subject: Reflective Tape - More Safety Needed For Ride-share Groups [print this page] There is an ever-running battle between vehicles and cyclists and these battle becomes every more pronounced as cities around the world begin to adopt ride-share programs for people who love the feel and convenience of a bike. We're seeing programs like this pop up across the U.S., UK and other tourist destinations as well as major metropolitan areas.
This growing conflict and aggravation among some motorists puts first-time riders and novice riders at risk when they aren't wearing any kind of reflective garments or high visibility clothing. It's not necessarily the fault of any particular individual or group of people - because everyone needs to be more aware. It boils down to everyone complaining about everyone else. Cyclists complain about the motorists, and motorists complain about the cyclists.
New York has developed one of the largest bike sharing programs in the country, with more than 7,000 bicycles available to rent across over 600 self-serve stations. Unfortunately renting a bike isn't ideal in areas where traffic can be severe - especially if you're not prepared to protect yourself with reflective vests and other accessories.
In many of the cities around the world, cyclists share the road with motorists. To do this, they have to follow standard laws regarding operation on a roadway or street. Some cities have even enacted regulations about high visibility clothing and the use of garments featuring reflective tape. Still however, some have no regulations - including no helmet laws.
Some cyclists feel that drivers are unable to adapt to a cultural shift where more people are riding bike. "There are still people that use their cars to intimidate and harass cyclists," said Greg Billing of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. "They're upset with the change in the status quo of who's using the roads, and that's not acceptable."
In Miami Beach, city officials have consistently heard complains about novice riders using the bike-share program there. These novice riders can pose a risk for themselves as well as motorists they mingle with. "The cyclists will tell you there's a difference between a cyclist and someone who's just riding a bike," says city spokeswoman Nannette Rodriguez. "They're responsible; they got their equipment; they know what they're doing. They have reflective clothing and reflective tape on their gear. Then you got people who just get on a bike to go to the supermarket and just cross the street wherever."
The main issue for many drivers is they feel that cyclists just aren't paying enough attention and following the rules of the road, such as when they split lanes and ride between vehicles. This can lead to a number of safety issues when a motorists expects a cyclist to follow a certain road law, but the cyclist does something completely different. Without a reflective vest or high visibility safety gear, there's a lot of potential for serious injury even in slow moving city traffic.
"In certain cities, where they're very bike-friendly, you often see bikers asserting themselves maybe more than they should," says John Bowman, a spokesman for the National Motorists Association, a drivers' rights advocacy group. " Bicyclists need to look out for cars because they're most vulnerable," Bowman says. "In any type of conflict between a car and a bike, the car always wins."
