Using your bike

Riding Tips and Learning to Ride in Traffic

Learning to ride efficiently and safely in traffic is a vital skill to use your bicycle for everyday use and transportation. Assuming you have good bike handling skills and know how to control your bicycle, learning how to ride in traffic is not difficult. Below is some information to get you started. These are some general suggestions with references to additional and more complete information.

1. Ride in the direction of traffic. Do not ride against traffic. Riding against traffic is very dangerous, as motorists will not be looking for traffic coming from the wrong direction.

2. Obey traffic laws, including traffic signals and stop signs. Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. This means you have a right to be on the road, but you also have the responsibility to follow the traffic laws.

3. Ride where you will be seen and ride in a predictable manner. You will be much safer if motorists see you and understand your intentions. California law requires bicyclists to ride as far to the right as practical. However this does not require you to ride in the door zone, on unsafe or damaged road surfaces or dart in and out from parked cars. Take the space in the road necessary to ride safely and be seen. Be considerate, but your safety comes first.

4. Be aware and understand the common hazards for bicyclists (See below for links to additional details on these hazards)

Door Zone: Doors opening in front of bicyclists

Right Hook: Motorists overtaking a bicyclist and making a right turn in front of the bicyclist.

Left Turning Motorists: Commonly do not see bicyclists riding in a bike lane or far to the right side of the road.

5. Do not assume motorists will see you. At intersections especially, make eye contact with motorists and signal or communicate to let them know your intentions. Use extra care at intersections to make sure you know what motorists are doing and that they see you. If unsure watch carefully and be prepared take evasive action.

6. When riding in the rain or on wet streets, your bike will take longer to stop. The brakes will be less effective and the streets are slippery. Allow enough distance to stop and reduce your speed when turning. Painted street surfaces and metal plates become very slippery when wet.

7. When riding at night you must have front headlight to be visible. You must be seen by motorists, pedestrians and other bicyclists. A front reflector is not good enough. Left and right turning motorists can not always see a front reflector. Pedestrians with out a source of light can not see a front reflector. A headlight is vital to be seen. A good rear reflector and rear light is also required.

8. Make sure your bike is in good mechanical condition. Brakes working properly, tires inflated, and the wheel quick releases are installed properly.

Learn to take the lane when required. For an excellent explanation with clear pictures of why lane positioning is so important: http://garyridesbikes.blogspot.com/2008/08/coexistence-2-bicycles-taking-lane.html

Common Hazards and how to avoid them:

For an excellent and detailed discussion on some of these go to: http://bicyclesafe.com/

The League of American Bicyclists has put together extensive information on safe and effective cycling.

Rules of the Road: http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/better/roadrules.php

Commuter Tips: http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/better/commuters.php

Beginning Cycling: http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/better/beginningcycling.php

Advanced Cycling: http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/better/advancedcycling.php

Bicycle Maintenance: http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/better/maintenance.php

The League of American Bicyclists website is: www.bikeleague.org

In addition the League of American Bicyclists has a Bike Ed program where local instructors put on courses on how to ride safely and effectively in traffic. For additional information go to: http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/

NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has some good general information on how to ride in traffic

Seven Smart Routes to Bicycle Safety Download this short useful brochure at

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic%20Injury%20Control/Articles/Associated%20Files/BikeSafetyforAdults.pdf

Watch a 7 minute bicycle safety video from NHSTA and the LAB at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdrrxIpQpt4

Or download at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Traffic%20Injury%20Control/Multimedia/Associated%20Files/MyStream_01.wmv

Fitting a bicycle helmet: To work properly your helmet must fit properly

Learn how to fit a bicycle helmet at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/EasyStepsWeb/index.htm

Locking up your bike

Here are some sources of information on how to effectively lock up your bicycle

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/TechLab/HowToSecure.aspx

http://www.missinglink.org/Pages/bike_locking

http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/proplock.html

Bicycle Repair

Learn how to use the wheel quick release. These are very effective and reliable, but must be used properly. For how to use:

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/HowTo/UseAQuickRelease.htm

http://www.matthewsbikes.com/techcorner/quickrelease.htm

For additional repair information

http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/better/maintenance.php