Yield to Bicyclists

Time and time again stories appear in the news of bicyclists enjoying a leisurely, scenic ride only to have to swerve far right for cars to avoid hitting them. Some make it home safely while others are not so lucky.

In a recent newsletter, I told the story of Bob. Bob was part of a team of bicyclists out on a Sunday morning ride in Phoenix when a young man struck him and continued driving. Bob was transported to the hospital, put on life support and died shortly after. He left behind his wife and children. In a split second, life had changed for both Bob and this young man. It could have easily been avoided had this young driver known that bicyclists do in fact have the right of way.

The driver failed to stop, drove home immediately and his parents advised him to "cover up" his truck. With the help of witnesses who were able to identify the truck's license plate, this is now deemed a criminal case.

If you don't know the rules when it comes to sharing the road with bicyclists, please remember that they have just as much right to be there as you do. DrivingMBA has a wealth of information on bicycle safety as do the AZ Coalition of Bicyclists. In fact, it'd be wise for all of us to revisit bicycle safety both as a driver or a bicyclist enjoying a scenic ride...