45°
Love those leafy country lanes?
Or, do you savor shoreline flat runs?
Almost anywhere you go, bicycling options abound in Fairfield. But whether you’re cycling for recreation or to do some shopping, bike riding obviously can be risky, too, according to the Fairfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee.
Every year, scores of children and adults in Fairfield require medical treatment because of bike-related injuries, police report. In addition to roads, sometimes sidewalks are the scene for accidents, they said.
“While Connecticut state statutes do not prohibit the use of sidewalks by bicyclists, riding a bike on a sidewalk adds responsibilities for all cyclists. Studies show that cyclists are safer (with the exception of children) when they are operating on the roadway where motorists expect them to be traveling,” said Fairfield's Deputy Chief of Police Chris Lyddy in a press release.
Connecticut law under Section 14-286 makes clear that “each person operating a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or across any roadway upon and along a crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal within a reasonable distance before overtaking and passing a pedestrian. Each person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall within a reasonable distance give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian or another bicycle operator….”
The Fairfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, a town-appointed advocacy group, offers the following tips to make your bike riding experience safer:
Wear a helmet: Even if it is just for a short ride. Make sure your helmet fits properly and is certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Stay Visible: If a driver can see you, they are less likely to hit you.
Wear vivid colors: Use lights in front and back of your bike when biking in low light conditions or at night.
Look and signal: Use hand signals to let drivers know where you are going. Look over your shoulder before changing lanes. Use audible signals, such as bells to alert pedestrians.
Go with the flow: Bike on the far right side of the road with traffic and obey all traffic signs and lights.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Fairfield and receive free news updates.
