NHTSA says "Share The Road Sign" sends mixed messages
[B' Spokes: This seems rather timely after our alert that Maryland is trying to assert a third meaning behind Share the Road signs, or is that a trick question?]
To: The Motoring Community
From: Paula Bawer RN, MA
Bicycle Safety and Safe Routes to School Program Manager
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
That yellow, diamond-shaped sign with a black silhouette of a bicycle in the center and the words, "Share the Road" is not just a sign. It’s a concept adopted to foster safety and respect between motor vehicle operators, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and truck drivers.
However, it’s not unusual for emotionally charged comments to surface from motorists and bicyclists.
Motorists’ perspective:
- Bicyclists need to stay off the roadway and ride on the sidewalk where they belong.
- If bicyclists want respect, they need to show respect and follow the rules of the road.
Bicyclists’ perspective:
- Bicycles are vehicles – just like cars, motorcycles and trucks. I have the right to ride on the road.
- The “Share the Road” sign means it’s okay for me to ride on roads. Vehicles are supposed to make room for me.
These sentiments illustrate the need to heighten awareness and personal responsibility for motorists and bicyclists. Many motorists believe bicycles belong only on sidewalks and bike paths, when in fact bicyclists are granted the legal right to ride on a roadway even when a bike lane or path is present. However, it’s also important to note that bicyclists must follow the same traffic rules as drivers of motor vehicles.
The challenge lies in the lack of some road users’ understanding of the “Share the Road” concept. Some motorists believe the term means that bicyclists should take up less space, give up the majority of the road, or get off the road completely. Many bicyclists believe that the term means that motorists should treat them like drivers of a vehicle, allow them space on the roadway, and yield the right of way.Interpretations are not always clear, but on a road where the rightmost travel lane is wide enough for a motor vehicle and bicyclist to travel side by side, the concept of "sharing" may seem effortless and intuitive. However, in locations where the rightmost travel lane is too narrow for a bicyclist and a motorist to safely travel side by side, the Uniform Vehicle Code and many state laws require motorists to change lanes to pass, releasing cyclists from the need to ride "as far right as practicable" restriction.
Share the Road initiatives are typically designed to encourage motorists to be more aware of bicyclists, to teach bicyclists that they must obey state and local laws, and to compel motorists and bicyclists to respectfully operate on the same roadways. Across the country, there have been various strategies to raise public awareness about motorists and bicyclists safely sharing public roads, including: public service announcements, billboards, pavement markings, and web-based and public/private events.
Other successful traffic safety campaigns use a multi-prong approach: education in conjunction with enforcement efforts, engineering changes, and the passage of state and/or local legislation. AAA’s national effort to reach motorists with Share the Road messages offers a unique opportunity to encourage mutual respect among all road users. AAA continues to serve as a valued national partner with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and many other national organizations to save lives and prevent injuries on our nation’s roadways.
NHTSA is pleased to be included in AAA’s unveiling of a national Share the Road campaign. As AAA members you are encouraged to act with courtesy and caution when sharing the road, to assist in reducing the number traffic-related injuries and fatalities on our nation’s roadways.
For information related to bicycle safety, please visit NHTSA’s bicycle safety website at http://www.nhtsa.gov/Bicycles.
Source: http://www.aaaexchange.com/Assets/Files/2011511161280.ShareTheRoad_NHTSA.pdf
This was found via TheWashCycle, which also highlights AAA Share the road page (our previous coverage) but this bares repeating:
"When a road is too narrow for cars and bikes to ride safely side by side, bicycles should take the travel lane, which means riding in or near the center of the lane."
Wow, wonder of wonders, the SAME advice to motorists as cyclists. But what do you think of Maryland's approach of telling cyclists to ride in the middle of the lane (See "Roadway Riding" in this video by MDOT.) but telling motorists (under "Rules for Motorists" no less) that A bicycle should be operated as close to the right side of the road as practical and safe. ? (Note: Practical (per handbook) and practicable (per law) do not mean the same thing. That combined with the mistaken notion that "safe" means out of the way of cars and not in the center of the lane and well... it does not always work out well for the cyclists .)
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