Salt Lake City Greenbike via Flickr by Rudi Riet
Salt Lake is becoming more and more bike friendly; cycling around the city is a great way see the sites, minimize pollution, and get some exercise along the way. Even the city itself is getting involved with GREENbike, a non-profit bike sharing project. There are GREENbike stands all around the downtown area where you can pay to rent out a bike for a certain amount of time (30 minutes, a couple of hours, a 4-Day pass, etc). You can also get an annual membership if you plan on ‘greenbiking’ frequently.
The Salt Lake Police Department has also been getting more involved in the bike community. We asked Police Sergeant Lisa Pascadlo to help outline some safety programs and resources specific to Utah. Whether you’re using your own bike or taking advantage of a bike share program, these tips will help keep you safe as you enjoy Salt Lake’s beautiful city and scenery by bike.
Learn some “Road Respect”
An avid cyclist herself, Sgt. Pascadlo cares deeply about cycling safety and is involved with “Road Respect,” an organization that helps raise awareness about road safety. This program is focused on promoting safe interactions on the road, not just for cyclists, but motorists and pedestrians too. During an interview, Sgt. Pascadlo discussed the mission of Road Respect: “Our goal is to encourage people to be safe and ultimately prevent loss of life. We certainly don’t want to see people get injured. The bike is going to lose almost 100 percent of the time [against a car] and it’s important to be aware of the risks.”
While most cyclists on the road are aware of the rules, Sgt. Pascadlo said “some are not, and that is what is costing lives.” Please be sure you understand traffic rules before riding. This year’s focus for Road Respect is increased visibility. While the law doesn’t require you to wear reflective or brightly colored clothing while biking, Sgt. Pascadlo wants to prevent as many injuries as possible. Being extra visible to cars and other vehicles on the road can help prevent an accident.
May is one of the biggest months for cycling; let’s all pledge to be a little bit safer. That can mean a commitment to wear more visible clothing while we ride, or brushing up on some of the traffic regulations we may have forgotten. Having more respect on the road can only help everyone be safe.
Know how to handle accidents
To learn the specific dos and don’ts of cycling safety and Utah laws, order a copy of our free book, The Utah Bicycle Accident Handbook. In addition, this book will tell you everything you need to know about bicycle insurance and what you should do in case of an accident.
Even when we are following all safety advice, accidents can still happen. If you’ve been injured in a biking accident and would like help, please call Utah’s bicycle lawyers at (801) 506-0800 for a free consultation. Bicycling is a great hobby, but an injury can cause physical and financial stress that no one should have to go through. We’re here to help.