Bicyclist Behavior Research Articles

Teaching children about bicycle safety: An evaluation of the New Jersey Bike School program

There are multiple health and environmental benefits associated with increasing bicycling among children. However, the use of bicycles is also associated with severe injuries and fatalities. In order to reduce bicycle crashes, a bicycling education program was implemented in selected New Jersey schools and summer camps as part of the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Program. Using a convenience sample of participants to the program, an opportunistic study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of two bicycle education programs, the first a more-structured program delivered in a school setting, with no on-road component, and the other a less structured program delivered in a summer camp setting that included an on-road component. Tests administered before and after training were designed to assess knowledge acquired during the training. Questions assessed children's existing knowledge of helmet use and other equipment, bicycle safety, as well as their ability to discriminate hazards and understand rules of the road. Participating children (n=699) also completed a travel survey that assessed their bicycling behavior and their perception of safety issues. Response to individual questions, overall pre- and post-training test scores, and changes in test scores were compared using comparison of proportion, t-tests, and ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression. Improvements between the pre-training and post-training test are apparent from the frequency distribution of test results and from t-tests. Both summer camps and school-based programs recorded similar improvements in test results. Children who bicycled with their parents scored higher on the pre-training test but did not improve as much on the post-training test. Without evaluating long-term changes in behavior, it is difficult to ascertain how successful the program is on eventual behavioral and safety outcomes.

Modeling Lane-Keeping Behavior of Bicyclists Using Survival Analysis Approach

Bicyclists may cross the bicycle lane and occupy the adjacent motor lanes for some reason. The mixed traffic consisting of cars and bicycles shows very complicated dynamitic patterns and higher accident risk. To investigate the reason behind such phenomenon, the lifetime analysis method is adopted to examine the observed data for the behavior that bicycles cross the bicycle lane and occupy the adjacent motor lanes. The concepts named valid volume and probability of lane-keeping behavior are introduced to evaluate the influence of various external factors such as lane width and curb parking, and a semiparametric method is used to estimate the model with censored data. Six variables are used to accommodate the effects of traffic conditions. After the model estimation, the effects of the selected variables on the lane-keeping behavior are discussed. The results are expected to give a better understanding of the bicyclist behavior.

Preparing for Bike-Sharing

To obtain in-depth community input using qualitative and quantitative methods to guide development and marketing of a bike-share program in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Focus groups and surveys assessed bicycling attitudes, beliefs, barriers, and behaviors of residents, workers, and university students. The authors completed nine focus groups (N = 56): five sessions with downtown workers, three with downtown residents, and one with university students. Health, recreation and transportation benefits of bicycling were commonly identified. Concerns regarding bicycling in traffic are apparent because of lack of facilities and a need for public education on safe motorist and bicyclist behavior. Practical limitations can inhibit bicycling during the day, including shower access and personal hygiene concerns. Public desire for environmental, educational, and enforcement tactics to support safe bicycling was noted. Marketing tactics for bike-share usage should emphasize health, recreational, and transportation benefits. Worksites can reduce barriers related to bicycling and encourage bike-share use. Future studies should assess bike-share impact on perceptions and behavior, as well as the resulting policy and environmental changes.

Psychological-Physical Force Model for Bicycle Dynamics

The core challenge in modeling bicyclist behavior dynamics is how to tackle the interaction between the lateral and the longitudinal movements. Further the bicycle transportation could be considered as multi-particle self-driven system. The combined dynamic model, psychological-physical force model (PPFM) and trajectories choice model (TCM), is proposed as a multi agent model to describe bicycle microscopic behavior dynamics. The PPFM is a continuous force model, which obeyed to the Newton's second law. By introducing the trajectories choice behavior in the tactical level, the TCM is modeled to describe the ability to individual autonomous thinking and to respond to changes ambient conditions for predefined behavior tank. Through designing computational experiments, the simulation data is collected to calibrate and validate the models. The simulation results show that the fundamental diagram obtained by simulation is dovetail into the empirical data. The PPFM is capable of describing the nonlinear interaction between individuals and the microscopic behavior of the proposed bicycle dynamic model with reasonable traffic.

Observations of Driver Behavior during Overtaking of Bicycles on Rural Roads

The interaction between motorized and nonmotorized road users has been an issue of contention for many years. Drivers complain that bicyclist behavior ranges from annoying to dangerous to illegal. Bicyclists complain that driver behavior ranges from annoying to dangerous to illegal. Many studies have observed these interactions on urban roads. However, only anecdotal evidence existed for the interactions on rural roads. When looking at driver and bicyclist behavior, specifically during interactions on rural roads, researchers have not had independent data to review. The study underlying this paper collected real-time interaction data between bicycles and motorized vehicles on rural roads, with Dane County, Wisconsin, as a field laboratory. Researchers collected video and sensor data for 1,151 interactions between bicycles and motorized vehicles. This paper provides initial observations drawn from these interactions. This study found that drivers, in fact, operated in a technically unsafe manner by frequently performing passing maneuvers outside designated areas. This study also found that despite the frequent comment from bicyclists that drivers passed too closely, these actions were actually quite rare and accounted for only 0.5% of all the observed interactions (six of 1,151). Drivers were far more likely to give bicyclists more room than required and risked a centerline violation, even when conditions were not safe to do so. Bicycle lanes (paved shoulders) directly affected the likelihood of a driver committing a moving violation, with violation rates four to six times lower when a paved shoulder was available.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Bicycle–Vehicle Interactions on Urban Roadways by Ordered Probit Regression

A study of the impacts of roadway environment, motorist behavior, and bicyclist behavior on bicyclist–motorist interactions was based on video footage of traffic movements during peak commuting hours at four locations in Austin, Texas. The study developed three unique models of ordered probit regression that describe bicyclist lateral location, bicyclist–motorist interaction movement, and bicyclist–motorist lateral interaction distance. This structure of discrete choice model was used for the first time to address bicycle–vehicle interactions and offered more meaningful results because it used a latent measure of bicyclists’ and motorists’ mutual acceptance and comfort level sharing a roadway. It was demonstrated that adding “sharrows” and “Share the Road” signage promoted safer interactions on narrow urban roadways, whereas simply widening travel lanes and adding on-street parking did not necessarily improve bicyclist–motorist interactions.

Effects of Public Posting and Prompting on the Safe Behavior of Bicyclists and Motorcyclists Riding on the Sidewalk

Effects of Public Posting and Prompting on the Safe Behavior of Bicyclists and Motorcyclists Riding on the Sidewalk

Ergonomic Analysis of Bicyclist's Behavior and Attitude for Safety

Ergonomic Analysis of Bicyclist's Behavior and Attitude for Safety

1307 ヒヤリハットデータベースに基づく無信号交差点における歩行者・自転車の行動分析(DS1-1 ドライブレコーダを用いた歩行者・自転車行動解析,DS1 対歩行者・自転車事故低減のための危険予測運転メカニズム,ディベロップメントセッション(DS))

1307 ヒヤリハットデータベースに基づく無信号交差点における歩行者・自転車の行動分析(DS1-1 ドライブレコーダを用いた歩行者・自転車行動解析,DS1 対歩行者・自転車事故低減のための危険予測運転メカニズム,ディベロップメントセッション(DS))

Intersection Crossing Times of Bicyclists

The timing of traffic signals is rarely determined by the needs of bicyclists, in part because quantitative data about the timing of intersection crossing maneuvers by bicyclists have not generally been available. This study built on a video image–processing method developed and reported in a previous study to collect data at five new intersections with diverse physical characteristics and bicycling populations. The video data were processed to produce cumulative distributions of the most important descriptors of crossing behavior of bicyclists: the speeds of bicyclists who did not stop at the intersection and the start-up times and final crossing speeds of bicyclists who crossed from a standing start. The timing information relative to the traffic signal was used to recommend signal times to permit most bicyclists to cross intersections safely. The recommendations took into account differences in the bicyclist population and the physical characteristics of the intersection (such as approach grades).

Social-cognitive correlates of risky adolescent cycling behavior.

BackgroundBicycle use entails high safety and health risks especially for adolescents. Most safety education programs aimed at adolescents focus on accident statistics and risk perceptions. This paper proposes the investigation of the social-cognitive correlates of risky cycling behaviors of adolescents prior to developing safety education programs.MethodSecondary school students aged 13 to 18 years (n = 1446) filled out questionnaires regarding bicycle behavior, risky intentions, accident experience, and social-cognitive determinants as suggested by the theory of planned behavior.ResultsRegression analysis revealed that the proximal variables (i.e., self-efficacy, attitudes towards drunk driving, personal norm regarding safekeeping of self and others, and compared risk) were able to predict 17% of the variance of risky behavior and 23% of the variance of risky intentions. The full model explained respectively 29% and 37% of the variance in risky behavior and risky intentions. Adolescents with positive attitudes towards risky behavior and low sense of responsibility report risky behavior, even when having been (close to) an accident.ConclusionsAdolescents realize whether they are risk takers or not. This implies that the focus of education programs should not be on risk perceptions, but on decreasing positive attitudes towards alcohol in traffic and increasing sense of responsibility instead. Cognitions regarding near accidents should be studied, the role of safe cycling self-efficacy is unclear.

Effects of On-Street Bicycle Facility Configuration on Bicyclist and Motorist Behavior

Growing awareness of environmental and public health problems associated with motorized transportation has led to a recent effort to promote nonmotorized modes of travel. Previous studies have shown that facility design plays a large role in encouraging bicycling. With the aim of defining the roadway configurations that lead to safe motorist and bicyclist behavior, this research examines the impact of design elements, including the type and width of the bicycle facility, the presence of adjacent motor vehicle traffic, parking turnover rate, land use, and the type of motorist-bicyclist interaction. Observational studies conducted at 48 sites in three large Texas cities characterize bicyclist and motorist behavior through lateral position measurements and instances of motorist encroachment on an adjacent lane. These observations were used to build two multivariate regression models and allowed for direct site-to-site comparisons. Notable results include the observation that bicycle lanes create a safer and more predictable riding environment relative to wide outside lanes, and that the provision of a buffer between parked cars and bicycle lanes is the only reliable method for ensuring that bicyclists do not put themselves at risk of being hit by opening car doors.

シケインにおける自転車の走行特性

In order to promote bicycle friendly infrastructure, considerations of characteristics bicycle behavior in design is essential. Especially chicanes shape bicycle space are commonly used in various road sections, design guidelines of diameter and so on are not confirmed, for example, when they are adopted in case of elderly people whose cycling speed is lower than usual people's. The aim of study is to show the present situation and problems of chicane shape bicycle space at intersections and bus stops, and to make clear the guidelines of appropriate chicane shape considering comfort sense of cyclists, by employing experimental study of young and elderly cyclists.

Project U-Turn: Increasing Active Transportation in Jackson, Michigan

Jackson, Michigan, is a medium-sized city suffering from a bad economy and obesity-related health issues. Nearly 20% of the 36,000 residents live below the poverty line. It is a relatively young city (median age of 30 years) with a mixed ethnicity (20% black, 73% white, 4% Hispanic). The city offers many structured, active recreational opportunities, but has not integrated physical activity into daily life. Project U-Turn aimed to increase active transportation (e.g., biking, walking, and transit use) through an integrated approach to Active Living by Design's community action model and the Michigan Safe Routes to School model. Resources were focused on active living promotions and programs; partnership meetings were the source of changes in policy and physical projects. Each initiative was designed to introduce each of the 5Ps (preparation, promotion, programs, policy, and physical projects) to build support for the partnership's overall work. The partnership collected snapshot data of community walking and biking behavior, percentage of students walking to school, participation in events and programs, and new physical projects. Jackson saw a vast improvement in physical infrastructure and policy and a related increase in walking and biking in the community. The project engaged in purposeful partnership building to implement effective programs and promotions that built support for policy and physical projects. Limited resources were best used by encouraging partners to contribute and coordinate activities using existing staff, funding, and resources. Jackson has seen a shift toward awareness of the benefits of active living on community health, economic development, and environmental awareness.

Explaining Gender Difference in Bicycling Behavior

Although men and women bicycle at relatively equal rates in industrialized countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, research has consistently found that in the United States men's total bicycle trips surpass women's by a ratio of at least 2 to 1. Current evidence, though limited, suggests that women are affected to greater or lesser degrees than men by certain factors. The purpose of this study is to provide insight on gender differences with the factors that influence the decision to use a bicycle, with the intent of supporting policy development aimed at increasing bicycle ridership, particularly among women. Bicycle use in six small cities in the western United States is examined to determine how gender interacts with individual factors and social and physical environments to influence bicycle behavior. Analysis of data from an online survey using a binary logistic regression approach shows strong interaction of gender with individual factors such as safety perception and household responsibilities and, to a lesser degree, with social and environmental factors to influence bicycle behavior.

Who are Bicyclists? Why and how much are they Bicycling?

The factors influencing the decision to bicycle are explored and unraveled to inform the development of appropriate and effective strategies to increase bicycling and promote the health of individuals and of the environment. The data used in the analysis were drawn from a survey of Texas bicyclists, and the study includes a comprehensive explanatory analysis of bicyclists and their bicycling habits. Various econometric models are used to evaluate the determinants of bicyclists’ perception for safety and quality issues and the frequency of bicycling for commute and noncommute purposes. The results of the study indicate that the perceptions of the quality of bicycle facilities and safety from traffic crashes show significant variation depending on bicyclists’ demographic and work characteristics and bicycle amenities and facilities on the commute route and at the workplace. Bicyclist demographics (gender, age, education level, commute distance), household demographics (number of automobiles, number of bicycles, number of children), residential location and season, bicycle amenities at work (bicycle racks, showers), bicyclist perceptions of the overall quality of bicycle facilities, and bicycle-use characteristics affect commute and noncommute bicycling frequency. These study results can assist in the development of informed policies to increase commute and noncommute bicycling, and the results highlight the ongoing need for detailed surveys to understand bicycling behavior.

School Trips: Effects of Urban Form and Distance on Travel Mode

For over 50 years the U.S. has been shifting away from small, neighborhood schools to larger schools in lower density areas. Rates of children walking and biking to school have declined significantly over this period. This study examines the relationship between urban form, distance, and middle school students walking and biking to and from four schools in Oregon. Five primary results emerge: (1) urban form helps predict travel mode to and from school; (2) middle school students walk further than planners expect; (3) many students use a different mode when they travel to school and when they leave school; (4) urban form measures that predict walking behavior differ from those that predict biking behavior; and (5) urban form is only one factor in students' transportation decisions.

The behavior of bicyclists in frontal and rear crash accidents with cars

Our previous report concerned an analysis of bicyclists struck laterally by cars, which is the most fatal type of accident. The current study compares the behavior of bicyclists struck frontally and from the rear by cars. Comparatively few bicyclist fatalities occur in frontal crash accidents. The comparison is based on accident analysis and MADYMO simulations using a humanlike model. Bicyclist impact behavior was made clear on the basis of computer simulations. It was found that the initial impact between a bicyclist's knee and the vehicle front structure is very important in reducing the impact velocity of the bicyclist's head.

Social Values versus Interpersonal Conflict among Hikers and Mountain Bikers

Conflict has traditionally been defined in terms of goal interference (interpersonal conflict) where the physical presence of one individual or group interferes with the goals of another individual or group. Recent research has identified social values differences as an alternative explanation for conflict. Social values conflict can occur between users with different beliefs and values, even if there is no contact between them. This article builds on this conceptual distinction by examining social values and interpersonal conflict reported by hikers (n = 210), mountain bikers (n = 163), and those who participate in both activities (n = 400). Data for this article were obtained from onsite surveys. Respondents evaluated unacceptable behaviors associated with hiking and mountain biking. Across all three groups, less conflict was reported for hiking than for mountain biking. To the extent that conflict did exist for hiking, mountain bikers and dual-sport participants were more likely than hikers to report unacceptable behaviors. For evaluations of mountain biking behavior, hikers were more likely than mountain bikers to experience conflict, whereas dual-sport participants fell in between these two extremes. All three groups reported more interpersonal than social values conflict.

The behavior of bicyclists in accidents with cars

In Japan, bicyclists account for approximately 10% of all the victims killed in traffic accidents annually. This indicates that, in addition to accidents involving pedestrians, attention should be paid to these involving bicyclists. This study compares the behavior of bicyclists and pedestrians struck laterally by cars. Comparison is made based on accident analysis and computer simulations with MADYMO. Europe is moving toward enacting legislation regarding pedestrian head protection testing. This study also attempted to determine whether the same effects may be obtained with respect to head protection for bicyclists.