Bicyclists In Traffic
This document intends to provide a guideline to cyclists on safe maneuver of conflict scenarios with other road users. At the first level, the scenarios are classified into urban and rural as traffic conditions under which conflicts may happen can be very different in rural areas than urban. At the second level, the scenarios are classified based on roadway relations – whether they are at intersections or at other locations (including driveways, midblocks, sidewalks etc.). The final classification is based on direction of travel – whether the bicyclist is travelling along the travel or attempting to cross the traffic or is turning when they experience the conflict scenarios. For each scenario, a brief description is presented and then a list of relevant references that provide guidance on best practices to avoid and safely maneuver such conflict situations.
Urban bicyclist crashes are mostly characterized by low situational awareness and often, due to vision obstruction in multi-lane traffic. These are generally low speed crashes, predominantly happening at intersections.
This category includes both signal controlled intersections as well as stop sign controlled intersection, 2 way, 4 way and 6 way.
The conflict scenarios under this category involve bicyclists that are riding along the direction of the vehicular traffic movement.
The conflict scenarios for this category include bicyclists who are attempting to ride across oncoming traffic.
This category is for the cases where the bicyclist is making a turn across or with the traffic.
This category includes crashes that happen at midblocks, sidewalks, along on street parking, driveway and any such roadway area that is not an intersection.
The conflict scenarios under this category involve bicyclists that are riding along the direction of the vehicular traffic movement.
The conflict scenarios for this category include bicyclists who are attempting to ride across oncoming traffic.
There is significantly less research data available on bicyclist related crashes in rural areas. However, the crash scenarios arising from lack of situational awareness and visual awareness can be presumed be similar to those in urban areas with the additional issue of a lesser number of controlled intersections, high speeds over longer road stretches, less separation distance between different road users and possible lack of designated bicycling infrastructure. Therefore, similar scenarios as urban crashes are presented here and cases where literature are available on rural bicyclist crashes are noted as appropriate.
This category includes both signal controlled intersections as well as stop sign controlled intersection, 2 way, 4 way and 6 way.
The conflict scenarios under this category involve bicyclists that are riding along the direction of the vehicular traffic movement.
The conflict scenarios for this category include bicyclists who are attempting to ride across oncoming traffic.
This category is for the cases where the bicyclist is making a turn across or with the traffic
This category includes crashes that happen at midblocks, sidewalks, along on street parking, driveway and any such roadway area that is not an intersection.
The conflict scenarios under this category involve bicyclists that are riding along the direction of the vehicular traffic movement.
The conflict scenarios for this category include bicyclists who are attempting to ride across oncoming traffic.