CHP supports Bike Week 2010 with Share the Road enforcement

May 10th through 16^th is Santa Cruz Bike Week, and the California Highway Patrol is showing support with concentrated enforcement and education. Motorists and bicyclists alike are urged to share the road in specific ways.

For those on four wheels:

• Be mindful of entering the designated bicycle lane for right turns. Bicyclists in this lane have right-of-way, and this is a common cause of collisions (often injurious) between motorists and bicyclists.
• Take care when passing or following bicyclists on two lane roads. Many of the scenic bicycle routes in our county are two-lane, fairly narrow, and have limited visibility around corners. The bicyclist has established their right-of-way on the roadway and may ride in the lane if no bicycle lane exists. Be patient and wait for clear visibility prior to passing. Do not follow the bicyclist too closely, as the rider may fall on the roadway and you will not have enough distance to stop in time.

For those on two wheels:

• Bicyclists are beholden to the same rules of the road as motorists. This includes stop signs, traveling in the same direction as traffic, not riding on sidewalks, and DUI laws. Bicyclists who fail to follow these laws endanger themselves, pedestrians, and motorists alike.
• Use caution when merging out of the bicycle lane and into the roadway. You must look behind to ensure that it is clear, and use proper hand signals. Those traveling on four wheels will not expect you to suddenly be in their lane, and may not be able to take proper evasive action.

CHP Officers will be concentrating patrols during Bike Week to enforce the above rules of the road. Officers will also be educating four-wheel as well as two-wheel travelers of the necessity of sharing the road.