8
9
5.
Ride in designated bike lanes, on designated bike paths
or on the right side of the road, in the same direction
as car trafic and as close to the edge of the road as
possible.
6.
Stop at stop signs and trafic 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.
7.
Use hand signals for turning and stopping. Learn the
local vehicle code for the correct signals.
8.
Never ride with headphones. They mask trafic 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.
9.
Never carry a passenger.
10.
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.
11.
Never hitch a ride by holding on to another vehicle.
12.
Don’t do stunts, wheelies or jumps. They can cause you
injury and damage your bike.
13.
Don’t weave through trafic or make any moves that
may surprise people with whom you are sharing the
road.
14.
Never ride your bicycle while under the inluence of
alcohol or drugs.
15.
If possible, avoid riding in bad weather, when visibility
is obscured, at dusk or in the dark, or when extremely
tired. Each of these conditions increases the risk of
accident.
RULES OF THE TRAIL
1.
We recommend that children not ride off-road without
the accompaniment of an adult. In any event, never ride
alone in remote areas. Even when riding with others,
make sure that someone knows where you’re going and
when you expect to be back. Always take along some
kind of identiication, so that people know who you
are in case of an accident; and take a couple of dollars
in cash for a candy bar, a cool drink or an emergency
phone call.
2.
Surface hazards make off-road riding much more dificult
and therefore more dangerous than riding on paved
roads. Start slowly and build up your skills on easier
terrain before tackling more dificult terrain.
3.
Learn and obey the local laws regulating where and
how you can ride off-road, and respect private property.
Don’t ride where you are not welcome or where you are
not allowed.
4.
You are sharing the trail with others - hikers, equestrians,
other cyclists. Respect their rights, and be tolerant if
they inconvenience you.
5.
Yield right of way to pedestrians and animals. Ride in a
way that does not frighten or endanger them, and stay
far enough away so that their unexpected moves don’t
endanger you.
6.
You may be riding in sensitive habitat, so stay on the
designated trail. Don’t contribute to erosion by riding in
mud or with unnecessary sliding. Don’t disturb wildlife
or livestock; and don’t disturb the ecosystem by cutting
your own trail through vegetation or streams.
7.
It is your responsibility to minimize your impact on the
environment. Ride accordingly. Leave things as you found
them; and always take out everything you brought in.
8.
If you crash: First, check yourself for injuries, and take
care of them as best you can. Next, check your bike
for damage, and ix what you can. Then, when you get
home, carefully perform the maintenance proceedure
described this manual and check for any other damaged
parts. All bent, scored or discolored parts are suspect
and should be replaced.
WARNING:
A crash can put extraordinary stress on
bicycle components, causing them to fatigue pre-
maturely. Components suffering from stress fatigue
can fail suddenly and catastrophically, causing loss of
control, serious injury or death.
CAUTION:
If you have any doubt about the condition
of the bicycle or any of its parts, take it to an authorized
repair center.
WET WEATHER RIDING
WARNING:
Wet weather impairs traction, braking and
visibility, both for the bicyclist and for other vehicles
sharing the road. The risk of accident is dramatically
increased in wet conditions. Under wet conditions, the
stopping power of your brakes (as well as the brakes of
other vehicles sharing the road) is dramatically reduced
and your tires don’t grip nearly as well. This makes it
harder to control speed and easier to lose control. To
make sure that you can slow down and stop safely in
wet conditions, ride more slowly and apply your brakes
earlier and more gradually than you would under nor-
mal, dry conditions.
BICYCLE
SAFETY
BICYCLE
SAFETY
