Staying Safe On The Road

It’s important to do all that you can to stay safe on the road when riding your bicycle because you never know what might happen the next time you go out for a ride. The best thing you can do is to always practice safe riding and be sure to remember that when it comes down to it in an accident it doesn’t matter who had the right of way because in an accident between a bicycle and a car - the car will always win. Don’t put yourself in danger just to prove a point about being a bicyclist on the road. Be safe and you’ll be around to enjoy your bicycling much longer.

The first and most important thing you can do is pay close and careful attention to everything that’s going on around you. Listen for noises of various cars especially ones that signal trouble is coming your way. If you hear brakes squealing, horns honking, an engine working extra hard or loud music then it’s a good sign that you might be in danger and it’s best to just pull off to the side of the road and let the danger pass you if you can. Watch out for children running into streets, people doing yard work or construction, and dogs or other pets that can prevent hazards to you as you’re riding your bicycle.

Choose safe streets to ride your bicycle on. Don’t pick the fastest route if it involves a lot of busy roads and crossing many streets. Take the least complex and quietest route you can. Neighborhoods and side streets are far safer and much more enjoyable than busy main roads where you constantly have to worry about the drivers around you. Choosing streets that have less traffic and lower speed limits will make your bicycling that much more and quite a bit safer. It may add more time if you’re commuting to work but it’s worth it to stay safe.

Make sure that any time you ride your bicycle at night you are using the appropriate riding gear and have a high visibility vest or triangle on you somewhere because you never know who will be driving by you and if they don’t see you then they aren’t going to know they need to move to avoid hitting you. Always make sure that you’re seen. It’s also helpful to use hand signals and a bell (if your bike has one) to draw attention to yourself. It’s much better to look like a bit of a dork than to be squished under an oncoming car so make a point of making your presence known to other drivers.

Stay steady when you’re riding your bicycle. Don’t weave in and out of traffic or around obstacles and don’t make any sudden movements that might cause car drivers around you to panic in any way because the could swerve and end up hitting you. Use your arms to signal before you change lanes and always look behind you before you make any kind of a movement. If you can’t look behind yourself without your bicycle heading in one direction or another then practice staying steady while you ride until you can do it each time without your bike turning.

If you follow these tips you’ll stay much safer on the road and you’ll be around much longer to enjoy your bicycle.