Wheels Up // Stay Safe And Know Your Rights As A NYC Cyclist

The NYC edition of the Bicyclist's Accident Report is in the works.Since cycling-related accidents are a serious problem in New York and many of you rely on bikes to make your way around the city, the Bicyclist’s Accident Report caught our eye right away.

The brainchild of Boston lawyer Josh Zisson, who specializes in bike law, and graphic designer Tim Jacques, this simple, well-designed card provides urban cyclists with visual diagrams demonstrating their rights and bike-related laws, as well as a form to remind them what information they should collect following an accident.

"My plan for the cards is to have a version in every state and every major biking city, along with a localized version of the Bike Safe Boston website that the cards will refer people to," Zisson says in his description of the project.

His goal is not only to help educate people about local laws and cycling rights, but also to help connect cyclists with lawyers who are experienced in bike law. "Too many people in the biking community have no way of knowing whether a lawyer is any good or not, so they end up going with the first one who finds their police report and sends them a letter," he says.

The Boston and California editions have already been printed and distributed, and the NYC edition is in the works.

Get your Biking Rules handbook here.That card isn't the only way to stay safe and informed, though. The fine folks at Transportations Alternatives have their own terrific site, Biking Rules, which provides heaps of helpful information for cyclists, including a list of "cycle savvy lawyers," rights and laws related to NYC cycling, a Biking Rules Street Code, a handbook that you can download for free in English, Spanish or Chinese, and a free badge to declare your support for safe cycling in NYC.

Now you've got all of the information you could possibly need. Strap on that helmet, cycle smart and stay safe.

-- John Ruscher