6
BICYCLES, ACCIDENTS, AND SAFETY
Your bicycle can be fun when used for transportation, recreation and exercise. But riding a
bicycle can also be dangerous, especially if you try to ride beyond the limits of your ability or the
limits of your bicycle. The skill of bicycle riders can vary greatly, just like the skill of automobile
drivers or skiers. Do not ride in a manner that exceeds the limits of your ability.
Each bicycle and its parts have limits because of many properties: design, material,
maintenance, use, surface of the road and more.
The first rule in safe bicycle riding is to use common sense. A bicycle is vulnerable; it cannot
protect you in a crash, impact, or loss of control in the way a car can. A bicycle can tip over
sideways or pitch you over the front wheel. It does not have bumpers or airbags as does a car.
However, even a car can be damaged by running into an immovable object or driving it in
abusive conditions.
AN IMPACT CAN WEAKEN YOUR BICYCLE
If you crash or apply force that is higher than the limits of your bicycle or its parts, you are very
likely to cause damage. If your bicycle or a part has damage and you crash or load it again
later, this additional impact can cause a failure at a much lower load.
A BICYCLE CAN NOT PROTECT YOU IN AN ACCIDENT
Bicycles are not designed to withstand every situation. In a crash or impact, it is not uncommon
for the bicycle to have damage, and for you to fall. If you fall, your bicycle cannont prevent
injury. Cars have bumpers, seat belts, air bags, and crumple zones. Bicycles do not, so even a
fall at slow speed or an impact with a small object can cause injury or death. Higher speeds
and larger impacts will only be worse.
SAFETY
Most dangerous situations are obvious. For example, you know that a bad accident can occur if
an object gets caught in your bicycle's spokes. But not all dangerous situations are obvious.
Some skilled riders use bicycles in ways that are obviously not safe. For example, some of the
high-risk stunts and jumps seen in magazines or videos are very dangerous; even skilled
athletes get severe injuries when they crash (and they do crash). You add to your risk when
you make modifications to your bicycle, ride in an unusual location, ride over obstacles or
debris, or ride in any other high-risk manner.
BEFORE YOUR FIRST RIDE
You should make sure your bicycle fits before you ride it, and you should know how it works.
MAKE SURE YOUR BICYCLE FITS YOU PROPERLY
Top tube clearance: There should be at least one inch (25mm) clearance between the top tube
and the rider when standing over the bicycle.
