Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition recently launched a new Bicycle Safety Campaign, a multimedia effort to promote safe bicycling for Tahoe visitors and residents. The coalition wants people to love biking at Lake Tahoe and finish every ride safely.

“We hope these safety tips help ensure people enjoy riding their bicycles at Lake Tahoe,” Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition vice president Curtis Fong said. “This is the greatest and most beautiful place in the world to ride a bike, and we want to help make sure that bicyclists are aware of safe riding practices when bicycling on roadways or bike paths around Lake Tahoe.”

The organization’s safety campaign includes tips for people riding bicycles on Tahoe’s roads and designated paths. Information can be found on posters and rack cards distributed throughout the Tahoe-Truckee Region, in addition to television spots, radio announcements, print ads and online via social media and the coalition’s website.

Key tips include biking the same direction as traffic, wearing a helmet, using lights, reflectors and bright clothing to be visible to drivers, passing on the left when on a multi-use path, using proper hand signals and obeying traffic safety laws.

“Riding a bicycle is a great way to stay fit and healthy and Lake Tahoe has miles and miles of beautiful bike paths and bike lanes and is being recognized as a high altitude training and bicycling destination, but that doesn’t mean conflicts between bicyclists and motorists can’t happen.

“We hope these simple tips will help provide bicyclists and motorists with safety information to help create a more bicycle-friendly community,” Fong said.

In addition to tips for cyclists, the Safety Campaign includes advice for motorists, with a pilot program to install special electronic sign boards in key locations around Lake Tahoe roadways to remind motorists to watch for bicyclists, share the road and give bicyclists three feet when passing.

For a complete list of tips and access to safety videos, visit http://www.tahoebike.org/bike-safety.