Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) is delighted to partner with Howard County and other regional organizations in sponsoring this year’s Bike to Work Central Maryland week celebration, which starts May 16, and ends May 22. Participants are encouraged to ride their bike to work or any location such as the store, the park, a bike trail, or simply around the neighborhood. Participation is free and comes with a free t-shirt (limited to the first 1,500 riders). Click here to register. During the week, be sure to join us on Friday, May 20th 4-6:30 PM for a fun get-together full of surprises, raffles, swag, music, celebration, and more!
RTA PROMOTES CYCLING AND ACTIVE TRAVEL WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
As a friendly reminder, all RTA’s buses have a quick and easy-to-use bike rack fitted to the front of our buses. The bike racks, which carry either 1 or 2 bikes, provide the ideal solution for anyone who want to combine a bus trip with a bicycle ride.
Click here to watch a handy video on how to load a bike onto a bus.
At RTA, our bus operators continually watch for cyclists sharing the roads with us. We hope that all motorists are considerate of bike riders and demonstrate respect. After all, while bike riding is fun, healthy, and a great way to be independent, it comes with a great deal of responsibility for both the driver and the cyclist.
Here are a few safety tips to help make each other more aware of what to look out for:
| Advice for Drivers | Advice for Cyclists |
|---|---|
| Look out for cyclists, especially when turning – make eye contact if possible so they know you’ve seen them | If a truck is indicating left, passing on the inside can be dangerous. Hang back at the junction to reduce the risk of collision |
| Use your indicators – signal your intentions so that cyclist can react | Ride positively, decisively and well clear of the curb – look and signal to show drivers what you plan to do and make eye contact when possible, so you know that drivers have seen you |
| Give cyclists plenty of space when over taking them, leaving as much room as you would give a car. If there isn’t sufficient space to pass, hold back. Remember that cyclists may need to maneuver suddenly if the road is poor, it’s windy or if a car door is opened | Avoid riding up the inside of large vehicles, like trucks and buses, where you might not be seen |
| Always check for cyclists when you open your car door | If possible, avoid riding at night. If you do ride at night, always use lights when visibility is poor. Wearing light colored or reflective clothing during the day and reflective clothing and/or accessories in the dark increases your visibility |
| Advanced stop lines allow cyclists to get to the front and increase their visibility. You must stop at the first while line reached if the lights are amber or red and allow cyclists time and space to move off when the green signal shows | Follow the Highway rules, including observing ‘stop’ and ‘give way’ signs and traffic lights |
| Follow the Highway Code including ‘stop’ and ‘give way’ signs and traffic lights | RTA recommends wearing a correctly fitted cycle helmet, which is securely fastened and conforms to current regulations |
Media Contact: Preston YB Reed, preston.reed@transitrta.com
