By
Kimberly Curth
.
Published: Wed, September 05, 2007 - 4:11 pm
Last Updated: Wed, September 05, 2007 - 5:20 pm
The tragic deaths of two Baldwin County cyclists have focused a lot of attention on cycling safety. Is it safe for bicycles to travel on public roadways? And, do cyclists have rights? Knowing the rules of the road may help. With our camera in tow, we met up with Alabama State Trooper Joe Piggott and avid cyclist Mary Trufant with one goal in mind: to find out exactly what rights cyclists have on the road. For safety reasons, we decided to avoid busy traffic and meet in a quiet Spring Hill neighborhood, we asked Trufant to demonstrate the rules of the road for cyclists. She says she abides by the same rules as drivers. Corporal Joe Piggott says Alabama law states, cyclists must ride with the flow of traffic, stay on the right side of the road unless there is a bike path, and obey the same laws as drivers. He also says cyclists can ride side by side but no more than two at a time. Piggott also says drivers can pass cyclists, but you need to pass them the same way you would a car. Both Piggott and Trufant agree common courtesy will go a long way to keep cyclists safe, "when you see a bicyclist on the road or anybody for that matter, pedestrian, bicyclist, slow down, move over if you can, and give them the space that they're allowed by law," said Piggott. "Helping each other out, being respectful, being courteous to one another, that sounds so simple, but it really boils down to that, unless we learn the rules of the road and then follow the rules of the road then it won't change," said Trufant. 
Enlarge Video 
Download Video
Video RSS
Patrick Ballard Back Behind Bars
Those who Recommended this also liked:
Email to a Friend 
Printer Friendly 
I would much rather have a cyclist in front or behind or in the opposite lane from me than a druken teenager in a 2000 lb. bullet crossing over the line. My prayers are with the families that lost their loved ones.