squirrel hill feature
Keeping Our Riders Safe Bike Safety 101 By Eric Boerer, Bike Pittsburgh
The closure of the Greenfield Bridge has no doubt created transportation headaches for the residents of Squirrel Hill. These difficulties also present some new opportunities, especially for those who may be looking into getting around by bicycle. An increase in automobile traffic may bring cars and buses to a crawl, leaving the humble bicycle as the fastest, most convenient way to get around. Additionally, a road like Panther Hollow may even see a decrease in automobiles, creating a safer atmosphere for riding. Over the past few years, the City of Pittsburgh has installed 60+ miles of on-street bicycle markings, leading to significant increase in people riding bicycles for basic transportation. Mayor Bill Peduto has ratcheted up this bike lane boom when he introduced Pittsburghers to “protected” bike lanes, which are essentially a bike lane with a physical barrier that separates cars from bikes. Whether you ride or not, it’s important to recognize that there are more people riding bikes on the streets than ever before, so knowing the basic laws and common behaviors is the first step in making sure that everyone gets to their destination safely. So where do you start if you want to give bicycling a try? Fortunately,
shared lane
bike lane
Squirrel Hill has many options for safely pedaling around by bike. There are a number of bike lanes, slow neighborhood streets, shared lane markings, as well as a close proximity to two major parks that make it easy to give cycling a shot.
The law allows drivers to cross the double yellow line in order to pass a bicyclist with a minimum of four feet.
First the basics. Bikes and cars must follow the rules of the road. That means moving at, or below, the speed limit, stopping at stop signs and all traffic lights. There are some special rules for bicyclists, for instance, in regards to sidewalks. While cars may never be on the sidewalk (not even to park), bikes are only prohibited in business districts. On the street, drivers may often see a bicyclist ride in the middle of the lane, which is perfectly legal. In many situations, this may be the safest place for the bicyclist to stay visible and to avoid the dreaded “door-zone,” preventing a collision with someone who swung their car door open without looking (according to PA law, the parked car is always at fault in this situation). Simply be patient and pass when it is safe to do so. The law allows drivers to cross the double yellow line in order to pass a bicyclist with a minimum of four feet. In reality, the safest thing you can do while driving is to simply drive the speed limit. For bicyclists, ride predictably, and always remain alert, even in bike lanes.
As stated earlier, the City has been busy installing many different types of bicycle infrastructure on the streets. Most of these markings are totally new to Pittsburghers. You’ve probably seen a symbol in the middle of the street of a bicycle with two chevrons above it. This shared-lane-marking, or “sharrow,” is placed on streets that are not wide enough to include a full bike lane, and serves a couple purposes. First, it serves as a visual reminder to drivers that they may expect to see people riding bicycles on that street and to share the road. Second, it offers a suggestion to bicyclists on where to physically place yourself in the road, to stay out of the aforementioned “door zone.” You will find sharrows on Forbes Avenue through the heart of the Squirrel Hill business district.
buffered bike lane
protected bike lane
Continued on page 36 The Sports & Fitness Issue PAGE35