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Pennsylvania Bicycle Driver's Manual


Summary: Pennsylvania has a bicycle driver's manual


From: John Schubert - Schubley@aol.com

Date: April 12, 2005

Subject: A state bicycle driver's manual to be proud of

To: League Cycling Instructors, Bicycle activists, Safety experts, etc

Hi folks,

For six years now, Pennsylvania has had the nation's best bicycle driver's manual.

Success breeds flattery! Ohio, Florida and Arizona now use their own versions of this manual, and other states are preparing to follow this fine trend. If you buy a new Breezer bike, this manual comes with the bike.

The bulk of the manual is a 39-page section on bicycle riding technique -- how to control your bike well, how to signal your intentions to other road users, how to position yourself on a multi-lane road in a way appropriate for your intended path at intersections, etc. This section is also published as a stand-alone book under the title "Street Smarts" by John S. Allen, published by Rubel Bike Maps.

Another six pages of Pennsylvania's manual contain the bicycle-specific portions of the state vehicle code ***but*** they also contain several key paragraphs of commentary, interpreting the code so people can understand the concepts and techniques of safe riding via the vehicle code.

Credit for publishing this better-than-government-work piece goes to Pennsylvania's state bicycle/pedestrian coordinator, Dave Bachman. If you want to shower him with praise for his good work, you can reach Dave at dbachman@state.pa.us.

If you aren't lucky enough to live in one of the states that uses this book for its bicycle driver's manual, you can order a copy from the Rubel Bike Maps website.

John Schubert
Secretary
Pennsylvania Pedalcycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Coopersburg, PA
schubley@aol.com