Just a reminder to go to the MAFW website and sign up for the Sunday April 16 Spring Kickoff.   After signing up be sure to go the ride schedule and sign up for a ride.  The kickoff is this Sunday, and we need a headcount so please sign up.

The Ride Leader and Volunteer Party is set for 5/18. Go to the website to sign up and to get details.

5/13 is the Spring Picnic at Colonial Park.  The official signup is not set up yet.

Thanks, Manny

The Five Boro Bike Tour will be held Sunday May 7.  This special event has been added to the MAFW schedule with John Storey as the ride coordinator.  John has invited anyone who has registered for this event to join him and to sign in on the schedule and be part of team “Freewheelers-Biker Chicks- and Friends”.  He is planning on starting at 9am.  Not sure but registration may already be closed but try anyway.

TD Five Boro Bike Tour – Bike New York

I just want to share this group riding safety guide from BTCNJ that borrowed this safety guide from Westchester Cycling Club.  I am now borrowing it for MAFW.  I think you will find it very informative.  Please follow these best practices.

Manny

Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey Group Riding Safety Guide Behavior when riding. The club expects all cyclists to follow these best practices on our group rides. What We Do

• Ride single file whenever there is traffic on the road.
• Stay as far to the right as is safe and reasonable — and not so far that you have to swerve left into traffic to avoid hazards.
• Hold your line ride directly behind the rider in front of you. Don’t move side-to-side unnecessarily.
• Maintain constant pedaling. Maintaining a steady pace helps the rider behind you predict your speed.
• Signal well in advance before turns. Also, audibly communicate your intentions.
• Look carefully over your shoulder before signaling and pulling out into the lane. The use of a rearview mirror will make it easier to see behind you. Don’t move if cars are in the lane or overtaking rapidly — they have the right of way.
• Before you pass another rider, make sure the lane to your left is clear and announce that you are passing with “on your left”.
• When you move out to pass, have a plan for how you are going to re-enter the line of riders.
• Come to a full stop at red lights— ALWAYS stop behind last car. Do not pass waiting cars. You can take lane, double file if appropriate.
• Come to a stop at stop signs. Take turns with cars at four-way stops.
• Regroup if the group gets separated at an intersection. No one should be penalized for stopping.
• Move well off the road if the group stops.
• Use front and rear lights when riding in the dark that comply with NJ Bicycle Regulation 39:4-10 (must be visible from at least 500 feet away).

We Communicate

• “On your left” whenever we are passing. If our fellow rider doesn’t know we are there, they might move to the left unexpectedly.
• “Car back”. Those in the back of the group/line say it first. Everyone else passes it forward up the line so all are aware. “Car back” means “Single file”.
• “Car up” when there is a car in the oncoming lane on a narrow road, or a stopped car in our lane.
• “Slowing” so the person behind us will know to slow down too and not run into us. In addition, use hand signal, left hand down with palm facing to rear.
• “Stopping” loudly and clearly. (If “Stopping” is said behind you, you might not have to stop.)
• “Walker up” so fellow riders know to move out and give a pedestrian or jogger some space. In addition use hand signal, left hand down, waving horizontally.
• “Hole”, “Bump”, “Branch”, “Debris” to warn riders behind us of a hazard. In addition use hand signal by pointing to hazard.

What We DON’T Do

• Don’t pass on the right because we cut off someone’s safe lane, and they don’t expect it. If it becomes absolutely necessary (for instance the rider is in the far left portion of the lane) it is imperative to say “On your right”.
• Don’t call “Clear!” at an intersection because conditions can change rapidly – each rider needs to make their own decision about when it’s safe to go. Instead, say: “I’m going”, “Going through”, or “Rolling”.
• Don’t signal to drivers that it’s safe to pass the group because conditions change rapidly, and riders in front of us might suddenly move out into the lane. (This is also a legal issue; rider could be liable if there was a crash.)
• Don’t wear headphones or earbuds because we won’t be able to hear when fellow riders communicate with us or hear vehicles.
• Don’t use your cell phone while riding. If you must answer a call, safely pull over and stop.
• Don’t let your front wheel overlap (laterally) with the wheel in front of you because, if they move to the side, you’ll go down.

Recommendations

• Do not pass on a downhill because riders who are descending may move laterally without warning to avoid a hazard, and they won’t be able to signal in advance. If it becomes necessary to pass, it is imperative that you say “Passing on your left”.
• Wear bright colored clothing. Do not wear all black. You need to make your-self highly visible.
• Use a rearview mirror. This will allow you to see behind you without taking your eyes off the road. In addition to looking in the mirror, do a double check looking over your shoulder when changing lanes.
• Daytime lights will make you more visible but refrain from using a flashing red rear light set to a high brightness level as it will have a negative effect on the vision of the rider behind you.

Be safe out there! Have fun! We want to thank the Westchester Cycle Club for granting us permission to use this edited version of their “Guidelines for Group Rides”.

Spring Kickoff – Riding Safely

Warm greetings to the entire MAFW family.  As we kick-off another year of cycling fun, adventure and friendship, it’s important that we put safety first.  Unfortunately, fatalities in traffic crashes involving bicyclists and other cyclists continue to rise. From 2011 to 2020, bicyclist and other cyclist fatalities increased by 38% from 682 in 2011 to 938 in 2020 (source: NHTSA report March 2022).  Many crashes occur because the motorist “didn’t see the cyclist”.

In the spirit of safety first, the MAFW Club will now highlight a specific safety topic each month.  These safety topics will be reinforced by the Ride Leaders during their “safety moment” at start of each ride.  Additionally, these topics will be addressed via the monthly newsletter.

Here are a few actions that YOU can take, that will help make YOU more visible and safer when cycling:

1. Remember our club motto: No One Rides Alone – including the Ride Leader.  IF you are an A or B rider, and attend a C, or C+ pace ride (which happens often), YOU are responsible to ensure that YOU ride with the Ride Leader, so that the Ride Leader is not left alone.
2. Safety in Numbers: riding with a group of cyclists helps YOU be more visible to motorists.
3. Club rules require YOU to wear a bicycle helmet – – Your helmet should meet the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Committee or the Snell Memorial Foundation (N.J.S.A. 39:4-10.1), never been dropped, never been worn in a fall or crash, or damaged in any way.  Click these weblinks for additional information:

1. https://helmets.org/standard.htm
2. MIPS vs. WaveCel: Which Is Better and Do You Even Need Them?

1. Clothing: it is highly recommended that YOU wear brightly colored clothing in order to make YOU more visible to motorists.  Dark colors are not appropriate.
2. Lights: it is highly recommended that YOU use both headlights and taillights on your bike to make YOU more visible – in daylight and at night.  Modern LED rechargeable lights are very visible from up to ¼-mile.  Many cyclists also use the Garmin Varia radar system, which alerts both cyclist and motorists.
3. Audible Signal: NJ law (39:4-11) requires that a bicycle must be equipped with a bell or other audible device that can be heard at least 100 feet away, but not a siren or whistle.
4. Mirrors: it is highly recommended that YOU use a mirror (handlebar type, or other)
5. Be predictable: YOU have a responsibility to both yourself, fellow cyclists, and motorists to be predictable in your actions.  Use hand signals, call out “on your left” when passing another cyclist.  Wave to motorists, especially at intersections and drivelanes, to get their attention – – and say “HELLO”!

Here are links to reference materials:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/bicycle-safety

https://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/bike.html

https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/regulations.shtm

I posted rides for the Spring Kickoff and need ride leaders for those rides.  Contact me if you want to lead.   I already have two rides covered.  If you have a suggestion for a ride let me know.

Also don’t forget about Celebration Rides.  Info is on the website.

I will start preparing rides for the Spring Picnic from Colonial Park.  If you want to lead and have suggestions for rides let me know.

Thanks, Manny

In addition to the rides on our schedule we have some special events coming up:

APRIL 16 SPRING KICKOFF MEETING FOLLOWED BY RIDES FROM BED 1.  Location is Hills Highlands Clubhouse at 75 Hansom Rd, Basking Ridge. Start gathering at 8:30am with some refreshments followed by a meeting and we will do our best to keep it short.  Following the meeting there will be rides at different levels from Bed 1.  Rides start at 11am but could start earlier.   You can start signing up for rides now.  This kickoff meeting is a great opportunity to have any questions or concerns addressed.  IMPORTANT THAT YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE AND SIGN UP SO WE CAN PLAN REFRESHMENTS.

MAY 13 SPRING PICNIC This year the Spring Picnic will be from Knob Hill Lot C at Colonial Park.  More information to follow soon.

RIDE LEADERS Finally, if you want to be a ride leader just contact me and I will step you thru the simple process.  Being a ride leader is a very rewarding position and you get to choose your rides and time/date.  We especially need ride leaders for the D and D+ rides.  One of the first steps is just shadow a ride leader for a few rides.  I will be at the Spring Kickoff if you have questions on being a RL.

Thanks, Manny

I just want to bring to your attention that Bike Virginia is back and scheduled for Friday 6/23 to Wed 6/28 in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.  For more information and to register go to our website under Members > Calendar.  This has been a popular ride with our members.  At the Spring Kickoff April 16 there may be members who have attended past Bike Virginias you can talk to if interested.

Manny

I just want to point out one day ride and two weekend rides that are coming up.

TOUR DE FRANKLIN April 30.  Great ride that supports the local Franklin Food Bank. Several distances to choose and there are rest stops with refreshments.

SPRING-N2-CYCLING WEEKEND May 19-21.  This event is run by the Philadelphia Bike Club(PBC) that also ran the Fall weekend ride at Hanover, Pa near Gettysburg.  A few MAFW riders attended the Fall ride and we had a great time.  PBC reserved all rooms at 2 hotels for cyclists that weekend and still had a waiting list.  For the Spring ride PBC reserved the entire Best Western at Lewisburg, Pa.  I will be attending this event and there are rides for all ride levels.

ROY’S PENN DUTCH RIDE June 23-25.  Once again our Roy Fischman is running this weekend ride near Lancaster.   This is a great trip even if you are not cycling since there is so much to do in the area and at the hotel.  Lancaster Bike Club will support this event by setting up rides.

Check the Calendar under Members for more information on these rides and to register.

Regards, Manny