Tips on safe cycling
Safe cycling doesn't only come from experience. Good
practice can be applied as soon as you venture out
onto the road.
Right turns
Look behind early. If the road is empty, move out into
the center of the road, just left of the white line.
Where possible try to time your move so there's no
traffic coming towards you either, and then you won't
have to wait in the middle of the road.
If there's a lot of traffic, eyeball the driver behind
you, signal clearly, and start to move out. Keep your
eve on that driver. If he tries to come around you,
let him. Either he's seen you and has decided to come
past anyway, or (less likely) he hasn't seen you at
all. Keep signaling, and keep eyeballing drivers.
Someone will let you out.
When you make your turn into the side road, go into
the left-hand lane. Do not cut the corner. An oncoming
car could hit you, and you would be in the wrong.
At a T-junction, place yourself in the middle of the
road, left of the center line. Wait until a gap in
both lanes of traffic appears, then cross
Left turns
Don't hug the kerb on the approach to a left turn.
Signal early and clearly. Any following traffic which
is also turning left is less likely to squeeze you
into the gutter.
If you are going straight ahead, beware cars cutting
across in front of you to turn left. If they misjudge
your speed you will crash into the side of the car.
They are more likely to cut you up the further left
you are.
Beware cars coming out of side roads on your left.
Again, the further to the left you are, the less
likely they are to see you, especially if there are
parked cars, walls or trees around. When you get
closer, eyeball the driver to ensure that he has seen
you.
Overtaking
When you are overtaking parked cars or slower
vehicles, check behind early, signal, and move out a a
gradual angle. If you leave it to the last minute, you
risk swerving into the path of a car that's overtaking
you at the same time. Don't weave in and out when
overtaking a line of parked cars. Hold your line. You
then remain in the traffic stream, where following
traffic can see you.
Changing lanes
Treat each lane as a right turn, taking them one by
one, with the difference that you don't wait in the
middle by the white line. Your place when you are
riding along a lane is the same as on a normal road :
a yard or so from the left. Go from this position in
one lane to that position in the other by the safest
direct route, using the techniques in 'right turns'.
Keep an eye out for the traffic in the lane ahead of
you when changing lanes to avoid running into it.
Roundabouts
If you are turning left, signal left and stay left. If
not, it's better to head for the middle. When you pass
the exit before the one you are taking, signal left
and come across the roundabout carefully and directly.
You may feel exposed, but traffic can at least see
you. If you start from a position on the left (and
don't turn left immediately) you risk being hit by
traffic leaving the roundabout at any exit you are
passing.
If you don't feel safe doing this, dismount, get on
the footpath, and walk your bike around the
roundabout.
Braking
When you brake, your weight is thrown forward. If you
have to brake suddenly, push your weight back with
your arms. Apply both brakes firmly. Don't snatch at
them, particularly the rear, or you may go into an
uncontrolled skid. Your front brake does most of your
decelerating.
Obstacles
You're riding along with traffic behind you and you
spot a pot-hole. What do you do? If you swerve you
could get run over. Don't. Rise up on your pedals,
with your knees loose, and let the bike flow over the
pot-hole. If you can bunny-hop, jump it.
Practise bunny -hopping away from traffic. Squat down
over the bike, then leap up, still holding onto the
bars and keeping your feet on the pedals. Try it while
riding along. Mountain bike magazines regularly teach
this trick. |
