Local Cycling Advocate Discusses Maryland's Biker-Friendly Status

A national bicycle organization recently named Maryland as the eighth most biker-friendly state in the country, citing Gov. Martin O’Malley’s Cycle Maryland Initiative as one of the key reasons for its high ranking.

According to a release from O’Malley’s office, the League of American Bicyclists announced its 2012 Bicycle Friendly States Ranking, placing Maryland as No. 8  in the nation and No. 3 in the northeast region.

One of the key reasons for Maryland’s high ranking stems from O’Malley’s infrastructural efforts to increase bikeway connections and bikeshare stations throughout the state, according to the release.

“The recently established Cycle Maryland program is an excellent step to promote bicycle commuting and tourism,” according to the Bicycle State Report Card.

Ian Banks, owner of  and 10-year member of the Annapolis racing team, said the state’s biker-friendly infrastructure offers a bright future for passionate cyclists.

What Makes South County Cycling So Good?

“Every single county within the state has a bicycle master plan, which is, when you look at other states—that’s really hard to beat,” Banks said.

Banks' shop is strategically located in Edgewater with easy access to southern Anne Arundel County, a sort of "gold mine" for cyclists looking for ideal training grounds, according to Banks.

“If you live in the Annapolis area or even north of there, you’re really looking to come down to Edgewater, Davidsonville and head down to Galesville and Churchton,” Banks said. “Really, that’s where the best riding is in the county, and maybe even the state.” 

Banks and his cycling team do rides south of Maryland Route 214 on Maryland Route 2 thanks to its wide shoulders and relatively light traffic flow. However, according to him, all the space in the world won’t make Maryland a more bicycle-friendly state—it all comes down to education, he said.

Education and Encouragement

“The main thing is education and encouragement—educating the cyclists how to follow the rules of the road and educating motorists as well,” Banks said. “The worst thing cyclists can do is run a red light or go against the opposite flow of traffic.”

Banks said he also thinks most residents don’t know that Maryland has a “three-foot” law, legislation that requires motorists to give cyclists three feet of clearance when passing bikers on the road.

“The three-foot law is relatively hard to enforce—that’s why it comes down to education and encouragement,” Banks said.