"The Centennial State may be bike-friendly, but Denver? More like bike-lukewarmish. In a state heralded for its cycling culture and recognized as one of the country’s best for bikers (Colorado hasn’t placed lower than seventh on the League of American Bicyclists’ annual rankings since 2011), it’d be logical to assume our largest city is also super bike-friendly. But when you focus the lens on Denver, things get a little wobbly."

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Three questions for Boulder [sic] cycling attorney and former World Cup racer Megan Hottman. —AHB

5280: What’s your key piece of advice for drivers?

Megan Hottman: Give riders as much space as possible. The law requires three feet, but honestly, that’s the minimum.

How should a cyclist handle a nasty confrontation, or worse, a collision with a motor vehicle?

Engaging with an angry motorist is never a good idea. Instead, call in the incident to local police and add it to the Close Call Database (closecalldatabase.com), a national site that tracks dangerous areas for cyclists as well as repeat offenders. You can also call the Colorado State Patrol aggressive driver hotline at *277. If there’s a collision, call 911. The cyclist needs to stay put where she landed to prevent potential further injury—unless, of course, she is in danger of being run over. Someone should take photos of everything and get the driver’s info and witness info.

What kind of legal recourse does a cyclist have if she’s been hurt or her bike has been damaged in an accident?

A cyclist who is hit and injured by a motorist can pursue civil claims against the motorist for medical expenses and lost income, as well as broken bicycle equipment. If the at-fault driver doesn’t have sufficient insurance to cover the cyclist’s claims, the cyclist may file a UIM (underinsured motorist) claim with her own auto insurer.