News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Jim Yuskavitch uses his bike to pick up his mail.
Many folks in Sisters traditionally go on two wheels as soon as summer weather hits. That trend is even more pronounced this summer as high gasoline prices prod motorists to switch to pedal power.
"One of the things we're definitely noticing at the shop is that people are pulling the old bike out of the garage," said Brad Boyd, owner of Sisters' bike shop, Eurosports.
That means more cyclists on the roads round Sisters and on downtown streets - some of them "casual" cyclists less experienced with navigating in heavy summertime traffic.
"Give them a little extra room and slow down a bit," Boyd urges motorists.
Boyd notes that cyclists have a right to be on the road - and not necessarily confined to a bike lane. Some bike lanes have impediments like dirt, glass and forest debris that may force riders into traffic lanes. And many Sisters roads have only a fog line, not a real bike lane and riders will be in the roadway.
The burden is not all on motorists to be careful, Boyd says.
Cyclists are obliged to follow the rules of the road, including stopping at stop signs, signaling turns and staying in the correct lane of travel.
"No darting in and out of traffic," Boyd said. "The main thing is to follow the rules and be predictable."
But in the end, motorists have the advantage on the road and therefore the burden of safety. Cyclists are less visible and very vulnerable, no matter whether the approaching car is a tiny little "smart car" or a lumbering SUV.
"You pretty much can't have a fender-bender with a cyclist," Boyd said. "If you hit a cyclist, they're going to be hurt."
Given tourist traffic in Sisters and lots of bikes on the road, there are bound to be instances of conflict. Boyd advises everyone to keep their cool.
"There's always going to be an instance where people get upset," he said. "And a wave and a smile or a 'sorry' is a lot nicer than being sworn at or flipped off."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)