{"624309":{"#nid":"624309","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rider Safety Tips for Bikes and Scooters","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERentable electric scooters first appeared in Atlanta in May of 2018; now, an estimated 10,000 are available throughout the city, and more companies continue to arrive.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECities and universities across the country are grappling with how to regulate electric scooters and bicycles, but a January ordinance passed by the Atlanta City Council laid the framework for these vehicles to remain in the city. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.atlantaga.gov\/government\/departments\/shareable-dockless-mobility-devices\u0022\u003Eordinance\u003C\/a\u003E regulating \u0026ldquo;Shareable Dockless Mobility Devices\u0026rdquo; requires that riders use bike lanes or ride on the street in the right-most lane vs riding on the sidewalk. The ordinance also strongly recommends that riders wear helmets and requires them for people under the age of 16.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFans of the scooters disagree with the ordinance, stating that they feel unsafe on the road, but 80% of scooter-related injuries result from falls versus collisions, the odds of which are increased by riding on the sidewalk, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bike.cornell.edu\/pdfs\/Sidewalk_biking_FAQ.pdf\u0022\u003Edue\u003C\/a\u003E to the inferior quality of the riding surface and a greater number of obstacles. Either way, the greatest risk to riders comes from choosing not to wear a helmet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA 2019 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamanetworkopen\/fullarticle\/2722574?guestAccessKey=c8d43986-1131-4af7-b3bc-a9f9415cd3b3\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E of people treated in Los Angeles-area emergency rooms for electric scooter-related crashes found that 40% of the patients were treated for head injuries, but only 4% had been wearing helmets. According to Dr. Benjamin Holton, Senior Director of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Stamps Health Services, there have also been a disproportionate number of scooter-related injuries on campus, including serious injuries to the head and face. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ije\/article\/46\/1\/278\/2617198\u0022\u003EHelmet\u003C\/a\u003E use has been associated with reducing the odds of these injuries 69% and 33%, respectively.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe City of Atlanta ordinance also addresses parking for electric scooters and bikes. On campus, they should be parked near bike racks and may not block access to doorways, ramps, or paths. Hazardous e-scooter or e-bike parking should be reported to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/pts.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Parking and Transportation Services\u003C\/a\u003E (PTS) at (404) 385-7275. If reporting one, please record the ID number or QR code to enable operators to identify the device.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn mid-June, the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) began a new campaign to educate riders on how the law applies to scooters and bicycles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Although Georgia Tech police will enforce all ordinance and codes, over the last year we have focused on helping people understand that these laws and regulations are vital for their safety and the safety of others,\u0026rdquo; said Georgia Tech Chief of Police Rob Connolly. \u0026ldquo;We have seen too many injuries resulting from improper use of mobility devices.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo continue advancing safer riding on campus, Bike Georgia Tech will also launch a safety campaign that\u0026nbsp;encourages helmet use, compliance with traffic laws, and personal\u0026nbsp;awareness. The first monthly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.calendar.gatech.edu\/event\/624103\u0022\u003Erider safety class\u003C\/a\u003E of the semester will occur on September 19 at 11 a.m. in the CRC, where free helmets are available for attendees. Helmets are always available for $12 at PTS.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is also recommended that all students, faculty, and staff \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtvault.sharepoint.com\/:x:\/r\/sites\/gtpd\/crimeprevention\/_layouts\/15\/WopiFrame.aspx?guestaccesstoken=3QX9CGG3H1Avr%2by11HaCSIr8VjU9cRd19VSGzBTLibU%3d\u0026amp;docid=1_137ae6c2aa6ef4b609351fa0d9ab5cfcb\u0026amp;wdFormId=%7BF365FDCE%2D12B0%2D4C8C%2DA277%2D044DF5EBACC0%7D\u0026amp;action=formsubmit\u0022\u003Eregister their bicycles\u003C\/a\u003E with GTPD. This way, GTPD can identify the bike and notify the owner in the event that it is stolen and later recovered. Those looking to rent a bike long-term can check out \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pts.gatech.edu\/bicycling-buzzbike-rentals\u0022\u003EBuzzBikes\u003C\/a\u003E; the application for fall 2019 rentals opens on August 19\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bike.hwb.gatech.edu\/campus-resources\u0022\u003EStarter Bikes\u003C\/a\u003E helps members of the Georgia Tech community repair and maintain their bicycles and even sells used ones. To learn more about rider safety, resources, and active commuting, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bike.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ewww.bike.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERider Safety Basics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EWear a helmet each time you ride.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EBe predictable. Don\u0026rsquo;t swerve abruptly around items, look both ways when changing lanes, and know your hand signals.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ECheck devices before riding, especially the brakes.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EFollow traffic laws.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EDon\u0026rsquo;t ride with earbuds in. When all you have on the road is sight and hearing, you don\u0026rsquo;t want to eliminate one of them.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EBe aware of your surroundings and others on the road. Make sure you\u0026rsquo;re traveling at an appropriate speed for the conditions you\u0026rsquo;re in.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIf you\u0026rsquo;re biking uphill, persevere. Continually riding up hills increases stamina, and it\u0026rsquo;s better to shift your bike when starting up a hill instead of when you\u0026rsquo;re already pedaling hard.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKnow the rules for when you ride.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Know the rules for when you ride."}],"uid":"34946","created_gmt":"2019-08-09 18:55:24","changed_gmt":"2022-05-26 17:09:36","author":"gwyner3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-08-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-08-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"609416":{"id":"609416","type":"image","title":"Dockless Mobility Devices","body":null,"created":"1533670961","gmt_created":"2018-08-07 19:42:41","changed":"1533670961","gmt_changed":"2018-08-07 19:42:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232104","name":"dockless scooter.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dockless%20scooter.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dockless%20scooter.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1559811,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dockless%20scooter.png?itok=B3uAgogm"}},"597725":{"id":"597725","type":"image","title":"Biking III","body":null,"created":"1508769747","gmt_created":"2017-10-23 14:42:27","changed":"1508858994","gmt_changed":"2017-10-24 15:29:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"227855","name":"IMG_4513.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_4513.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_4513.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":182681,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_4513.JPG?itok=cPMjyfcf"}}},"media_ids":["609416","597725"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"58431","name":"bike safety"},{"id":"181962","name":"electric scooters"},{"id":"2543","name":"GTPD"},{"id":"178685","name":"e-scooter"},{"id":"178688","name":"e-bike"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["stucomm@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}