Developed in 2000, these six public service announcements were created to educate cyclists and motorists about critical safety issues, making the roads safer for everyone.

But along the way, they make the case about why bicycle safety matters in the first place: more people should be bicycling, for their own health and for the health of their community.

More bicyclists means fewer cars on the roads, lessening pollution, easing gridlocked commutes, and reducing the stress on the transportation infrastructure. In short, getting more cyclists on the roads is good for everyone - including motorists.

So each of these PSAs seeks to accomplish two things: first, they present bicycling as fun and healthful; and second, they provide important tips on how to do so safely.

Here's an overview of the series, with Quicktime mini-movies of each for your viewing pleasure.

For more information on how you can use these PSAs in your community, contact the BTA at (503) 226-0676, or email us.

"What If?"

The first installment of this PSA series asks a simple question: what if you decided to hop on a bike instead of into a car to get to work? The answer, for this character at least, is that it's so amazing you just might feel like a superhero!

Okay, we've got our tongue firmly in cheek for this one, but it's certainly true that commuting by bike can be so quick, inexpensive, pollution-free and efficient you might believe you have super powers. Of course, while our hero imagines how fun it could be, he puts safety first, as you'll see below.

To see a Quicktime movie version of "What If" (456k), click here.

"Look Right, See Right"

"Objects in mirror are closer than they appear." Remember that ominous warning on your rear view mirror? Our second PSA looks at this from a cyclist's perspective: "Objects don't always appear in your mirror."

In "Look Right, See Right", our hero is in the zone, driving as if he has the road to himself, which a quick glance in the mirror confirms. But is he really alone? He really can't be sure until he double checks his mirror by looking over his shoulder to the right, with surprising results.

The essential message of "Look Right" is that motorists must watch over their right shoulders for bicyclists when they change lanes and make right turns. Most mirror arrangements leave blind spots in a driver's view of the road, and the speed of a bike is easily misjudged. When there's not enough room to cross in front of a bicyclist safely, slow down and let the bike proceed through the intersection.

To see a Quicktime movie version of "Look Right" (460k), click here.

"See and be Seen"

If you use your bicycle to get around, sooner or later you'll find that you have to ride at night or in the rain. Though statistical studies show that it is more dangerous to ride under these conditions, they also show that the overall accident rate for bicyclists who ride regardless of the weather is lower than that for bicyclists who ride only on fine days. Skill and correct equipment make it easy to ride with confidence.

To ride at night or early morning, you need lights. Under Oregon law, you or your bicycle must have a white light visible at least 500 feet to the front, and a red light or reflector visible at least 600 feet to the rear.

You can increase your visibility in the dark by wearing a light or bright colored jacket highlighted with reflective bands and shapes. Red isn’t a good color for evening riding, because red looks black in the fading light. Yellow and lime green are very effective. Many articles have reflective material sewn into the design: jackets, helmets, gloves, tights, rain pants and packs. A reflective vest, sold at bike shops and safety supply stores, worn over a dark jacket works well too.

To see a Quicktime movie version of "See and Be Seen" (452k), click here.

"Close Call"

So – you're on a bike. Do you have to obey the traffic laws just like the cars?

Yeah, you do! Oregon law defines the bicycle as a vehicle. So for a bike, a stop sign means stop. A red light means stop, and so does a yellow one (unless you’re already in the intersection).

Pay attention to traffic signs. You are small. The car is big.

To see a Quicktime movie version of "Close Call" (440k), click here.

"Bike Lanes"

Bike lanes are an important commuting tool for cyclists, but not everyone knows how to use them. The most important principle? If you can't fit your vehicle in it, don't drive or park in it.

A few specifics: 

• Cars may cross into the bike lanes when making a turn (after yielding to cyclists in the lane), entering or leaving an alley or driveway, or if required to do so in the course of official duty.
• Cars may not use the bike lane for a right-hand turn lane. Again, as with any travel lane, the car driver must look right to make sure the bike lane is clear before initiating a turn across it.
• Cars may not stop or park in the bike lane.
• Bike lanes may also be used by motorized wheel chairs and electric bikes.

To see a Quicktime movie version of "Bike Lanes" (456k), click here.

"Wrong Way"

Wrong-way riding is against the law. It’s also one of the leading causes of crashes, accounting for up to 20% of all crashes with cars. Riding against traffic is often based on the fear of traffic hitting you from behind, and a sense that looking at on-coming traffic will prevent crashes. But in reality, bicyclists are rarely hit from behind.

Riding the wrong way means you won't be seen by car drivers, especially at intersections. You can’t see signs and traffic signals, and you risk a head-on collision with cyclists riding in the proper direction.

Finally, riding with traffic (not against it) shows you’re responsible and understand the rules of the road – and will help you gain the respect of other road users.

To see a Quicktime movie version of "Wrong Way" (452k), click here.

Links to More Bicycle/Car Safety Resources

Here is a list of helpful links to get more information about bicycle and car safety. Enjoy, and keep riding!

BTA Bicycle Safety Education Program
The Oregon Bicyclist's Manual
ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program page
City of Portland home page
City of Portland safety page

Movie Troubleshooting

If you've clicked to play the movie and a new window pops up but nothing happens, you may not have the Quicktime plugin (or the most up to date version of it) installed. Quicktime is a platform-independent multimedia product from Apple Computer which is installed on over 100 million PCs and Macs around the world.

Downloading the plug in is free: simply click here and follow the instructions. Then come back here to enjoy the show!