By: Lydia Crawley, The Parsons Advocate
Leaves are on the trees and the streets and trails have begun to fill with cyclists of all ages across Tucker County. With more bikes out and about in the County, here are a few things riders and the general public should be aware of.
In terms of safety equipment, West Virginia mandates a few pieces of equipment. All bicycles are required by State law to have operational brakes. For nighttime riding, the State mandates that bicycles contain a white lamp on the front that is visible from a distance of at lease 500 feet and either a red reflector visible from between 50 feet to 300 feet or a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet in the rear in addition to the rear reflector.
The State also mandates that all children 15 and under are required to wear a helmet while riding. “The risk of head injury from bicycling accidents is significantly reduced for bicyclists who wear proper protective bicycle helmets; yet helmets are worn by fewer than five percent of child bicyclists nationwide,” the State’s Child Bicycle Safety Act states.
The State also classifies bicycles the same as a motor vehicle in terms of road laws. Bicyclists are expected to use hand signals while riding and to obey traffic laws. West Virginia also mandates that bicyclists pull over and stop for emergency vehicles that are running lights and sirens.
Parents and children should also be aware that “No person riding upon any bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, or toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself to any streetcar or vehicle upon a roadway.” So if a child is a fan of “Back to the Future,” parents may want to explain that they can’t bumper surf in West Virginia because besides being exceedingly dangerous, it is also illegal.
Safe Kids Worldwide recommends that children also wear bright colors and use lights, as well as reflectors on their clothing and bicycle in order to be seen, especially at night and in the morning. Children should use hand signals and follow the rules of the road, as well as ride in a straight line and avoid swerving between cars. It is also recommended that parents ride with their children until they are confident that children are ready to ride on their own safely.
Matt Marcus, manager of Blackwater Bicycles in Davis, said that while adult helmets were not mandated by law, they were highly encouraged for the Blackwater Bicycle Association’s Thursday Night Trail rides in Davis due to safety and the nature of the terrain the rides take. Accidents on many of the mountain bike trails could cause significant injury without helmets, Marcus said.
“Anyone who comes to the ride at five is going to want to wear a helmet because most people who are riding don’t want to ride with someone who is not wearing a helmet,” Marcus said.
For mountain biking, Marcus said the most important safety equipment is a helmet and gloves. High speed downhill mountain bikers will also often invest in specialized knee and elbow pads, as well as safety glasses.
A key component of bicycle safety is maintenance. Marcus said a well maintained bike is the largest factor to a bicyclist’s safety. Maintenance will help avoid such things as sudden break down or brake failure, according to Marcus.
The largest danger in the County to bicyclists is from distracted drivers on the road, especially between the towns of Davis and Thomas, according to Marcus. While there are plans in place for a trail to be constructed parallel to the roadway, it will likely be years before it is open to hikers and bicyclists traveling between the two towns. Marcus said that funding is currently in place for design of the trail and a firm hired to design the project is expected to make a sight visit in the next week or two.
“I think the main danger here is bikes on the road between the towns. So people really need to be aware of that because there’s no other option at this point,” Marcus said.
Most bicyclists in the County are trail riders who are trying to avoid the roadways, many of which offer little to no real shoulder or sidewalk option for riding. Some sections, such as the section under the bridge construction at Moore where the Appalachian Highlands Trail has been closed for years, offer no shoulder and can be frightening to riders when faced with tractor trailers traveling alongside, Marcus said.
“Be aware, especially in the summer around here, there’s going to be a lot of bikes on the roads,” Marcus said. “And certain areas, there’s no other option for people then on the road.”
