Playing Nice and Sharing the Trail
Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
Trail signage helps cyclists, walkers stay on the right side of path.
The Cultural Trail creates a new city street environment that welcomes many different types of transportation – walking, cycling, roller-blading, even Segwaying (no skateboards, though. They’re not allowed on the Cultural Trail). While this is a great “green” development, we ALL need to better understand how to behave safely on and off the Trail.
About 60% of the Cultural Trail has separate bike and pedestrian lanes while the other 40% of the Trail has a shared bike and pedestrian path. The Trail clearly marks which path bicycles and other things with wheels versus pedestrians should take all along the route.
The Cultural Trail also features audible signals and large queuing areas at each intersection for Trail users to gather while waiting to cross safely. As users cross, the colorful intersection markings guide them to stay in their appropriate lanes to continue their journey along the Trail. The intersection markings also warn motorists that they are entering a unique area where they should be more alert to bicyclists, pedestrians and other users.
Trail signage helps users merge from separated trail into combined use path.
Cyclists should be following the same “rules of the road” as cars. In other words, cyclists should follow traffic signals and/or pedestrian crossing signals. If turning, cyclists should signal appropriately: left arm bent upwards for a right turn and left arm pointing left or downward for a left turn. Stopping should be signaled with the left arm turned downward (palm facing behind you).
Similarly, walkers, rollerbladers, and Segway-ers should also follow pedestrian crossings, avoid quick stops or other sudden movements and be aware of other users on the Trail at all times.
This diverse culture of transportation is exactly what we need to encourage if we want to reduce our dependency on cars, improve the environment and become a healthier community. As more of the Cultural Trail is completed, it’s the perfect time to re-orient and re-educate ourselves about the basics of keeping the Trail and roads safe for everyone.
For more information about traffic and bicycle safety tips, contact the Indiana Bicycle Coalition, 317.466.9701, Info@BicycleIndiana.org, or visit www.BicycleIndiana.org.