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PART I
2.B - RIDING SAFETY
1. Obey all rules of the road and all local traffic
laws.
2. You are sharing the road or the path with others
— motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists.
Respect their rights.
3. Ride defensively. Always assume that others do
not see you.
4. 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.
• 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
otherwise cause you to lose control and have an
accident.
• The many other hazards and distractions which
can occur on a bicycle ride.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Use approved hand signals for turning and
stopping.
8. 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.
9. Never carry a passenger, and before installing a
child carrier or trailer, check with you dealer or the
bicycle manufacturer to make sure the bicycle
is designed for it. If the bicycle is suitable for a
child carrier or trailer, make sure that the carrier
or trailer is correctly mounted and the child
secured and wearing an approved
and properly
fitted helmet.
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. If you intend
to do stunts, wheelies, jumps or go racing with
your bike despite our advice not to, read SECTION
2.F, Downhill, Stunt or Competition Biking,
now.
Think carefully about your skills before deciding
to take the large risks that go with this kind of
riding.
13. Don’t weave through traffic or make any moves
that may surprise people with whom you are
sharing the road.
14. Observe and yield the right of way.
15. Never ride your bicycle while under the influence
of alcohol or drugs.
16. If possible, avoid riding in bad weather, when
visibility is obscured, at dawn, dusk or in the
dark, or when extremely tired. Each of these
conditions increases the risk of accident.
