Sharing the road
in
Jackson Metro Cyclists encourages motorists to share the road with cyclists and runners.
The sound of a motorized vehicle bearing down on you can be frightening to a cyclist, walker or runner.
The opposite can be true for drivers when a cyclist pulls in front of the car or a runner isn’t wearing reflective gear at dusk.
There ought to be a compromise, according to members of Jackson Metro Cyclists. A way that everyone can “share the road” safely, they say.
To promote “Share the Road,” JMC will spread the word from 4-7 p.m. Aug. 29 at two locations on the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The message will be a way to promote “3 feet for two wheels,” asking motorists to allow a minimum clearance of 3 feet when passing a bicycle or pedestrian on the road, said Rich Adair, president of JMC and its 400 members.
“We won’t be stopping traffic, but motorists can pull over and we’ll give them information,” he said. “We’ll be out during the highest peak traffic for commuters for maximum visibility.”
“Motorists don’t always understand how to interact with cyclists on the road,” Adair said. “We need help from the public to get across the idea that the roadways need to be shared spaces.”
Adair will coordinate the promotion at the Trace entrance/exit ramp at Old Canton Road in Ridgeland, while Bruce Alt of Clinton leads the group at the Natchez Trace and Pinehaven ramps.
“We really want to raise awareness among the motoring public to be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists and to pass us safely,” said Alt.
“That’s especially important on the Natchez Trace, which is used frequently by cyclists,” he said. “Motorists tend to use it as a bypass, to avoid driving on 1-220, when, in actuality, it is a recreational parkway.”
Adair said that the Natchez Trace was the location of choice for the event, because there are a lot of accidents on the Trace involving bicycles, including a death last year.
“We’ll have 10 to 20 cyclists with signs and banners,” he said. “People are bringing their families to get involved.”
Participants will display JMC’s “Share the Road” signs, stickers and banners. The eye-catching emblems are for sale as part a fundraising effort to put permanent signs on the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Adair said awareness activities are just part of the cycling club’s long-range plan for promoting bike safety.
“Last year we tried to introduce a House bill,” he said about JMC’s endeavors. “We wanted to get a law on the books to include questions concerning motorists and bicycles sharing the road as part of the driver’s license exam.”
