There's never a good reason to drive without courtesy and respect. Regardless if you're on the road with a car or a bike, both have road laws to follow that need to be treated with care. While cars and bikes have full access to the road, bikes are at a disadvantage since they are much more vulnerable to danger and injury.
Not only are they missing key components from a car like airbag, lights, a loud motor, and surrounded by steel, but they are also about one tenth of the size making them hard to see. As a Subaru Service company, we want you to be the safest possible when driving in your vehicle.
With our beautiful Washington roads, you're bound to come across bicyclists all over the Pacific Northwest.
We took these following tips from ShareTheRoad.AAA so that you can be prepared when sharing the road.
- Stay alert = avoid all distractions while driving.
- Yield to bicycles when turning.
- In bad weather, give bicyclists extra passing room, just as you would other motorists.
- Look for bicyclists by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic.
- Slow down and give at least three feet of clearance when passing bicyclists, especially when the road is narrow.
- NEVER honk your horn at bicyclists - it could cause them to swerve into traffic or off the roadway and crash.
- Always check for bicyclists before opening your car door.
- Children on bicycles are often unpredictable - expect the unexpected.
Remember, bicyclists have as much right to use the road as we do. Be patient - patience saves lives. Wait a few extra moments until it is safe to pass them, give them the right of way when needed, and allow them extra time to go through intersections. They are the ones at risk, and need your help to stay safe.
Maybe in addition to your road trip to see some of the best vacation areas in our beautiful state you could give your Subaru engine a break and try your hand at bicycling too! When you experience the road from the perspective of a cyclist, you'll be much more aware of others when driving your vehicle.
But when you do go back to your reliable Subaru, remember to bring your Subaru in for a checkup! Click here to schedule an appointment at Suburb Service, or call (206) 705-8695 to reach our Seattle location.