Bicycle Safety

Bicycle riding can be dangerous at times so it’s important that you be familiar with some basic bicycle safety before you begin to take your bicycle out to ride all the time.

The first and best thing that you can do is to avoid busy streets. Bicyclists do have the right of way when it comes to the road but that doesn’t do you much good if you’ve already been hit. Keep away from busy streets and instead pick streets that have fewer and slower cars instead of busy fast-paced ones where you’re much more likely to suffer an accident or an injury.

It’s also really important that you make sure you’re visible to other cars and traffic especially if you ride your bicycle at night and the easiest way to do this is by wearing s a safety vest, a triangle, or by having lights on your bicycle. You can buy inexpensive bike lights for just a few dollars at local biking stores and you can also get nicer ones that attach to your helmet which allow you to change the direction of your light and make sure that other drivers can see you.

Another good idea is to leave the headphones and cell phones off when you’re riding your bicycle. It’s really important that you be able to hear everything that is going on around you while you’re riding and if you can’t you present a hazard to the other drivers on the road and you could endanger yourself as well. Make a point of not listening to music or talking on the phone while you ride your bicycle and definitely don’t text while you ride because it’s important that you have your hands free in case you have to brake suddenly.

Another good tip is to use up the entire lane when it’s necessary. This may sound like a contradiction or a bad idea - after all if you’re in the middle of the lane aren’t you more likely to get hit? The answer is no because cars are much more likely to see you if you ride farther left into the lane than if you were to stick as close to the curb as you can. It’s also easier for cars to see you when they are turning on from another street or pulling out from a driveway. Riding farther into the lane can also prevent you from running into any pedestrians or having someone open the door to a parked car and hit you - which happens a lot more often than you might think.

It’s generally a good idea to assume that the other drivers around you can’t or don’t see you and to ride accordingly. If there’s ever a time where you could be hit if a car doesn’t see you then it’s best to assume that they can’t see you and to take measures to keep yourself safe. It’s also a good idea to practice waving or shouting “hey!” at other motorists to make your presence know. It might feel awkward or embarrassing at first but it’s much better than being hit.

Keep yourself safe while riding your bicycling by following these tips and you’ll be able to enjoy and ride your bike much longer than otherwise.