Tuesday, May 8th, 2018
Bicyclists, drivers urged to think safety this spring
By Tom Stankard
Photo by Tom Stankard/The Daily Standard
Jake Green, Celina, rides his bike on Monday afternoon near Monroe Road along the Celina-Coldwater bike path.
As the temperatures warm, law enforcement officials encourage motorists and bicyclists to be cautious around each other and share the road.
"Sharing is a two way street, and it ultimately comes down to common sense," said Mercer County Sheriff's Capt. Martin Emerine.
"Drive and ride defensively and know your surroundings," he said.
Bicycles in Ohio are considered vehicles and riders must follow the rules of the road, Emerine said.
Bicyclists should ride with traffic because it is illegal to ride on sidewalks or against traffic, he noted. Bicyclists also are required to stop at stop signs and red lights.
"I can't tell you how many times I've seen bicyclists run red lights," Emerine said.
People riding at night should equip their bikes with a light on the front and reflectors on the back, he said. Cyclists also should wear reflective clothing.
Although it's not a law in Ohio, Emerine encouraged people to wear a helmet while riding.
Bicyclists should use hand signals if they want to change direction, Emerine said.
Cyclists should also be "more careful of debris placed on the road," Auglaize County Sheriff Al Solomon advised.
Motorists need to give cyclists as much room as possible, Emerine said, noting they are required to give three feet of clearance when passing.
Don't honk at cyclists, AAA advised, because it could startle them and cause them to swerve off the road or into traffic.
Riding along the Celina-Coldwater bike path near Monroe Road, Jake Green, Celina, said he exercises caution while riding, although he wasn't wearing a helmet.
"I ride a lot at night, so I got my light and my noisemaker if people are in the way," he said.
Green said he's observed "a lot of bicyclists staying safer nowadays."
Bicycle-related deaths are on the rise, however, according to National Highway Traffic Administration statistics.
In 2016, 840 bicyclists died in traffic related accidents. Eighteen of those involved Ohioans.
Last year, the toll rose to 19 Ohio cyclists.
Emerine said the county has seen four bicycle-related accidents over the past five years. One of those, he said, was fatal and occurred last year near the bike path on St. Anthony Road.
Solomon didn't recall any bicycle-related accidents in recent years in Auglaize County.
