Frequently Asked Questions

Data

• How many people ride bikes?
• Why do people ride?
• How many bicycles are sold each year?
• How many cyclists are killed and injured each year?
• Who is involved in bicycle crashes?
• What is the economic cost of crashes involving bicyclists?
• How many bicycles are stolen each year?
• How safe do people feel bicycling?
• How much has been spent by the Federal Government on improving conditions for
• bicycling?

 Planning

• Is my State or City required to have a bicycle and/or pedestrian coordinator?
• Are states and cities required to plan for bicycling and/or walking?
• How much does it cost to do a bicycle and/or pedestrian plan?
• How much do bicycle and pedestrian facilities cost?
• Which are the best cities for bicycling and walking?

Functional Issues

• Are bicyclists allowed to ride on the roads?
• Are bicyclists supposed to ride as far to the right of the roadway as possible?
• Is it safer for bicyclists ride with traffic or to ride against traffic?
• Should bicyclists ride on the sidewalk on major roads?
• Are bicyclists allowed to ride on the sidewalk?
• Are bicyclists allowed to ride on Interstates?
• Does the Federal government have a policy on bicycle access to interstates?
• What is the safety record of bicyclists using interstates?
• Can separate bicycle facilities (shared use paths) be built within interstate rights of way?
• Are bicyclists required to wear helmets?
• I've heard that trails or bike paths are more dangerous than roads. Is that true?
• What about striped bike lanes? Do they make a street safer for cyclists?
• Does striping bike lanes encourage youngsters to ride on roads that are too dangerous for them?
• I'd like to see colored bike lanes in my community. What color should we use and what impact with they have?