8
Night Time Riding:
Most car/bicycle accidents happen at night where an overtaking car hits a bike.
(An overtaking car is one that comes up from behind and passes the cyclist on the left.) These
overtaking accidents can be very serious.
What can you do?
First, you should keep your youngster from riding at night. It requires special skills and equipment.
Few children have either. Secondly, make sure your child understands that if he/she gets caught out
after dark on a bike, the thing to do is to call you for a ride home. One suggestion is to tape phone
money to the bike so that, in an emergency, the child will be able to call home.
Following the Leader:
There is increased risk of car/bike collision if children are following each other,
because if the first one does something dangerous, those following may do it too.
What can you do?
Teach your child to always assess the traffic situation for him/herself. When a group is riding around,
each cyclist should stop for stop signs; each cyclist should look to the rear before making left turns;
and so on. One way to get the message across is to play a game with the child similar to Simon Says.
In this game, however, the emphasis should not be on doing what Simon Says, but rather have the
child make a decision based on the situation. The child should learn to ignore what Simon Says.
Children need to learn to think for themselves to ride safely.
SUMMARY:
Teach your child early
– the earlier the better. Learning skills such as looking and
avoiding hazards
takes time. Be prepared to repeat lessons until your child understands what you’re
trying to get across. Be patient. Your efforts will be rewarded, knowing that your child is aware of safe
riding skills.
THE BASICS
1. Always do the Mechanical Safety Check before you get on a bike.
2. Be thoroughly familiar with the controls of your bicycle.
3. 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.
4. Always wear a cycling helmet which meets the latest Snell or ANSI standard.
5. Always wear shoes that will stay on your feet and will grip the pedals. Never ride barefoot or
wearing sandals.
6. Wear bright, visible clothing that is not so loose that it can catch on moving parts of the bicycle
or be snagged by objects at the side of the road or trail.
7.
Don’t jump with your bike. Jumping a bike, particularly a BMX bike, can be fun; but it puts
incredible stress on everything from your spokes to your pedals. Perhaps most vulnerable to
jumping
– on jumping their bikes risk serious damage, to their bicycles as well as to
themselves.
RULES OF THE ROAD
1.
Learn the local bicycle laws and regulations. Many communities have special regulations
about licensing of bicycles, riding on sidewalks, law regulating bike path and trail use, and so
on. Many states have helmet laws, child carrier laws and special bicycle traffic laws. In the
U.S. and in most foreign countries, a bicyclist is required to obey the same traffic laws as the
driver of a car or motorcycle. It’s your responsibility to know and obey the laws.
2.
You are sharing the road or the path with others
– motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists.
Respect their rights, and be tolerant if they infringe on yours.
3.
Ride defensively. Assume that the people with whom you are sharing the road are so
absorbed with wat they are doing and where they are going that they are oblivious to you.
4.
Look ahead of where you’re going, and be ready to avoid:
