Today marks the beginning of Bike to Work Week, part of National Bike Month. It was part of the discussion at tonight’s mountain bike ride and dinner. Apparently, a couple of the Trekkers, our Monday night mountain biking group, were on the radio, this morning. They were promoting Bike to Work Week and talking about their experiences as bike commuters.

I’ve commuted in all sorts of weather and have taken many different routes. When I mountain bike, I’ll take the rail-to-trail into town. When I use my cyclocross bike on the road, I have a lot of fun as I race cars through town.

Part of the goal of National Bike Month and Bike to Work Week is to promote commuter safety. A large part of this is the responsibility of the cyclist. Cyclists must obey the traffic laws. Some important laws and rights that are commonly broken and forgotten are the following:
• Cyclists should travel on the right side of the road with traffic.
• Cyclists should use the proper lanes for turning and should use hand signals.
• Cyclists should ride as far to the right of the road as practicable.
• Cyclists have the right to take the lane when it is necessary for safety (for example, using a turn lane) or they are traveling the legal speed limit.

I’ve found that most drivers do quite well with cyclists on the road. Promoting visibility by wearing brightly-colored clothing, riding in a predictable manner, and communicating well with others will make your commute easier, more enjoyable, and much safer.