Bike safety awareness is focus in Merced during National Bike Month

For the month of May, Merced cyclists are encouraging the community to ride their bike to work or school and go for a group bike ride during the nationally recognized National Bike Month.

This year the Merced Bicycle Coalition has been working to make Merced more accommodating to cyclists, said Lisa Kayser-Grant, a member of the coalition.

Some things that could make Merced more bike friendly, Kayser-Grant said, include improving the bike lanes heavy-traffic areas like G, M and R streets. Educating drivers to know that cyclists are allowed to be on the streets is another component, she said, especially when bike lanes can’t fit on some city streets, like Main Street.

“If people don’t feel they can get from the beginning to the end of a ride in a safe way then won’t go at all,” Kayser-Grant said.

Kevin McCarthy has owned Kevin’s Bike in Merced for 31 years. “I think Merced is actually really bike-friendly and we do have pretty good bike paths,” he said.

Even though the roads need improvement, McCarthy said, automobiles present a larger problem for cyclists.

“A lot of people are in a hurry,” he said. “It seems sometimes they (drivers) can’t wait the five seconds or 10 seconds and cut in front of you.”

In April, nine cyclists were involved in a crash on Snelling Road when a pickup truck clipped one of the riders, causing a chain reaction fall. Three cyclists were taken to the hospital, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Kayser-Grant said one of the main things drivers need to be reminded of is to make sure to leave at least 3-feet between the car and bike rider.

For Dwight Ewing, a 6-year member of the Coalition, his bike is primary transportation. He said, in Merced, there are some “great spots and definitely some bad spots” for cyclists.

The bike lanes can be inconsistent. Experienced bike riders can find the areas that are safer but “first timers are definitely in a little bit of shock,” he said.

“It’s just kind of how Merced is,” Ewing said. “It’s a bit on the sporadic side.”

Mayor Mike Murphy said the city has a bike plan that’s looking at adding more bike lanes, one example being along Highway 59 and north of Olive Avenue to create a better connection. There also are plans to extend bike paths.

During May there will be events in town for National Bike month, starting with Bike to Work and School day on Thursday. There will be stations with refreshments and snacks for commuters in four locations — Bob Hart Square, UC Merced, Mercy Medical Center and Golden Valley Health Center on Childs Avenue.

The eighth annual All-Merced Road Ride is set for Sunday. Cyclists can choose from three different routes to ride as a group. The rides begin at 9 a.m. at Kevin Bikes at 60 W Olive Ave. and people can register at 8 a.m. or online at www.mercedbicyclecoalition.org/bike-month.

The last event will be the Mayor’s Bike Ride on May 20, where Murphy will lead a bike ride through paths in Merced starting from Bob Hart Square.

This story was originally published May 3, 2017 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Bike safety awareness is focus in Merced during National Bike Month."