BIKEBOY’S NINE COMMANDMENTS OF BICYCLE SAFETY

These are the keys to increasing your safety in the midst of motor vehicles.

1. ALWAYS RIDE ON THE RIGHT. Go with the flow of traffic, never against it.

2. BE PREDICTABLE. Maintain a straight line, change direction without swerving, and use hand signals when turning.

3. OBEY ALL TRAFFIC LAWS. If you want to be safe in traffic, you have to act like traffic.

4. PAY ATTENTION. Use you eyes and ears as warning devices, alerting you to potential hazards in time to take action.

5. ASSERT YOURSELF. Don't let vehicles creep by and force you into parked cars or the curb. You have a legal right to the lane, so take as much as you need for safety.

6. RIDE DEFENSIVELY. Expect a car to pull out from the side street or turn left in front of you. If you anticipate the worst, it will rarely happen.

7. BE VISIBLE. Wear bright colors and put reflectors and reflective tape on your bicycle.

8. SHOUT. It's the quickest, most effective way to let a motorist know that he or she is putting you in danger, or to alert an inattentive pedestrian that you are approaching.

9. WEAR A HELMET! NOTE: If you never use your brain, you can skip this one...
 

Email me - ( bikeboy (at) idahospud (dot) net )  (Sorry for no link - blame the spammers!)