did that motorist would run me over and I been hit once and threaten with a ticket.
I’m enjoying the bike so far ru-vid.comUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.
I seriously can't tell if this is serious or sarcastic. It can't be serious but it could have been made funnier, but it is American so it might be serious after all.
It is NOT safest to ride on the streets. Dont give wrong info that takes thousands of lives every year. It should be safest in an ideal world. But in the real world, offenses against bikers almost always go unpunished n enforcement is not taken seriously. Car n truck drivers need go thru more training n education to make streets safer for bikers.
This video: "Children less than 10 years old should ride on the sidewalk" Also this video: "It is safer to ride on the street" I get it, you wouldn't want children riding out in the streets. So why is it "safer to ride on the streets"
Sidewalks should be actually encouraged for bicycle ise as most are totally empty. Safer for the cyclists. Wider sidewalks could be divided between pedestrian and bicycle section
The video didn't say what to do when making a left turn without a left-turn lane: take control of the lane so that you don't cross paths with motorists. Also, watching this video made my knees hurt. The officer needs to raise his saddle.
You are legally able to ride on most highways with the exception of most interstate highways. There are roads where bikes are prohibited and there are roads where bikes are just way too vulnerable.
Depends on what you mean by "highway". The word is poorly defined. For some reason, a lot of Americans incorrectly use the word "highway" to refer specifically to freeways. But in actuality, not all highways are freeways. There are lots of two lane 55mph county/state highways with stop signs, traffic lights, and the works. Those may be fine to bike on. It's only freeways that you're not allowed to bike on. Although I have seen a freeway in Italy that had a pedestrian path along it for a segment, so there are rare exceptions.
I've been reviewing traffic law videos and such as I'm getting back into cycling but,, I've gotta say, Why in hell do the official state and city videos have the worst,worst music tracks? does no one in US government have a clue about how to do a proper instructional video? pick a decent track at least and reduce the volume for god's sake!
Here is the problem with bicycles on the road. They are not registered like cars, you do not need a license or insurance to ride them on the street and they rarely obey the laws, especially red lights. Sidewalks and bike paths are probably a safer place for them and everybody else. Of course, downtown NY City would disagree.