traffic lanes Archives - Comedy Defensive Driving®

Bikes v.s. Cars – Sharing the Road With Bikes

Daun Thompson — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 07:36:57 +0000

I feel sorry for those poor bicyclists that are just trying to get a little cardio workout so they can possibly live longer. When in reality just riding a bike on the street could lead to their demise. I hear people complain “Why don’t they ride on the sidewalk?” I live in Dallas, and what these complainers don’t understand is, according to Texas Motor Vehicle Laws, bicyclists using Dallas’ streets during a ride must follow all traffic rules just like a motor vehicle. This includes stopping and yielding at signs, yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, displaying proper illumination (front & back of bike), riding with the traffic flow on designated “one way” streets in designated bicycle lanes and using turn signals (hand signals…and, no, not the finger). Bicyclists must use hand signals to signal their intent to stop, turn left, or turn right.

Hand Signals for Bicycles:

Stop – Extend the left hand and arm downward
Left Turn – Extend the left hand and arm horizontally
Right Turn – Extend the left hand and arm upward, or extend the right hand and arm horizontally.

A bicycle is a vehicle and a person operating a bicycle has the rights and duties applicable to a driver operating a vehicle. This, according to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, gives good legal cause to sharing the road with bikes. Bicyclists that do not follow street signs and laws are subject to the same penalties as a motor vehicle driver. If you ride a bicycle, you should check your own city’s bicycle laws as well as city ordinances on wearing a helmet.

Additional laws bicycles need to follow:

Here’s some additional information which is not only good for the bicyclist to know, but those driving around bicyclists as well. If a person operating a bicycle on a roadway is moving slower than the flow of traffic, they need to ride as near as possible to the right curb or edge of the roadway. However, there are exceptions to this law. Under the following conditions the law allows bicyclists to take the full lane of travel when:

The person is passing another vehicle moving in the same direction.
The person is preparing to turn left at an intersection or onto a private road or driveway.
When there are unsafe conditions on the roadway, including fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, or surface hazards that prevents the person from safely riding next to the curb or edge of the roadway.
The lane is of substandard width (less than 14 feet in width and not having a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane) making it unsafe for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side.

And persons operating bicycles on a roadway may ride two abreast, but they must share a single lane. They may not impede the normal flow of traffic and they may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding on a part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles. I’ve been stuck behind a row of those guys at the lake. Although, the view wasn’t so bad, I still want those hours of my life back.

Share the road with bikes:

If you are a bike enthusiast or just a weekend warrior, you may be interested to know that now, in Texas, you may purchase specialty license plates from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles that will hopefully remind people about sharing the road with bikes. And, a portion of the fee funds a variety of Bike Texas programs such as the Safe Routes to School program, the Community Trails Program as well as the Share the Road program for bicyclist and motor safety education.

Until next week…bicyclists are people too (just goofier looking). Look out for them.

Daun Thompson
Writer/ Comedienne/ Artist

Sharing the Road With Bikes – Comedy Defensive Driving

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Intersections

Daun Thompson — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 15:41:34 +0000

Intersections are tricky. And now, with camera lights in some of those intersections, they’re even trickier. It’s good to know a little more about the workings of intersection driving rules so that you can avoid a crash and perhaps avoid traffic violations as well. What you may not know about intersections may hurt you. So here’s a little refresher course on intersectionality (not really…it’s about intersections…I just like to use new geek words).
In any freshly painted intersection there will be a solid white line painted on the pavement by the city to separate each lane of traffic. This line will begin exactly 100 feet before the crosswalk line. Their purpose for being there is because it is against the law to change lanes 100 feet before the crosswalk of an intersection. It is also against the law to change lanes within the intersection, and up to 100 feet after the intersection ends. There is enough going on in that intersection that you should be doing nothing other than simply passing through it. Especially now with camera lights, people who have gotten those bills in the mail are likely wary of getting another, so they goose it to get through the yellow/red light. Causing even higher impact crashes. Or people stop at a yellow light. So you really have to pay attention when approaching an intersection.
Have you ever really needed to take a right turn on red (in Texas this is legal) and there is a car in front of you, not turning but blocking your lane? They’re just sitting there like a lump and you’re dying to take a right on red? So you cut through the gas station on the corner so you don’t have to wait for the light to turn green? In Texas, that is well over a $300 moving violation. But, I hear if you come to a complete stop when cutting through, and put your car in park, then look up at the gas station sign and say “Dang! That gas is pricey!” Maybe even get out of your car and act it out, waving your arms like a lunatic, then put your car in drive, you won’t get a ticket. Or, maybe you will get one for bad acting. But, really, after all of that, you maybe would have been better off to just wait behind the lump until the light turned green. And furthermore, the reason that person is not taking a right on red is likely because they have business to take care of on the opposite corner of that intersection. Maybe there’s a bank or a gas station they are going to. Even if it were legal for them to change lanes within the intersection, no one would let them over in that short distance. So cut them some slack. But, if they don’t turn into the bank or gas station on the other side of that intersection and they continue on past it, you can follow them and beat them up (nah…just kidding…that’s my own law).
When the light turns green, always look both ways to make sure someone isn’t running the red light. If there is a vehicle blocking your view, let them go first. They won’t go if they can see that someone is running the light. And, if you have a tall truck in front of you, hang back while they ease through the intersection. They have to shift gears and move slowly. If you are directly behind them, you can’t see when the overhead hanging light turns yellow and then red. And then there you are, running a red light.
Always use caution in intersections. They are said to be the most dangerous crash zones.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Intersections – Comedy Defensive Driving

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PICK A LANE, JANE

Lisa — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:46:00 +0000

Lane courtesy is the practice of yielding to or moving over for faster moving traffic.Slower traffic should always keep to the right.It’s a very simple concept, people.

And, yes, there are benefits of lane courtesy… Besides that going to Heaven thing…

Blocking the left lane makes the roads less safe and less efficient for everyone. So, if you don’t block the left lane, you’re less likely to be in an accident. Traffic is able to flow more smoothly. And therefore, there is less tailgating, less aggressive weaving in and out of traffic and therefore, less road rage.Since there’s not a lot of play with the accelerator, you’ll get better gas mileage. Now, just look at all you have done for mankind by just getting over!

I like to believe that most people are typically courteous and well-mannered.But, once behind the wheel, behind tinted windows, where their identity is concealed, some people just act however the heck they want.With no regard for anyone else.For example, if you cut in front of someone on the road…oh well!If you did that in line at a fast food restaurant, you’d get your knot beaten in with the ketchup dispenser.

Here’s the basic concept of how the passing thing works:

An approaching driver in the left lane, when approaching, should turn on their left signal for a few seconds to let the slower vehicle ahead of them know that they would like them to move over so they can pass.The car in front should then turn on their right signal and merge to the right.If the slower driver ahead fails to respond to the left signal, the faster driver should briefly flash their headlights to catch their attention.Hopefully, the slower driver will get it and move over.Unfortunately, the flashing of the headlights now is considered a form of aggressive behavior and sometimes starts a road rage feud!Oh, yea, and don’t forget to wave “thanks”.Sometimes that alone causes road rage. Besides, waving just takes a second.Plus, they don’t know if you’re waving thanks with all five fingers or just one…through that tinted window…

There are a couple of websites devoted to this concept. One, slowertraffickeepright.com is dedicated to reducing traffic congestion through more efficient use of existing roads.Great concept, eh?Another is leftlanedrivers.org.Here, you can purchase some awesome front windshield decals which come in handy when approaching that slow driver in the left lane. I liked the ones with Slow Traffic and Move Over… both with an arrow pointing to their right when viewed in their rearview mirror. I’m ordering mine as soon as I finish this blog.

So, please practice lane courtesy when you drive. Lane courtesy is also an awesome topic of conversation at cocktail parties. Let people know why you think it’s important. Educate them. And these courtesies are not limited to the left lane. Be more respectful of people at red lights. Don’t just hang out in the right lane if you don’t intend on taking a right on red, or do not have business to take care of within the right corner of that intersection. Say please and thank you and eat all of your peas…

Daun Thompson

( Daun Thompson is a comedienne, artist and writer who resides in the grand metropolis of Dallas, Texas )

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