Registrations for the Hotter’N Hell Hundred events reached about 8,000 by Thursday afternoon, and late entries were still coming in, said race director David Coleman.
This year, organizers are seeing a large number of late registrations, he said.
With the city teeming with cyclists and other people coming to town for the HHH this weekend, it’s time to brush up on safety tips for motorists and the thousands of cyclists who have traveled from far away or just down the street.
City of Wichita Falls tips for drivers sharing the road with bicycles:
- Stay alert.
- Keep a distance of at least one meter between your vehicle and the bicycle – more if possible.
- When overtaking a cyclist, move into the other lane if possible and give the cyclist enough space.
- Watch for cyclists who may need to avoid potholes and debris.
- Always make sure that there are no cyclists in your blind spot.
- As always, be especially careful at zebra crossings.
For cyclists:
- Stop at stop signs and red lights.
- Observe all traffic signs and traffic regulations.
- Go with the flow of traffic.
- Use turning lanes and signal with your arms so that other vehicles know where you are going on your bike.
- Obey the posted speed limit on the road.
- Do not block traffic in a lane.
- Give way to vehicles and cyclists when entering the roadway.
- Do not use your phone while cycling.
- Do not ride a bicycle while drunk.
- Watch for semi-trailers making wide right turns.
Trish Choate is interim editor of the Wichita Falls Times Record News, the San Angelo Standard-Times and the Abilene Reporter-News. You can contact Trish with news tips at [email protected]. Read her latest work here. Her X-handle is @Trishapedia.
