San Francisco Uber drivers get cyclist awareness training (+ video)

Uber is partnering with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to offer cyclist awareness video training. Four videos have been produced, tackling issues such as the 3-feet space law, speeding, and dooring.

The SF Examiner reports that the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition already provides in-person bicycle safety driving courses to 800 drivers a year – including to taxi drivers. The group says that in contrast the videos will be seen by tens of thousands of Uber drivers in the Bay area.

Brian Wiedenmeier, the organisation’s executive director, said: “We increasingly hear from our members that vehicles blocking the bike lane, turning in a dangerous manner, those kinds of incidents are affecting their safety.”

Police seek road rage cyclist after fight with Uber driver

The four videos are entitled Sharing The Road With Bicycles, Bicycle Lanes and Markings, Right Turns and Passenger Loading.

Uber said of the development:

“We are all better off when it’s easy to get around a city without getting behind the wheel. And Uber is just one piece of the puzzle. Studies have found that shared modes of transportation complement each other — for instance, people who use ridesharing apps are more likely to use bike-sharing and public transit, and less likely to own a car. We’re proud to be working with public transit authorities and organizations like the SF Bicycle Coalition to make our streets safer, less congested, and less polluted.”

One of the videos points out that it is illegal to load or unload passengers in a bike lane, something which at least one San Francisco resident appears to think is a particular issue among Uber drivers.

We've set up a temporary install on Valencia between 16th and 17th.

Enjoy the commute home. #DemandMore pic.twitter.com/SREVQxzJCR

— SF Transformation (@SFMTrA) September 20, 2016

The so-called San Francisco Transformation Agency (SFMTrA) often creates its own mock protected bike lines using cones, documenting its creations on Twitter.