A NY Times article (6-8-09) discusses the potentially hazardous condition created by rumble strips in roadway shoulders. A bicycle club in New York is trying to force the state to reconsider the placement of rumbles strips that are causing injury to cyclists. The article highlights the experience of a NYC Police Sergeant:
” ‘I was going real slow, just coasting,’ said Sergeant Wilt, 51. ‘And the next thing I know, I’m doing a 360 over the handlebars. I hit the pavement like Pete Rose sliding into first base. I’m thankful I’m not dead.’ “
The Washington State Department of Transportation recognizes this fact and follows specific guidelines for their placement.
“SRS [shoulder rumble strips] usage on the shoulders of undivided highways demands strategic application because bicycle usage is more prevalent along the shoulder of the undivided highway system. Rumble strips affect the comfort and control of bicycle riders; consequently, their use is to be limited to highway corridors that experience high levels of run-off-the-road accidents.”
A local website, bicyclewatchdog.org , reports that along Highway 2 in Washington there are rumble strips that force cyclists into the road, opposed to staying in the shoulder. The image above is posted on bicyclewatchdog.org as an example of poor strip placement (taken of a Wyoming highway).
