Text transcript for the Sharing the road video

Sharing the road video

Narrator says:

This is King County Metro Transits newest bus, the New Flyer, low floor hybrid-electric. It is 60 feet long, eight and a half feet wide and weighs about 50,000 pounds. There are more than 1,300 buses in the King County Metro Fleet, providing bus service for 1.7 million county residents. This is your average bicycle and rider. Rider sizes and skills vary but the bike is approximately four feet long and weighs about 25 pounds. On any given day in King County, up to 2,000 cyclists may be commuting to or from the Downtown Central Business District. There is quite a contrast between buses and bicycles, yet they frequently share the same road.

Metro driver and cyclist says:

Hi, were cyclists who also happen to be Metro bus drivers. We believe theres enough room on our roads for buses and cyclists to drive and ride together safely. Bikes and buses are both part of the solution for reducing traffic congestion and improving our environment. But we have to look out for each other. Buses are big vehicles that need to pull up close to the curb to pick up passengers. Buses also frequently weave in and out of lanes to reach bus stops and there are blind spots in our mirrors where we just cant see a cyclist that may be sharing the road with us. We want to talk about the things cyclists can do to ride more safely on roads they share with buses and the things bus drivers can do to make sure theyre giving cyclists the room they need.

Why is this important? For one thing, with rising gas prices, there are a lot more cyclists on the road than ever before. In addition, when construction of the Alaskan Way Viaduct begins and various streets are closed, more traffic congestion is expected and sharing of the road between buses and bicycles will become even more critical in downtown Seattle. Third Avenue is a transit priority corridor between Stewart and Yesler Streets. Bicyclists are allowed to travel on Third Avenue in the transit priority lanes, as well.

So how can buses and cyclists get where theyre going more safely in a busy urban environment? According to Washington State law, a cyclist has the same rights and responsibilities on the road as a vehicle driver. Bus drivers are trained to respect the rights of cyclists. They are trained to look at the whole road, from sidewalk to sidewalk and keep in mind the stopping distance they need for their speed and the size of their bus. How much space do cyclists need? Three feet from the curb or shoulder is generally considered a safe amount of space for cyclists to ride in. But many streets dont have much extra space. Keep in mind on the average, traffic lanes are about 11 feet wide. Buses are eight and a half feet wide. Since a bus needs to allow for a margin of space on both its left and right sides, that leaves less than two and a half feet of space for a cyclist to ride in, if riding next to a bus in the same lane. This can make it uncomfortable for both the cyclist and the bus driver. If a cyclist makes a decision to ride next to a bus in the same lane, he needs to be aware that in doing so, he has relinquished his 3 feet of safe space. Theres sometimes debris in the street or obstacles cyclists have to ride around, further compacting the space they have to ride in.

Cyclists dont like to be pushed up against the curb or off onto the road shoulder, so bus drivers have to be mindful of their space. Its not unusual for a cyclist to be able to ride at a speed of 10-to-20 miles per hour. Washington State law says Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place shall ride as near to the right side of the right through lane as is safe except as may be appropriate while preparing to make or while making turning movements, or while overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction. Keep in mind what state law pointed out earlier, bicycles have the same rights and responsibilities as other vehicles. That means if there is a bus in the right lane and moving slowly due to traffic, and cyclist hugging the curb on the right is going faster than the bus, the cyclist cannot legally pass the bus on the right side.

Cyclists must pull into the left lane of traffic, acting just like any other vehicle to pass. Cyclists are supposed to own the lane, not straddle the white line in between lanes and ride between the bus and other vehicles. It is especially unsafe to attempt to do this between two buses This is especially important in Seattles busy Central Business District. There really arent any situations where it is safe for a cyclist to pass a bus on the right side, when the bus is in the right lane. Even if the cyclist is attempting to reach a crosswalk, dont pass a bus in the right lane on the buses right side. There are situations where the bus and cyclist will be going about the same speed, and each needs to exercise some courtesy here. Dont play leapfrog, bikes should not pass the bus if they think theyre not going to stay ahead of it. And the bus should not pass the cyclists if it appears they are maintaining a reasonable speed and will probably stay ahead of the bus. In situations where cyclists can keep up with the flow of traffic they may ride in the center of a lane, just like a car, and must use appropriate hand signals and observe all traffic laws.

Metro driver says:

Lets talk about some of the problems bus drivers have operating on the road with cyclists. Visibility is a big issue. Bicycle riders can be difficult to see, even in the best of weather. King County averages more than 150 rainy days a year, making cyclists even harder to see for almost half the year. So when riding a bike wear bright or reflective clothing, and make sure you are properly equipped with lights and reflectors. King County and the city of Seattle also both have mandatory helmet laws for cyclists. Cyclists who dart in and out of traffic cause a problem for bus drivers. Of course a bicycle is much more maneuverable than a car or a bus, and weaving in and out probably gets you through traffic faster. But bus drivers like to keep nearby cyclists in view at all times and its hard to keep sight of a cyclist if theyre darting around traffic, squeezing between buses, and jumping from the street to the sidewalk and back again. This is not a safe way for cyclists to ride. On one-way streets, cyclists can avoid buses completely by riding on the left hand side of the street. Another unsafe practice is when a cyclist pulls up behind or next to a bus and leans against the bus.

This tends to happen in busy areas like the downtown business district where there is lots of stop and go traffic. Maybe the cyclist thinks theyre just letting the driver know theyre there. But quite frankly it scares the driver, assuming the driver even sees the cyclist. Remember, there are blind spots around a bus. The bus has large rear view mirrors, but those mirrors do not cover everything. And when that 50-thousand pound vehicle starts rolling, one slip can put a cyclist under the wheels where they would be crushed. Dont do it, respect the space the bus driver needs to safely operate Bus drivers are highly skilled professional drivers. They are trained to multitask by constantly visually scanning and tracking multiple potential safety problems while they are driving. Cyclists may feel reassured by this, knowing that the bus driver is also tracking them. However, from the bus drivers point of view, forcing a bus driver to keep track of an erratic cyclists behavior near the bus unnecessarily adds to that bus drivers work load. It also diverts the bus drivers attention from other critical potential safety problems say, for example the small child who suddenly darts into the street for a dropped toy.

Metro driver and cyclist says:

Now lets look at bus/bicycle interaction from the cyclists perspective. In busy areas like downtown, cyclists are wary of buses pulling to the right to make their stops, and at the same time cutting them off, Cyclists may be unaware that Metro drivers are taught to not use their right turn signal when pulling into a bus zone, and to only use their flashers when they are blocking a lane of traffic and are outside of the downtown area. This means that a cyclist trying to pass a bus on the right may be caught unaware that the bus driver is going to pull into a zone, and end up in a squeeze play between the bus and the curb. As we pointed out earlier, in this situation, the cyclist needs to pass the bus on the left, obeying traffic laws in the process, or the bus driver needs to slow and let the cyclist pass before pulling into the stop.

Again, its a road courtesy issue, and the bus driver and cyclist need to be aware of each other. Cyclists also dont like it when a bus driver honks the horn at them. Even if its a friendly tap, it can startle a rider. In areas where buses drive at faster speeds, the wind draft as they go by can knock a cyclist over if the bus passes too closely. Another complaint is some drivers dont seem to know where the ride free area starts and stops. Its the drivers responsibility to know the nuances of their route. And some cyclists think bus drivers use their buses to bully them off the road. As a bus driver I can say thats simply not true, we dont want to scare or hurt anyone. Its more likely that the driver didnt see you, so be aware of buses blind spots and ride defensively. Cyclists who have a complaint about how a bus is being driven should take note of the coach number, the route, and the time and place of the incident and call Metros Customer Service line at (206) 553-3000. Drivers take their safety record seriously.

Metro driver and cyclist says:

In addition to sharing the road, bus drivers and cyclists also need to understand the policies pertaining to bikes on buses and bicycle loading policies in the Ride Free Area.

Metros entire bus fleet has been equipped with bicycle racks since 1994. Metro is a national leader in offering this free service, and is averages more than 14,000 bikes carried per week during the peak of summer. Every bus can carry two bikes on the rack mounted on its front, and an increasing number of buses will have three-position racks in the near future. For safety reasons Metro does not allow cyclists to bring their bikes inside the bus, an unsecured bike inside a bus is a dangerous projectile in a sudden stop and it can block the path of other riders. So if the rack is already full, sorry, youll have to wait for the next bus. But if the rack isnt full, then youre welcome to load up. Before the bus arrives, remove any items that could fall off your bike, that means water bottles, pumps and saddle bags. Even bags that are firmly attached to your bike may have to come off because they can block the buses headlights or turn signals. Before you step in front of the bus, make sure the bus driver knows youre there. Its your responsibility to make sure the driver sees you. Most times youll catch their eye with just a look and a head nod, but if youre not positive they saw you, poke your head in the door and let them know you are going to load a bike on the front of the bus. When you have the drivers attention, always load from the curb side of the street.

Go directly to the rack, squeeze the handle and pull down to release the folded bike rack. Lift your bike onto the rack, fitting the wheels into the slots. Each slot is labeled for front and rear wheels. If its empty, please load you bike in the outside slot first. Next raise and release the support arm over the top of the front tire, and make sure the arm is as close to the head tube of the bike as possible. We always recommend riders sit as close to the front of the bus as they can to keep an eye on their bike. Its not the drivers job to make sure someone else doesnt walk off with your bike. The driver is watching traffic, collecting fares and dealing with other passengers, its the cyclists responsibility to watch their bike. When you reach your destination, make sure you tell the driver youre going to take your bike off the rack. All it takes is a friendly heads up to the driver as you walk by that you are going to take your bike off the bus. Be certain that the driver heard you. Remove the support arm off your bike, lift your bike off the rack and if there isnt another bike on the rack, then fold it back into place. When you step away from the front of the bus, make eye contact with the driver again, chances are the drivers watching you and will begin pulling away as soon as he or she is confident you are finished unloading your bike and are safely away from the bus.

Metro driver and cyclist says:

A couple of other things to remember about bikes on buses. Bikes can be loaded or unloaded at any bus zone at any time except in the ride free area in downtown Seattle during particular hours.**Update: See revised policy on loading bikes. Check Metros website for specifics on the restricted hours. The ride free area is defined as from Battery St. on the north end to S. Jackson St. on the south, and east at 6th Avenue to the waterfront on the west. The Ride Free Area policy is a safety policy designed to reduce the potential of cyclists being caught between buses in heavy downtown traffic. You can still have your bike carried through the ride free area, by loading and unloading at a route's first and last ride free stop. You can also load and unload your bike at any of the stations within the downtown Seattle transit tunnel. Just be sure to carry your bike on the elevators or stairs not the escalator when using the downtown tunnel.

Metro driver and cyclist group says:

Bicyclists and bus drivers should consider each other as allies in the battle against traffic congestion and air pollution. Despite the difference in vehicle size, we all share the road. Bus drivers need to be aware of the needs of cyclists, and cyclists need to have a better understanding of what buses are trying to do. So be predictable, be visible and be aware of the traffic around you. Cyclists obey the traffic laws and dont pass on the right. Everybody signal your intentions to turn or stop and bus drivers, give cyclists the space they need to be safe. We can share the road. Lets do it.