HANCOCK COUNTY — Decked out in reflective gear, including socks, helmet lights and a special radar tracking unit that allows him to see if cars are approaching from behind, Dean Dixon is doing all he can to make sure he stays safe when he rides his bicycle on Hancock County roads.
Safety has been on the minds of a lot of bicycling enthusiasts since the fatal hit-and-run accident July 26 on State Road 234 that claimed the life of a bicyclist. Now, as a major bicycle rally is drawing hundreds of entrants who will take to the county roads on Aug. 24, avid cyclists and organizers are wondering what else can be done to keep riders safe.
Dixon, of Greenfield, has been riding for over six years. Riders, he said, can do all the right things — even spend hundreds of dollars on gear — to keep themselves safe on the roads, but if motorists are not doing their part, it can still be a deadly ride.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryDixon’s computer radar unit, attached to his bike, can detect when a car is coming so he can see it. The approach also triggers a flashing light to alert him and the approaching driver.
“But, if a driver is looking at their phone, they won’t see that,” Dixon said. “It’s all for naught.”
Laura Baker, Greenfield, helps coordinate the annual Hancock Flat 50, which will set off from downtown Greenfield on Aug. 24. Last year, 300 bicyclists participated. Baker has been training with the riders, who include her husband, Scott Baker. Laura also works on a local committee to help make Greenfield more bike friendly. On Wednesday evening, the Bakers were two of more than a dozen riders who gathered downtown for a training ride.
She gets nervous sometimes while out riding on the roads knowing how easily drivers can get distracted. It makes her fearful they won’t see her and other riders, despite their efforts to stay safe.
“I don’t think it’s intentional,” Laura Baker said. “But, we’ve got to learn to share the road.”
The Bakers know the dangers firsthand.
Lath month, when a group was on a training ride, Scott Baker was struck from behind. He was riding along County Road 400S when a truck, which was driving slowly, passed the group. A second vehicle, however, tagged the back of his bike, tossing him into a field.
“I was really lucky I didn’t get hurt,” he said. “I just don’t know how he couldn’t see us all dressed in bright colors with all kinds of safety lights.”
The group putting together the Flat 50, including Amanda Everidge, is working hard to get the word out and warn drivers to be on the lookout at all times for riders on county roads. Everidge, coordinator of the Healthy365 initiative through Hancock Health, said race organizers are working with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, Greenfield Police Department and the Hancock County 911 Center to get the word out about bike safety before the event.
Maj. Bobby Campbell, chief deputy of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department said, they’ll start pushing out bicycle safety information in the coming days on social media to warn drivers to be on the lookout for groups training and on the day of the event.
“We want people to be more aware of cyclists in general,” Campbell said.
That’s becoming more critical as trail plans call for more bike lanes along roadways. Just in the past month, bike lanes have been added along busy U.S. 40 on the west side of Greenfield.
Cyclists are expected to follow the road rules, just like drivers, Campbell said, so it’s important for drivers to respect the riders and share the roads. Officials would like to make sure drivers give riders at least a three-foot buffer.
On the day of the Flat 50, both the sheriff’s department and GPD will have officers along the route to help remind motorists to be on the lookout for riders.
Everidge said one of the goals in putting on the Flat 50 is to raise awareness about keeping riders safe as communities try to encourage more cycling.
“We’re working closely with our local government officials,” Everidge said. That includes the mayor, city and county engineers, who all help with trying to improve road conditions.
Now the goal is to make sure drivers get on board and are alert whenever they get behind the wheel, particularly with community leaders becoming more proactive in their support for a healthier lifestyle.
And, that’s what makes the loss of a rider like Terry Huff, the cyclist who died of injuries suffered in the hit-and-run collision, so tragic, the riders said. He was out for an early Friday morning ride, dressed in protective gear, including a bright yellow safety vest, and he still lost his life.
“It’s really tough when something like that happens,” Laura Baker said.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has several tips for motorists who are sharing the road with bicyclists:
Bicyclists observe the same rules as other vehicles. Yield to bicyclists as you would other motorists, and do not underestimate their speed. This will help avoid turning in front of a bicyclist often at an intersection or driveway.
In parking lots, at stop signs, when backing up, or when parking, search your surroundings for other vehicles, including bicycles.
Drivers turning right on red should look to the right and behind to avoid hitting a bicyclist approaching from the right rear. Stop completely and look left-right-left and behind before turning right on red.
Obey the speed limit, reduce speed for road conditions and drive defensively to avoid a crash with a cyclist.
Give cyclists room. Do not pass too closely. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department recommends a three-foot buffer, or about two arm-lengths, Pass bicyclists as you would any other vehicle — when it’s safe to move over into an adjacent lane.
Do not use your phone or text while behind the wheel. A momentary lapse of attention can be dangerous for a defenseless cyclist.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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