Category Archives: Safety

Tribute Ride For a Fallen Biker

About three weeks ago, a cyclist was killed while riding on the shoulder of a popular cycling road just west of Austin. A protest ride on his behalf several days later took cyclists from Austin City Hall to the State … Continue reading

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Filed under crash, Safety

A Fatal Rear-End Collision

Like the rest of the Austin cycling community, I am saddened by the death of cyclist Verter Ginestra, 55, over the weekend. He was riding on the shoulder of Loop 360, a major highway on the west side of Austin. … Continue reading

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Filed under crash, Safety

The Bike Butterfly

From time to time, we’ve vented here about road hazards we encounter. Pedestrians cause me even more problems than drivers. In each case, a near miss is often followed by them sheepishly saying, “I didn’t see you.” But that’s a … Continue reading

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Filed under Safety

As Far Right As Practicable

In the last post, I mentioned the often-used rule of bicycling on the road: Ride as far to the right as practicable. But what exactly does that unfamiliar word — “practicable” — mean? Here’s what it’s not: It doesn’t mean … Continue reading

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Filed under Safety

What Does “Car Back” Mean to You?

It happens every time more than one cyclist is riding on the roads. Sooner or later, one will raise the call, “Car back!” It’s an important warning, because whenever we cyclists tangle with two tons of metal, we’re going to … Continue reading

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Filed under Safety

Cheating Death

No, nothing serious. But lately, I do feel at the end of my rides as though I have cheated death. Each time. It’s a combination of things, really. For instance, on Saturday’s ride with my wife. Out on the shoulder … Continue reading

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Filed under Safety

Bike Checks

Earlier this week, Pat and I were about to take a short ride in the neighborhood. While I waited with the bikes in the driveway as she finished putting on her shoes, I glanced down at the rear wheel of … Continue reading

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Filed under Maintenance, Safety

When Nice Drivers Cause Problems

Just the other day, I mentioned that sometimes when drivers are nice to cyclists (it does happen!), it can cause safety problems. Sure enough, on our club ride Sunday, we ran into that very situation — twice. One of my … Continue reading

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The Hidden Danger of Bike Lanes

Normally, I’m a fan of bike lanes. In my area, which is a subrban-style neighborhood, they’ve been striped on most of the arterials. It’s reassuring for me to know that if I stay in my lane and the cars stay … Continue reading

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Filed under Safety

Aerobars on Group Rides = Bad Idea

It seems that whenever I show up for an organized ride, the pre-ride announcements always include a caution not to use aerobars in a group. And then, a few miles into the ride, I usually get passed by riders down … Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Safety, Technique