We ordinarily urge you to stay to the right, out of the way of oncoming traffic, but there are times when riding in the middle of a lane is the safe course of action, one that is also legal.

“Taking the lane” refers to a cyclist riding in the middle of the lane to help control what motorists do on the road. By taking the lane you prevent motorists from passing you within your lane. There are many re a s o n s w h y you might want to take this action, and here are some of the more important ones. You are on a narrow road, or no shoulder, and it would be unsafe for a motorist to pass you. You are making your way through an intersection and don’t want any[1]one passing you (and possibly turning across your path). You are traveling at the speed of traffic and do not want a motorist  paralleling you in your lane. You are descending at high speed and want extra space for maneuvering. You want to be sure you’re visible to traffic.

To take a lane follow these steps, which assume you are traveling on the right-hand side of the right-hand lane. Look over your left shoulder to see if traffic is in your lane. When clear, signal your move to the center by pointing out with your left hand. If you are taking the lane and passing through an intersection, control the lane until you make it all the way through the intersection.

Taking the lane is both legal and useful, but it doesn’t mean that this is general knowledge. You may get honked at, but smile and keep on pedaling. Finally, when you no longer need to control the lane, move to the right and let the motorists go by.

This article originally ran in October 2012 WheelPeople.

We have all seen the evolution of e-bikes. There was a time that they were rare, unusual, homemade.  Now they are one of the hottest items in cycling and transportation in general.  E-bikes offer fun, exercise and affordable transportation.  Yet, they present potential danger when operated in some areas which were designed for traditional bikes, meaning pedal only bikes. 

 Cities, towns and state legislatures across the country have debated issues related to e-bikes for several years. The wide spectrum of models and increasing speed capacity of the bikes has slowed the passage of ordinances governing their use.  

It has become common for municipalities to establish three classifications for e-bikes, largely dependent on their maximum speed output. Recently, Massachusetts followed suit in an amendment to the Transportation Bill that was passed on August 1, 2022.  In the bill, definitions were adopted for Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes.  The fact that these definitions exist enables municipalities to enact specific ordinances related to where these e-bikes can be ridden. It also offers the possibility of the adoption of other rules and regulations surrounding the use of them. The definitions are as follows:

Class 1: These e-bikes are pedal assisted and are limited to a top speed of 20 MPH with the electric motor working only when the rider is pedaling. Typically, Class 1 e-bikes in the United States can be ridden on traditional bike paths, lanes and anywhere else that a traditional bike is allowed.

Class 2: These e-bikes, commonly known as throttle e-bikes,  are also limited to a maximum speed of 20 MPH.  The difference between throttle e-bikes and pedal assisted e-bikes is that the throttles can propel the bike without the rider needing to pedal.  Riders can pedal, but do not have to do so.  In the United States these e-bikes typically can be ridden on the same paths as traditional bikes. 

Unless municipalities create ordinances prohibiting the use of Class 1 or Class 2 e-bikes on specific paths or trails, it is expected that they may be ridden on them.   Whether speed limits will be adopted and enforced is yet to be seen.  It is easy to imagine an unfortunate circumstance when an e-bike traveling at its top speed of 20 MPH comes across a slower rider, perhaps a child coming on the opposite direction, and an accident occurs.  It is true that traditional bikes can travel 20 MPH or more on a bike path but it is rare that cyclists on traditional bikes operating on a bike path travel at that speed.

Another classification of e-bikes is the Class 3 e-bike. These bikes can reach a top speed of 28 MPH.  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts did not adopt a legal definition of Class 3 e-bikes in the recent Transportation bill.  The most likely reason is that the 28 MPH top speed may present dangers that make these unsafe for use on traditional bikes paths.   These e-bikes likely fall into a gray zone of definition and use such that they may require licensing, insurance or other regulatory measures to make the use of them safe for the public. Typically, they are allowed in “on road” bike lanes, but they cannot be used on  bike paths or on trails that are shared with pedestrians.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) defines low speed electric bicycles as a two or three wheeled vehicle that includes fully operable pedals, a top speed of 20 MPH and an electric motor that produces less than 750 Watts of power. However, when it comes to the creation of rules for e-bikes on public roads and pathways these are classified under state jurisdictions and thus differ across the country.

The CPSC exempts Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes from being classified as a motor vehicle. This has licensing and insurance implications different from those of the Class 3 e-bikes.  It may become common for states to require Class 3 e-bikes to be registered and insured, as is the case with motor scooters which have speed ranges starting at approximately 35 MPH.

Regarding liability for accidents caused by Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, users of these e-bikes are still insured by their homeowner’s and renter’s liability policies.   It will be wise to watch for changes in these policies as the use of e-bikes becomes even more common and insurers use the classifications adopted by the states to modify liability coverage for them.

Safe riding and stay well!

Ron Gluck

If you have questions about a particular incident or more generally about the subject matter of this column, feel free to contact Ron Gluck at gluck [at] bwglaw.com. 

Ron Gluck is a founder and principal at Breakstone White and Gluck in Boston. Throughout his 35 year legal career Ron has represented seriously injured individuals in a variety of cases including cycling accidents involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death. Ron is a CRW member.

By Coach John Hughes

Dehydration hurts performance, right? Not necessarily. But don’t ignore it.

Pro racers ride so hard their guts can’t absorb enough fluid to replace all that they sweat out. Race rules may restrict when a rider can get a bottle toward the end of a stage. Although somewhat dehydrated, the pros sprint quite well! Despite the dehydration pro, we rarely read about cramps in the peloton. In lab experiments, dehydration has not been shown to cause cramps.

We’ve all seen pictures of runners collapsing at the end of a marathon or triathlon. Must be because the runner is dehydrated, right? Wrong. When an athlete stops, the runner’s pulse and blood pressure fall significantly so less blood gets to the brain and the runner faints.

For more read my column on 12 Myths About Hydration.

The average male’s body is 60% water; the average female’s is 50%. The typical athlete has another 10% water because glycogen is stored with water. If we don’t replace most this, we die. However, almost all of the heat-related deaths every summer are shut-ins living in homes with no air conditioning. Your body has about 2 quarts (liters) of free water in your intestines. You don’t even start to feel thirsty until you’ve lost 1.5 to 2 quarts of water!

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends avoiding dehydration of more than 2%, i.e., 2% of your weight.  If you weigh 150 lbs, then 2% dehydration is three pounds. Three pounds is about 1.5 quarts of water.

Physicians, scientists and coaches now recommend drinking enough to satisfy your thirst, not significantly more.  Joe Friel recommends: “Pay attention to your thirst mechanism. Drink when you are thirsty. When you’re not thirsty, don’t drink. It’s that simple.” [The Cyclist’s Training Bible (2009) page 257]

If you drink when you’re thirsty you won’t get more than 2% dehydrated.

For more read my column on Anti-Aging: Why “Drink Before You’re Thirsty” May Be Dangerous.

Aging and dehydration

The Mayo Clinic says, “As you age, your body’s fluid reserve becomes smaller, your ability to conserve water is reduced and your thirst sense becomes less acute. These problems are compounded by chronic illnesses such as diabetes and dementia, and by the use of certain medications.” Mayo Clinic dehydration symptoms and causes

Last December I tried to ride up Berthoud Pass (11,300 ft.) I live at 9,000 ft., so the altitude wasn’t much of a problem. I made it to about 11,000 ft. and passed out. My bike and I rode in an ambulance to the hospital. After echocardiograms, blood tests and a treadmill stress test the cardiologist concluded nothing was wrong with me — except I was dehydrated.  As I got more dehydrated while climbing my blood volume decreased and my blood pressure dropped. So I passed out.

You can read more about my misadventure here Anti-Aging: Avoiding Dehydration

Signs of dehydration:

• Thirst. This is the most obvious; however as noted above the thirst mechanism becomes less acute with aging.

• Skin test. Pinch and release the skin on the back of your hand or forearm. If your skin stays pinched for a few seconds instead of immediately becoming normal, then you probably need more fluids.

• Urinating. If you’re not urinating every two or three hours you probably need more fluid. However, dark urine isn’t a sign of dehydration. Dark urine can result from supplements your body is excreting.

• Mood swings. Studies suggest even mild dehydration could make you more irritable and even anxious.

• Lightheadedness. If you feel dizzy after standing up, you are probably are dehydrated. You get dizzy or lightheaded when your brain isn’t getting enough blood. As you get dehydrated the volume of your blood decreases lowering your blood pressure causing lightheadedness.

[New York Times 5 Signs You Might Be Dehydrated]

If you have any of these signs get more fluids until the signs go away. In addition to beverages, oranges, strawberries, watermelon and even lettuce are primarily water.

Here’s another useful article: “If there is one health myth that will not die, it is this: You should drink eight glasses of water a day. It’s just not true. There is no science behind it.”  Aaron E. Carroll M.D. No, You Do Not Have to Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day

Related columns:

• Heat Tolerance and Aging
• Anti-Aging: Muscle Cramps
• What Should a Beginning Cyclist Eat and Drink, part 1
• What Should a Beginning Cyclist Eat and Drink, part 2
• An Effective and Low-Cost Homemade Sports Drink

Coach John Hughes earned coaching certifications from USA Cycling and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. John’s cycling career includes course records in the Boston-Montreal-Boston 1200-km randonnée and the Furnace Creek 508, a Race Across AMerica (RAAM) qualifier. He has ridden solo RAAM twice and is a 5-time finisher of the 1200-km Paris-Brest-Paris.

He has written nearly 40 eBooks and eArticles on cycling training and nutrition, available in RBR’s eBookstore at Coach John Hughes. Click to read John’s full bio.  

My eBook Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process includes chapters on how to meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendations on aerobic, high intensity aerobic, strength training, weight-bearing exercises, balance and flexibility. I include sample weeks and months for different types and amounts of exercise. I give you plans to build up to 100 km and 100 mile rides. I include a plan to increase over two years your annual riding from around 4,000 miles (6,500 km) to over 5,000 miles (8,000 km) per year. You can easily modify the plans for different annual amounts of riding. I discuss the importance of recovery and how to gauge if you are getting enough recovery. I combine the different kinds of training into programs that balance training and recovery. The 106-page eBook is available here Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process 

Ten years ago this month the club stopped providing a printed versions of WheelPeople. Those of you who have been members for a while will remember getting our newsletter in the mail. Recent members will of course think it was always digital. WheelPeople used to be the main vehicle for communicating with the membership, including ride announcements, but along came email and other means of electronic communication, and the Club  moved with the times.