Wisconsin Bike Sense Operator'S Manual Download Page 1

Page: 1 / 40

Bike

Sense

THE WISCONSIN BICYCLE OPERATOR’S MANUAL

A GUIDE TO THE RULES OF THE ROAD, BICYCLE HANDLING,

TRAFFIC SKILLS AND THE ENJOYMENT OF BICYCLING LIFE

BikeSenseDaneCo-2004-04-27_Pantone543.qxd 4/27/2004 8:46 PM Page 1

Summary of Contents for Bike Sense

Page 1: ...e THE WISCONSIN BICYCLE OPERATOR S MANUAL A GUIDE TO THE RULES OF THE ROAD BICYCLE HANDLING TRAFFIC SKILLS AND THE ENJOYMENT OF BICYCLING LIFE BikeSenseDaneCo 2004 04 27_Pantone543 qxd 4 27 2004 8 46...

Page 2: ...rt This manual condenses and paraphrases language in the Wisconsin State Statutes It also provides safe ty advice not included in the law This manual is not a proper legal authority to cite and should...

Page 3: ...Who can you contact 27 Public Transit 29 Crashes 30 Avoiding Crashes 32 Wisconsin Bicycle Laws 33 Bicycle security 35 Trail Ettiquette 37 Two Minute Bike Check 38 Bicycling Resources Advocacy 39 Conte...

Page 4: ...or Vehicles and on the Department of Transportation website All bicyclists should consider taking a course taught by a certified bicycling instructor Contact Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin for a list...

Page 5: ...icycling is an extremely economical form of transportation Bicycling is good for the environment Bicycling produces no air pollu tion greenhouse gases or noise It also reduces traffic congestion deter...

Page 6: ...s your riding style budget and bicycling goals Just as there is no perfect pair of shoes or coat for every circum stance bikes have advantages and disadvantages for different types of riding Here are...

Page 7: ...other things to make you comfortable You might need a different bike To Check the Height If your bike has a men s frame with a tube across the top stand with the bike between your legs just in front...

Page 8: ...eo ple including many women have torsos shorter than what most bikes are made for If you re one of them look into a shorter handle bar stem extension a taller stem different handlebars or a custom bik...

Page 9: ...ou may have to adjust them regularly For small adjustments you can use the threaded adjustment screws on the brakes or brake levers Sit on your bike and push one pedal all the way down With the heel o...

Page 10: ...re wet Aluminum rims have much better braking performance than steel rims in wet conditions It is dangerous to have only one brake in working order Make sure both front and rear brakes work properly a...

Page 11: ...u ride you should do this minimum ABC Quick Check A Air Be sure your tires are inflated to the recommended pressure on the sidewall Panniers saddle bags Panniers allow you to comfortably and safely ca...

Page 12: ...ur brake levers hard to be sure the brakes are working and the levers don t reach all the way to the handlebars C Chain Don t ride with a dry chain Lube your chain on a regular basis to reduce wear an...

Page 13: ...curb or debris and also will place you within the motorist s field of vision This allows you to move away from traffic to avoid an obstacle or crowding by another vehicle Avoid riding in a motorist s...

Page 14: ...portant to increase your visibil ity in the dark or in difficult weather conditions such as rain fog snow dawn or dusk Wear brightly colored clothing Wear brightly colored clothing such as neon green...

Page 15: ...classes Bicycling in a straight line Ride in a straight line without weaving between parked cars or when going through an intersection Keep your head up and look 300 500 feet forward Being able to ri...

Page 16: ...that low gears are for slow speeds climbing hills or when you start from a dead stop High gears are for faster speeds or going downhill Always shift into a low easy gear before you stop Hand signals W...

Page 17: ...on or the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin Ride on the right in the same direction as other traffic Some people still believe that bicyclists are like pedestrians and should ride facing traffic This is...

Page 18: ...when you are traveling at the same speed as other traffic This will keep you out of motorists blind spots and reduce conflicts with right turning traffic Be prepared for the occasional frustrated dri...

Page 19: ...fol lowing rules at intersections and turn lanes When you approach an intersection with several lanes choose the rightmost lane that takes you where you want to go You may get cut off by turning cars...

Page 20: ...y like an intersection and watch for traffic emerg ing from the driveway Do not assume that a driver backing out of a driveway has seen you Going straight through an intersection To go straight throug...

Page 21: ...get caught in the middle of high speed traffic If necessary slow down or stop on the right edge of the road and wait until you get a large enough gap in traffic to make your turn safely If the traffi...

Page 22: ...hicles have large blind spots where they are unable to see bicyclists If you cannot see the driver in the vehicle mirrors the Passing on the left When overtaking slower moving traffic you may pass on...

Page 23: ...atch for uneven pavement and grooves along the rails Keep firm con trol of your bicycle When crossing rough pavement or railroad tracks rise up from the saddle and allow your legs to act as shock abso...

Page 24: ...tiously especially at intersections Using wider tires with lowered pressure can help Black ice is particularly dangerous since it is hard to see and can sud denly eliminate your grip on the road It is...

Page 25: ...aught in the spokes or other moving parts of the bike Bike trailers and trailer bicycles should be equipped with a taillight and reflector if Traffic signals Many traffic signals are triggered by elec...

Page 26: ...out in any type of carrier you may wish to practice turning stopping hill climbing and other maneuvers with a sand bag or other weight to simulate the effect of the additional load Riding two on a bic...

Page 27: ...ncerns and issues to be addressed Madison has a Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator in its Department of Transportation office The coordinator can deal with many of the questions of bicyclists in Madison s...

Page 28: ...Transportation Plan for the Madison Urban Area and Dane County on the City of Madison s web site www ci madison wi us transp bicycle sept2000 bicycletranplan html in local issues Find out which commit...

Page 29: ...abeled for the front wheel NOTE The rack operates properly even if a bicycle is loaded in the wrong direction The purpose of the directional placement is to make the bike nearest the bus easier to unl...

Page 30: ...shes should be reported to protect the legal rights of victims and aid in correcting and tracking crash causes Bicyclists are required to remain at the scene of a crash the same as the driver of a mot...

Page 31: ...e when traffic incidents occur and avoid entering into road rage behavior yourself As in the case of a colli sion write down all relevant information immedi ately Police can only act upon reports wher...

Page 32: ...ared between bicyclists and drivers However these studies often do not separate adult from child bicyclists when reporting data failure to drive with due care and attention etc Depending on the locati...

Page 33: ...side by side within the lane One Way Streets Bicycles on a one way street with 2 or more lanes of traffic may ride as near the left or right hand edge or curb of the roadway as practicable in the sam...

Page 34: ...allow local units of government to permit vehicles on sidewalks through local ordinances 346 94 1 When bicycles are allowed to be operated on Use of Shoulders Bicycles may be ridden on the shoulder of...

Page 35: ...eel Check for wheel trueness side to side wobble caused by improperly tensioned or broken spokes or a bent rim tire wear and brake pad clearance from the rim about 1 8 inch If you have fenders or a ha...

Page 36: ...on the tire 4 Grab the top of the front wheel and try to rock it side to side If you feel any play your hub bear ings need adjustment Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the rear Also check the vertical alig...

Page 37: ...ass on the left Clearly alert others before passing State law requires an audible warning when passing a pedestrian Trail Etiquette Always look before changing positions on the trail Do not block the...

Page 38: ...ision makers motorists and other bicyclists to the trans portation and safety issues and environmental health and economic ben efits of bicycling We promote bicycling as an integral part of a balanced...

Page 39: ...bicycling advocacy There are many ways to become involved in advocacy and help ensure that bicyclists as a community of people are heard and understood There are clubs and coalitions as well as conce...

Page 40: ...cle in good working order Be as visible as possible to others Learn the skills needed to control your bicycle Bicycle in traffic safely and predictably Know and obey the rules of the road BikeSenseDan...

Search results

Summary of Contents for Bike Sense

Reviews:

Related manuals for Bike Sense

Brands by name

Popular brands

Wisconsin Bike Sense, Operator'S Manual

Search results

Summary of Contents for Bike Sense

Reviews:

Related manuals for Bike Sense

Brands by name

Popular brands