BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills joins communities throughout the country to celebrate May as National Bike Month. National Bike Month was established in 1956 to promote the benefits of bicycling which includes improved health, environment and local economy impacts.
Throughout the month of May, Beverly Hills will launch a series of educational activities to get the community to try riding a bicycle often. Beverly Hills has various types of bikeways including the following:
-Sharrows; pavement markings that indicate a shared lane for bikes and cars in which bicyclists may use the entire lane;
-Bike lanes; space in the roadway designated for bikes only with striping or pavement markings;
-Protected bike lanes; lanes separated from traffic by a physical barrier such as planters or posts.
The city is asking the community to stay up-to-date on California State laws regarding how to travel safely on city streets. The following are tips cyclists should adhere to:
-Ride in the same direction as traffic;
-Be predictable and use hand signals when turning;
-Wear a helmet (required for people under 18) and increase your visibility at night with a light;
-Ride with confidence and stay safe by staying aware;
-Always yield to pedestrians.
As a driver:
-Watch for cyclists and pedestrians, especially when turning and always yield to pedestrians;
-When getting out of the car, use your right hand to open the door and turn your body to look for oncoming bikes;
-Give cyclists at least three feet between vehicles and bikes when passing;
-Put your phone down – distractions increase reaction time.
For more details and a full list of Bike Month activities, visit www.beverlyhills.org/bikes, or contact the city by email at AskPW@beverlyhills.org or phone at 310-285-2467.
