Cycling Advocacy Information by Fred Oswald, LCI #947 Revised:  4 Dec 2006 About the author: The Making of a Vehicular Cyclist

This page is intended to provide resources to fight problems that impede bicycle transportation.  These problems include (1) Dangerous laws; (2) Ignorant motorists (who want bicycles banished to sidewalks); (3) Negligent public officials and transportation professionals (4) Misinformed, lawless and dangerous cyclists.  You can adapt these ideas to improve cycling wherever you live.

Note:  Most of the links here will open a new window.  The new window will be re-used if you click on another link.

Cycling Information -- Technique, Safety & Advocacy Note: Several of the flyers below have narrow margins.  (Some inkjet printers require 0.59" bottom margin, may truncate page.) *** Ohio & Local Cycling Advocacy *** DANGEROUS BICYCLE LAWS.  This article has specific information and ratings of both good and bad local ordinances in 65 N.E. Ohio communities. Update: Dangerous, non-uniform laws will become invalid on 9/21/06 when HB 389, the "Better Ohio Bicycling Bill" takes effect. But we still need to get them OFF the books. Contending With the Feudal Bicycle Traffic Laws of NE Ohio   See how local communities operate like little feudal fiefs, each with separate rules that conflict with the rules in other communities and conflict with the uniform rules of the road.  Would you believe that Avon Lake has a bike lane on a section of road closed to bicycles (see photo)? How to Help.  How you can help improve ordinances in your own city or in cities where you ride. Even with HB 389, it will not happen automatically. Model Local Laws.  A model package of local bicycle laws, consistent with safe practices and with Ohio traffic law. Cycling Law & Safety Issues  A presentation showing need for reforms of bicycle ordinances for local government officials. (469 Kb, pdf file).  This is a slightly modified version of the Bicycle Driving Seminar above.  It was shown to the Brook Park, OH Council in Jan. 2003.  On March 18, they passed a major overhaul of their cycling ordinances that are now the best this author knows in Ohio.  The full ~2.2 Mb Powerpoint file is available from the author's personal web pages Writing to City Hall to ask them to change laws.  This is a sample letter to a local community with terrible bike laws. Proposed Ohio Bicycle Law Reforms.  Two priority reforms plus several secondary reforms proposed by the Ohio Bicycle Federation. Update:  the reforms passed the Ohio General Assembly and take effect on Sept. 21. 1/2 page summary of Ohio Traffic Laws for Cyclists (pdf file), rev 7/99.  Print this out, laminate in "Contact" plastic and carry on your bike. Digest of Ohio Bicycle Traffic Laws.  An annotated summary of Ohio traffic laws important for bicycle drivers. ClevelandBikes.  A local advocac group working on mostly worthwhile projects. Berea's Bicycle Blunders.  Here is what happens when people try to be "Bicycle Friendly" without understanding proper cycling technique. This NE Ohio city made several serious blunders when they installed bike lanes on Front Street.  Other cities can learn from their mistakes. Bike Lakewood.  Here is a counter example to Berea -- a new advocacy organization that is really trying to benefit cyclists by understanding the issues.  Other cities can learn from their example. Please support cycling education in Ohio -- Get a Share the Road license plate Visit your local Deputy Registrar office. or Call 1-800-589-8247 or Surf to www.oplates.com Select "SPECIAL PLATES" in the left column Select vehicle type Highlight "SHARE THE ROAD" under "SPECIALTY PLATES" Select whether you want a stock plate or specify the characters on the plate. *** Improving Public Knowledge About Cycling *** Bicycle Driving Seminar  The safest, most efficient methods used by experienced cyclists. Slides with notes from a presentation given by this author. (pdf file, 1.3 Mb), The full ~2.8 Mb Powerpoint file is available from the author's personal web pages Tips for Bicycle Operation (pdf file, 500 Kb).  A 1/2 page, 2-sided illustrated flyer that gives basics of riding in traffic. Where to Ride (1/2 pg flyer, 2-sides pdf file, 36 Kb, Bob Bayn, Utah State Web site) Ten Tips for Safe & Enjoyable Bicycle Commuting A short illustrated article for beginning bicycle commuters Bicycle Commuter's Guide, Tips & Techniques ,  (6 pg. pdf file, 259 Kb), rev 12/02) Bicycle Commuter Issues, The Politics of Two Wheels, (6 pg. pdf file, 261 Kb), rev 12/02 Four Layers of Safety, Illustration (from seminar above) showing how to use 4 layers of safety to prevent crashes. (jpeg file, 109 Kb) Dealing With a Narrow Traffic Lane, Illustration showing where to ride on a narrow road and why "hugging the curb" is a bad idea. (jpeg file, 77 Kb) 8/02. Communicating with other drivers, Illustration (from BikeEd class) showing that, like it or not, where you ride and where you look sends a message to other drivers about what you might do. (jpeg file, 77 Kb) 8/02. Spreadsheet for calculating 'Bike Gears'. Zip file containing Excel spreadsheet (from BikeEd class). You need Excel and a 'Zip' program to use this file. (10 Kb) "BikeEd" lecture.  Description of lecture and BikeEd class offered in Cleveland area by the author. Bike Lane Contrarian by Tom Revay of MassBike (Powerpoint file or on-line show) Public Service Announcements about cycling , Draft scripts for radio and TV messages. *** Teaching Children to 'Drive Your Bike' *** Many communities conduct Bicycle Rodeos to teach "bicycle safety" to children.  Often there is little safety content (or the content is wrong) because the people running them are not knowledgable cyclists.  Also, how much can you teach in 45 minutes?  However these events are a wonderful opportunity to reach the parents.  If the parents learn a bit about cycling they are less likely to give their children the usual dangerous misinformation. Teaching Cycling to Children A compilation of ideas and resources for teaching children (and their parents) good cycling techniques. 'Kids-1' program for Parents.  Covers: teaching riding skills, bike & helmet fit, transition from the tricycle, preventing accidents, avoiding mistakes. Bike Safety for Kids - A Parent's Guide (Illustrated 1-sheet flyer pdf file, 79 Kb) Teaching children 'Drive Your Bike' Illustration from the author's "Bicycle Driving" lecture.  (jpg file, 67 Kb) Bicycle Safety Cards or Hang Tags (pdf file).  You can use these as small safety handouts or as hang tags.  Adult cyclist version and one for parents of young children. Bike Quiz 1/2 page, 2-side flyer plus 1/2 pg 1-side answer sheet, (pdf file). Use for Scout groups, etc.  The quiz is not easy.  You need a resource book such as Street Smarts so kids can find the answers. *** Cycling and the Law *** Legal Defense of Cyclists.  , Ideas to prevent and defend against police harassment of cyclists.  Includes an illustration of a "substandard width lane". Bicycle "Right to the Road" Law Cases.  Accounts of cyclists victimized by the American Justice System. Improved state cycling laws, Work of a committee working on reforms for eventually all 50 states Improving Ohio & Local Cycling Laws by the Ohio Bicycle Federation.  Describes several approaches for law reform. A Guide to Improving U.S. Traffic Laws Pertaining to Bicycling by Paul Schimek. Discusses current state bicycle laws and needed changes. Cycling Knowledge Test, (pdf file, 17 Kb).  A test for cycling traffic violators (including motorists that harass or endanger cyclists), based on the Effective Cycling video.  This also makes a good training tool for public officials. *** Advocacy *** LAB Reform, Dedicated to restoring the League of American Bicyclists as a defender of cyclists' interests, returning control to members and restoring traditional cycling values. Bicycle Blunders, Illustrated article that discusses common blunders related to bicycle use, education, advocacy, engineering, and traffic law and how to avoid repeating the blunders. Best Practices of Cycling Advocacy, Guidelines to empower cyclists to ride almost anywhere in real safety. Ohio Bicycle Federation Cyclist Friendly Communities Program, This program encourages communities to treat cyclists fairly, teach best practices, and encourage cycling for transportation, health, recreation and sport.  Includes a "Toolkit" of resources to guide community officials. Cycling Advocacy Works in Progress, This page has links to several newer projects by the author

Cycling 'How-To' Information on the Web

Cycling Advocacy Information

Ohio Cycling Information

Cycling Books, Pamphlets, Classes, Videos, etc.

Bicycling Street Smarts by John Allen is a 39 page booklet covering technique for riding in traffic.  The booklet is very suitable to give to teachers, scouts, transportation professionals, police, etc.  Street Smarts is also distributed as part of the Pennsylvania Bicycle Driver's Manual.  The Ohio Dept. of Public Safety distributes Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts and it is now distributed in Florida.

Effective Cycling Video, 41 minutes,  $25 from League of American Bicyclists phone 202 822-1333 or email to LAB, bikeleague@bikeleague.org.

"Bike Ed" Course (based on Effective Cycling).  Certified instructors are listed at: www.bikeleague.org/educenter/education.htm.  The basic class is called Road-I. There are several other variants (Road-II, Kid's classes, Commuter, etc.)  There is also a training program for police offered by the International Police Mountain Bike Association.

John Forester's Books:  Planners, engineers and others whose professional activities impact cyclists should be familiar with the books by the founder of  Effective Cycling.  It will take some effort to get past the bitter, confrontational style of the author but once this is done, you can learn a lot from a real expert.  The books are Effective Cycling, MIT Press, 1993 and Bicycle Transportation, MIT Press, 1994.

"Dilemmas of Bicycle Planning" has an excellent discussion of issues that should be understood by everyone who plans for cycling.  Download from http://danenet.wicip.org/bcp/dilemma.html.

Do you make these eight common bicycling mistakes?
Flyer distributed by the Ohio Department of Transportation.  Mistake #1 is "Riding on Busy Sidewalks".

From A to Z by Bike:  The comprehensive guide to safe bicycling for kids and adults
32 page childrens' booklet distributed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

A Kid's Eye View, Bicycle safety video for parents, produced by Wisconsin DOT, 11 minutes, ($10) from the League of American Bicyclists, phone 202 822-1333 or email to bikeleague@bikeleague.org.

The Bicycle Zone, bicycle safety video for elementary children, Transit Media Communications, 800-343-5540.  One caveat, the parents in the video (especially Dad) are depicted as clumsy fools.

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Please send additions or corrections to fredoswald_AT_yahoo_DOT_com.
The author is a Professional Engineer in Ohio and a certified "League Cycling Instructor"