Back in early May, we hosted a group ride out of the Walgreens in Gallatin. On our way back to the meet up spot, one of the riders tried to go straight at a 4 way stop by going straight in the right hand turning lane. Not only was the rider impeding traffic, she was almost hit. We took this an opportunity to improve our crossing awareness skills. See 3 recommendations we have when you need to cross the street on a bicycle.
- 1.) When you hit the deceleration lane on any road, we merge to the proper lane in the direction we intend to go. We want to try and maintain the center of the lane for maximum spacing between us and the other cars.
- 2.) Once you are ready to come to a stop, put your foot down ( for visual confirmation) when observing traffic and waiting for your turn to proceed.
- 3.) Cross the road, as if you are a car. When it is an appropriate, cross the road, and as quickly as possible begin riding as far to right as practical.
By crossing the street using this method, we are following the law by not impeding traffic in a slow speed traffic intersection and we are increasing our safety by being seen. This is also helpful when we must share the road with other cars. What are your thoughts on crossing the road?