Amidst my complaints about bad media coverage of cycling in general, the Chicago Tribune goes and publishes an article that gets it right.
While sensationally titled, as a communicator I can’t really argue that kind of title – it’s what gets attention, it’s what gets submitted to social news sites, etc. The Tribune’s 8 Steps to Ensure You Survive Your Bike Ride hits the high points:
- Follow traffic laws.
- Be predictable and visible.
- Manage your space – ride to the left of your bike lane to avoid dooring; avoid being to the right of a right-turning car if your intention is straight.
- Share the road.
These are valid tips. They also seem to me obvious, but a lot of the people who fear street riding and vehicular cycling don’t see them as such. The people who blow stop signs and weave also clearly don’t see these tips as obvious.
So, hooray for a major media outlet publishing something positive.
