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• 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.
CAUTION
: Note, most mountain bike style racks that connect solely to the seat post are
not rated to take the weight of a child.
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, Stunt or Competition Biking
,
now
.
Think carefully about your skills before deciding to take the large risks that go with this kind of riding.
12. Don’t weave through traffic or make any moves that may surprise people with whom you are
sharing the road.
13. Observe and yield the right of way.
14. Never ride your bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
15. 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.
Off Road Safety
1. The variable conditions and hazards of off-road riding require close attention and specific skills.
Start slowly on easier terrain and build up your skills. If your bike has suspension, the increased
speed you may develop also increases your risk of losing control and falling. Get to know how to
handle your bike safely before trying increased speed or more difficult terrain.
2. Wear safety gear appropriate to the kind of riding you plan to do.
3. Don’t 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.
4. Always take along some kind of identification, so that people know who you are in case of an
accident; and take along a couple of dollars in cash for a candy bar, a cool drink or an emergency
phone call.
5. Yield right of way to pedestrians and animals. Ride in a way that does not frighten or endanger
them, and give them enough room so that their unexpected moves don’t endanger you.
6. Be prepared. If something goes wrong while you’re riding off-road, help may not be close.
