Sharing the Road

1. Sharing the Road Chapter 13

2. 13-1 Pedestrians • A pedestrian is a person who uses or crosses the roadway on foot or by means of a self propelled device other than a bicycle • Running, walking, jogging, skating, wheelchairs, crutches • Encounter on city streets, school areas, shopping areas, & residential areas

3. Driver Responsibilities to Pedestrians • Drivers must give right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing the street at an intersection, using a crosswalk, or using the sidewalk when crossing an entrance to a driveway or alley • Must give right-of-way to blind people • Give right-of-way to any pedestrian since you are protected and they are not • Most vehicle/pedestrian collisions happen at intersections • Either the pedestrian crosses illegally or drivers running red lights • Vision is blocked behind bigger vehicles • Pedestrians step in front of vehicles – not paying attention • What you can do: • Stop at the stop line or crosswalk • If none, pretend

4. Pedestrian Responsibilities to Driver • Pedestrians have a much better view of the road than drivers, fewer distractions, and can stop or change direction quicker than a vehicle • Use common sense and remember you are vulnerable • Wait for gaps in cross traffic – do not assume they are going to stop for you • The more time the driver has to see you, the better prepared they will be to slow down • Less distance to cover

5. Jaywalking • Crossing the street without regard for traffic rules or signals • Most dangerous form – crossing at a place other than an intersection or crosswalk • Laws prohibit jaywalking • Things to indicate someone may jaywalk: • Long blocks • Bad weather • People being late • Unsupervised children • The more people around, the higher the risk

6. 13-2 Bicycles • Commonly found in residential areas, in certain business districts, school areas, scenic roads, park areas • Used for both recreation and transportation for all ages – don’t need a license • Bicyclists are vulnerable because they ride next to vehicles • Pay extra attention to them and aid in their safety

7. Driver Responsibilities to Bicyclists • Expect sudden moves • hazards can force bicyclists to swerve suddenly • In residential areas, bicyclists will ride in the middle of the street and disregard signs • Be alert for children • Don’t pass if the street is too narrow for you to pass safely • Create a wide space when passing, especially at high speeds • Use your horn if needed • Always check blind spots when turning or changing lanes

8. Bicyclist Responsibilities to Drivers • Must signal all turns with hand signals, stop at all intersections, ride on the right-hand side of the street or in a designated lane instead of the sidewalk • Wear proper safety equipment • Make sure your bike is working properly • Avoid: • Driving against the flow of traffic • Going too fast for hills • Ignoring signs and signals • Riding in the middle of the street • Disregarding right-of-way • Can be ticketed for all of these – even as a rider

9. 13-3 Motorcycles • Motorcycle • Any two- or three- wheeled motor vehicle having a seat for riders and weighing less than 1500 pounds with at least a 15 horsepower engine • More powerful than automobiles • High speed and acceleration • More maneuverable • Motorcyclists • Directly exposed to the elements • Hearing is reduced • Rocks and dirt kicked up • Virtually no protection • One of the most dangerous forms of transportation

10. Driver Responsibilities to Motorcycles • Failure to spot motorcycles is the primary cause of crashes involving motorcycles • Smaller than vehicles • Train yourself to look for them while you drive • Double check your estimates • Easy to misjudge due to their small size • Motorcycles also can’t see you • Mirrors are small, so assume that the rider can’t see you • Riders need all the space within their lane to make moves if needed • Potholes don’t bother us as drivers, but can affect a rider tremendously • Increase your following distance and space cushion • When being passed, maintain your lane position • Let the motorcycle pass • When passing, be cautious, especially if there is a passenger • Any wrong move by the passenger can affect the motorcycle

11. Motorcyclists Responsibilities to Drivers • Keep your motorcycle in proper working condition • Wear proper safety equipment • Glasses or goggles, helmet, leather boots, abrasion resistant clothing, rain suit, bright clothing • Ride to the side of a lane, not in the middle • Left side of the lane is the best because if gives you the best view of traffic ahead • Makes you more visible to other drivers • Don’t follow too closely • The closer you are, the less time you have to react • Don’t ride in blind spots, weave in and out of traffic, “split lanes”-riding between lanes of slow or stopped traffic (legal in some places) • Slow down and reduce speed at intersections, driveways, parking spaces, and other dangerous spots for motorcycles

12. Mopeds & Motorized Cycles • Moped • Any two- or three- wheeled device with pedals that has an automatic transmission • A motor less than 2 horsepower • Cannot exceed 30 mph • Riders should ride them on the right side of the road • Avoid riding on higways

13. 13-4 Trucks & Buses • Commercial Trucks, often called “semis” are easy to see, but the most dangerous • Bigger vehicle – • slower acceleration • larger blind spot • more room needed to maneuver • longer it takes to stop • Driver of the car is almost always the one killed in a fatal crash involving both types of vehicles

14. “No Zones” • Large blind spots of trucks are called “no zones” • In addition to blind spots on either side of the cab, there is a 200 feet deep blind spot behind the truck • Driver can’t see you, you can’t see them • There is another blind spot 20 feet in front of the bumper • Cars could move into this area and be completely unnoticed by the driver

15. Driving Behind Trucks • Increase your following distance • Rule – if you can see their side mirrors, they can see you • Compensate for the trucks loss of speed when going uphill • Allow more room for the truck to maneuver at a stop • Rocking backward before forward

16. Passing Trucks • Know how long the truck is • Type of terrain • Upgrade, downgrade • Don’t cut right back in front of the truck you are passing • Wait until you can see the cab of the truck in your rearview mirror before pulling back • Compensate for the “wind effect” • Try not to pass 2 trucks at one time

17. Oncoming Trucks • Biggest cause for collisions is the inability of motorists to accurately determine the speed of approaching vehicles before making a left turn • When in doubt, wait! • Large trucks use air brakes • Take longer to stop than hydraulic brakes • If you guess wrong when passing, the truck can’t stop • Takes more than 100 yards to stop for an average truck going 55 mph Merging Trucks • Trucks need extra time to adjust to high speed traffic • Slow down and move to another lane to allow the truck to safely enter the roadway

18. Off-Tracking • Occurs when a truck driver swings wide on a turn • Greater on right turns than left because the turns are sharper and the turn radius of the rear of the truck is less • If you are approaching an intersection and see a truck wanting to make a turn: • Reduce your speed • Stay far enough back from the intersection so that the truck can maneuver efficiently • If you are already at the intersection and there is enough room to back up, do it

19. Commercial Buses • Buses present many of the same problems as trucks • Long, heavy, and difficult to maneuver or stop • Large blind spots • Can have a deceptively fast approach • Take a long time to pass • Go slower uphill and faster downhill • Make wide turns • Produce wind effect at high speeds • The unique danger – buses make frequent stops to drop off or pick up passengers • When following: • Increase your following distance • Improves visibility and reaction time • If the bus is stopped, use caution • Blocking view of cross traffic • Pedestrians getting on or off • Do not pass a bus on the right

20. School Buses • Children are unaware of traffic rules and safety • Less predictable • When a bus is stopped and has the stop sign arm extended you must come to a complete stop • Unless you are on the opposite side of a divided roadway • Resume driving only once the bus begins moving • Give bus extra space cushioning, especially when passing • Drivers can be distracted