Articles Tagged with bicyclist

More and more people every day are riding their bicycles to work in Sacramento. The recent recession, rising gas prices, and a focus on environmental issues are likely some of the reasons for this trend. Perhaps just seeing more bicycle commuters on the roads gets others thinking that they could do the same. There are so many reasons to try a Sacramento bike commute:

  • Bicycling to work obviously saves costs on gasoline and automobile maintenance.

A new law aimed at reducing motor vehicle – bicyclist crashes went into effect in Sacramento on Tuesday, September 16, 2014. The new law requires motorists to keep a distance of at least three feet from a bicyclists when passing them from behind. This law imposes fines against a motorist that doesn’t give enough room.

The law prohibits the driver of a motor vehicle proceeding in the same direction on a highway from passing at a distance less than 3 feet of the motor vehicle and the bicyclist. According to the new law, if conditions prevent motorists from giving cyclists the three feet of space, drivers must “slow to a speed that is reasonable and prudent” and may only pass when there is no danger to the cyclist, (AB1371, Bradford).

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 677 cyclists were killed and 48,000 were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2011. Wearing a helmet is the most effective means of protecting against a head injury. Unfortunately, fewer than half of cyclists wear them due to their unfashionable look and uncomfortableness. For cyclists who shy away from helmets, a Swedish company invented an air bag collar called the Hovding. The device is worn around the neck and has sensors that can detect a sudden change in speed or movements. If an accident is detected, the collar inflates with helium and forms an airbag protective cover around the head. Unlike most helmets it covers the neck as well as the head.

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