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Bike Advocacy
The Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club is dedicated to providing cycling activities that promote recreation, individual health, education, and advocacy and encourage a more bicycle friendly community in the Gallatin Valley. As well, the Club supports shared-use trails in appropriate and accessible locations.
From Our Advocacy Director
The Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club is dedicated to providing cycling activities that promote recreation, individual health, education, advocacy and encourage a more bicycle friendly community in the Gallatin Valley. The Club supports all forms of cycling and shared-use trails in appropriate and accessible locations.
The GVBC is concerned with the safety and rights of all vulnerable road users, especially cyclists. We do our best to stay informed of new or changing laws and policies here in the valley and across the state and nation and to share that information with those affected.
We enjoy working with other local cycling organizations and non-profits to promote safe biking for all.
With the motto “protection, connection and education,” we try to stay in communication with local entities and represent cyclists through things such as the Safe Streets 4 All program and are in the beginning stages of providing information on how to share the road with cyclists to local High School Drivers Ed students.
Advocating for cyclist’s rights and safety is much more than going to city council meetings and asking for more bike lanes. I find I am most effective as I interact with those in my circle of influence (friends, family, coworkers, etc.) by respectfully engaging with them in conversations about laws pertaining to cyclists and raising their awareness of the car-centric society we live in. Many motorists today have been driving for decades without receiving any instruction on how to interact with cyclists on the road.
It is up to each of us to educate ourselves, to be informed, and to be willing to speak up on behalf of our tribe. Below is a list of information sources and organizations (in no particular order) where we can do just that.
Ride Safe,
Sean
bikeadvocacy.gvbc@gmail.com
“We enjoy working with other local cycling organizations and non-profits to promote safe biking for all. With the motto “protection, connection and education,” we try to stay in communication with local entities and represent cyclists”
“Rules of the Road” – Bike safety tips from GVBC
As spring comes to Montana here are a few things to remember as you break out your bikes for the season.
- Cyclists are required to follow the same rules as other vehicular traffic on public roadways!
- Stop at stop signs, signal your movements, don’t pass on the right (except in designated zones), and DON’T ride on the sidewalk!
- Current Montana law states cyclists must ride as far to the right as “possible”. This does leave some room for interpretation, but a good recommendation is that you ride in the area 8-10″ out from the white line. This stakes your claim to the lane while keeping you out of the trash zone at the edge of the road. Moving as far to the right as you can invites “lane sharing” by motorists, and can create dangerous situations.
Always remember: Even if you have the right of way, or are “in the right” we don’t have the laws of tonnage on our side. Vehicles weigh 20 times what we do, and you can’t rely on the judgment of others!
Montana Share the Road License Plates
Show your support for safe cycling and pedestrian policy and infrastructure in Montana and support Bike Walk Montana at the same time. Consider getting this plate when your vehicle license comes up for renewal this year.
The Bozeman Bike Kitchen
The Bozeman Bike Kitchen is a cooperative cycling center dedicated to making the use of bicycles as transportation and fun possible for all members of the Bozeman community. Check out the Bozeman Bike Kitchen at: www.bozemanbikekitchen.org