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• Parked car doors opening.
• Pedestrians stepping out.
• Children or pets playing near the road.
• Pot holes, sewer grating, railroad tracks, expansion
joints, road or sidewalk construction, debris and other
obstructions that could cause you to swerve into traffic,
catch your wheel or cause you to have an accident.
• The many other hazards and distractions which
can occur on a bicycle ride.
4. Ride in designated bike lanes, on designated bike
paths or as close to the edge of the road as possible,
in the direction of traffic flow or as directed by local
governing laws.
5. Stop at stop signs and traffic lights; slow down and
look both ways at street intersections. Remember that a
bicycle always loses in a collision with a motor vehicle, so
be prepared to yield even if you have the right of way.
6. Use approved hand signals for turning and stopping.
7. Never ride with headphones. They mask traffic
sounds and emergency vehicle sirens, distract you from
concentrating on what’s going on around you, and
their wires can tangle in the moving parts of the bicycle,
causing you to lose control.
8. Never carry a passenger, unless it is a small child
wearing an approved helmet and secured in a correctly
mounted child carrier or a child-carrying trailer.
9. Never carry anything which obstructs your vision
or your complete control of the bicycle, or which could
become entangled in the moving parts of the bicycle.
10. Never hitch a ride by holding on to another vehicle.
11. Don’t do stunts, wheelies or jumps. If you intend
to do stunts, wheelies, jumps or go racing with your bike
despite our advice not to, read Section 2.F, Downhill,
4. Be careful to keep body parts and other objects
away from the sharp teeth of chainrings, the moving
chain, the turning pedals and cranks, and the spinning
wheels of your bicycle.
5. Always wear:
• Shoes that will stay on your feet and will grip the
pedals. Never ride barefoot or in sandals.
• Bright, visible clothing that is not so loose that it
can be tangled in the bicycle or snagged by objects at
the side of the road or trail.
• Protective eyewear, to protect against airborne
dirt, dust and bugs — tinted when the sun is bright, clear
when it’s not.
6. Don’t jump with your bike. Jumping a bike,
particularly a BMX or mountain bike, can be fun; but it
can put huge and unpredictable stress on the bicycle
and its components. Riders who insist on jumping their
bikes risk serious damage, to their bicycles as well as to
themselves. Before you attempt to jump, do stunt riding
or race with your bike, read and understand Section 2.F.
7. Ride at a speed appropriate for conditions.
Increased speed means higher risk.
B. Riding Safety
1. You are sharing the road or the path with others
— motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists. Respect
their rights.
2. Ride defensively. Always assume that others do not
see you.
3. Look ahead, and be ready to avoid:
• Vehicles slowing or turning, entering the road or
your lane ahead of you, or coming up behind you.