Safe Cycling

Cycling is fun and a great way to exercise. Due to the speeds, close proximity of other riders, the hard road surface, road hazards and especially the presence of cars, you can be injured. There is no way to eliminate all risk of injury but learning certain skills and safety essentials can prevent most crashes and injuries.

Many of you already know a lot about the hazards of riding but we all can improve our knowledge and skills and hopefully prevent an accident.

We want every member of our Club to review these most essential safety issues.

Cars can easily kill you. These rules are critical, mandatory and minimize your risk of being killed. No dead riders in this Club.

1. Cars will not always avoid you – you MUST avoid them. Ride super defensively. Assume every car is a threat.
   1. Cars do not always obey traffic laws. Stop signs, lights, right-of-way, etc. Almost every time I ride I see at least one car run a stop sign or violate a traffic law.
   2. Some drivers are stupid – they purposely drive dangerously. They may try to scare you or run you off the road on purpose. Give them room. Do not put yourself in harm's way. Stay off high traffic roads with small shoulders.
   3. Car drivers often don’t see you. They often will pull out right in front of you or turn right in front of you. Always be ready! [This happened to Lisa Reeve recently – her readiness avoided a crash.]
   4. Motorists don’t know bicycle rules. They don’t know what to do when they encounter cyclists. Always be ready!
2. Cyclists are required to observe all traffic laws. You must essentially travel like you are in a car.
   1. Stop at stop signs and stop lights.
   2. Give and take the right-of-way as if you were in a car.
   3. Ride on the right side of the road.
3. Be 100 percent sure no cars are coming before you move into a traffic lane. Be aware when making a U-turn or merging into a traffic lane.
4. Wear bright/reflective clothing and use good front and rear lights at dusk, dawn and at night. [One of our strongest riders was recently hit by a car at dusk. He only had a very small light.]
5. Wear a helmet at all times. [Bob Reeve recently escaped a head injury but smashed his helmet in a crash.]

Minimizing risks of a crash

Crashing your bike can cause serious injury and is very painful. The following rules can minimize the risk of a crash.

1. When riding in a group (peleton) do not overlap your front wheel with the other person’s back wheel. If the two wheels hit the person in back will crash. This is probably the most common cause of a crash in a peleton or pace-line.
   • Ride in a straight line (don’t swerve) and don’t slam on your brakes when riding in a group.
2. Go slow on wet corners. Some types of road surfaces are very slippery when wet. [One of our members sustained a clavicle fracture in this manner.]
3. Watch for pot-holes, bumps, debris and other road hazards. In a peleton or pace-line the riders in front should point out these hazards for the riders behind. They often cannot see the road ahead clearly.
4. Watch out for dogs. Warn other riders if dogs are approaching.
   1. If you can easily get past the dog then speed up.
   2. If you can’t easily distance yourself from the dog then slow way down to avoid a crash. [One of our experienced riders sustained serious injuries—requiring ICU care and a week in the hospital—after being taken down by a dog descending a hill at high speed.]

These are just the bare essentials. These safety rules are very important and will help you avoid crashes and death. Please know them.

There are more extensive bicycle safety guides. One very good one called “How Not To Get Hit By Cars” is at the following website: http://bicyclesafe.com.

Back to Top