May is National Bike Month
National Bike Month is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and is celebrated in communities from coast to coast. Established in 1956, National Bike Month highlights the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to giving biking a try.
The City of Dallas supports walking and biking as a means to meet our climate action and active transportation goals.
Cyclist Safety Tips:
- Bicyclists are required to stop and yield at traffic signals and stop signs.
- State law requires bicyclists to operate with the same rights and duties applicable to a driver operating a motor vehicle.
- Use hand signals to let others know when you’re turning, changing lanes, or stopping.
- Signaling your intentions gives drivers notice of your movements. Look over your shoulder and up ahead (scan), then signal your turn and make your move.
- Be alert.
- Be aware of other vehicles and predict movements of drivers and pedestrians. Anticipate turning movements and opening car doors to avoid collisions.
- Ride as far to the right as practicable.
- Practicable does not mean possible. Do not ride in the gutter, avoid hazardous conditions such as debris and potholes. Be sure to leave enough room to avoid hazards like parked cars with opening doors. A cyclist may ride in the middle of the lane if the lane is less than 14 feet wide or is too narrow to safely operate with a motor vehicle side by side.
- Always ride in the same direction as traffic.
- Bicyclists operate as vehicles when in the roadway and are required to travel in the same direction as other drivers. Never ride into the flow of oncoming vehicles– this wrong-way travel is one of the leading causes of bicycle-motorist crashes.
- Claim your space at intersections.
- When approaching an intersection, use the rightmost lane going in your destination direction. When making a left turn with multiple turn lanes, select the rightmost lane turning left. Position yourself at intersections to be seen to avoid a crash.
- Be seen while riding at night.
- Wear reflective materials and white or bright colors. When bicycling at night, a front headlight and a rear reflector or rear red light are required by State law (see Sec. 551.104. Safety Equipment).
Visit www.lookouttexans.org/safety-tips for more information, including tips for motorists driving near people walking and biking.
If you, or someone you know would like to learn how to ride a bicycle, or how to do so safely in the street, a local League Cycling Instructor is a great resource who host Learn to Ride and Smart Cycling courses. The region is also supported by BikeDFW, the regional bicycle advocacy group.
For an interactive map featuring on-street bicycle facilities and off-street trails across the region, visit www.nctcog.org/veloweb. The City of Dallas helps to update this information each year.
