13
9.
Be prepared. If something goes wrong while you’re riding off-
road, help may not be close.
D. 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 an accident is dra-
matically 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 normal, dry conditions. See also Section 4.C.
E. Night Riding
Riding a bicycle at night is many times more dangerous than
riding during the day. A bicyclist is very difficult for motorists and
pedestrians to see. Therefore, children should
never
ride at dawn, at
dusk or at night. Adults should not ride at dawn, at dusk or at night
unless it is
absolutely necessary
.
WARNING: Reflectors are not a substitute for required lights. Riding at dawn,
at dusk, at night or at other times of poor visibility without an adequate bicycle
lighting system and without reflectors is dangerous and may result in serious
injury or death
.
Bicycle reflectors are designed to pick up and reflect street
lights and car lights in a way that may help you to be seen and
recognized as a moving bicyclist.
CAUTION: Check reflectors and their mounting brackets regularly
to make sure that they are clean, straight, unbroken and securely mounted.
Have your dealer replace damaged reflectors and straighten or tighten any
that are bent or loose.
The mounting brackets of front and rear reflectors are often
designed as brake straddle cable safety catches which prevent
the straddle cable from catching on the tire tread if the cable
jumps out of its yoke or breaks.
WARNING: Do not remove the front or rear reflectors or reflector brack-
ets from your bicycle. They are an integral part of the bicycle’s safety sys-
tem. Removing the reflectors may reduce your visibility to others using the
roadway. Being struck by other vehicles may result in serious injury or
death. The reflector brackets may protect you from the brake straddle cable
catching on the tire in the event of brake cable failure. If a brake straddle
cable catches on the tire, it can cause the wheel to stop suddenly, causing
you to loose control and fall.
If you
must
ride under conditions of poor visibility, check
and be sure you comply with all local laws about night riding,
and take the following strongly recommended additional
precautions:
• Make sure that your bicycle is equipped with
correctly positioned and securely mounted reflectors
(see Section 3.B.2).
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