While I’m thrilled to see people using the bicycle lanes on Concord Avenue and especially pleased to see middle- and high-schoolers biking to school, I am concerned that some of these riders are engaging in unsafe bicycling practices. Living near the high school and Concord Avenue, I frequently encounter (mostly) young bicyclists who are not observing the basic rules of bicycle safety.
- Bicyclists should always ride in the direction of vehicular traffic— the bike lanes on Concord Avenue are not two-way lanes. Car drivers cannot reliably keep track of bicycles that are going in the wrong direction.
- A bicycle is a vehicle: red lights, stop signs, and cross walk rules all apply. When car drivers come to distrust that bicyclists will follow the law, everyone’s safety is put at risk.
- Day or night, it’s important for a bicyclist to be visible to cars and pedestrians. Bicyclists are required to use front and rear lights when riding between dusk and dawn.
- State law requires bicyclists age 16 and under to wear helmets, and this is recommended for riders of all ages.
- Outside of business districts or where specifically prohibited by local law, bicycles are permitted on sidewalks, “when necessary in the interest of safety” and so long as they yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal when overtaking them. In most situations, however, bicyclists (after their “training phase”) can and should learn to ride safely on our local streets.
A good summary of Massachusetts’ bike law that covers equipment, riding, safety standards, violations, and penalties can be found at massbike.org/laws.
Perhaps we should include a bicycle safety unit in the early middle school curriculum to ensure that all of our children acquire the basics of bicycle safety.
Helen Golding, Louise Road
