Bicycle Safety Tips - Ride Safe!

Protect yourself. The following Bicycle Safety Tips should help you.

Wear a helmet.
Buy a helmet that fits you properly. It doesn't cost much and can save your life.

Avoid busy streets.
You are not driving a car so choose a different route when you ride your bike. Stay away from busy streets and fast cars.Take quiet streets. You might find completely different natural routes if you really start thinking. Don't travel on busy roads, just cross them!

If it's getting dark, light up.
I never understood why some cyclists have no lights on their bike. To ride without lights at night is just stupid.

Signal your turns
Some simply don't bother to signal when they are taking a turn.

Don't use music players and mobile phones.
If you listen to music how can you hear if a car is approaching or hear what's around you? Using headphones will increase your risk.
Reduce distractions if you can and keep both hands free. You need them in case you have to brake suddenly.

Avoid this riding practice! It will increase your risk of injury!

Don't jump on your bicycle

Avoid to perform bicycle stunts

Be careful when you ride downhill

Avoid riding off-road

Don't ride with a second person

These activities increase the stress on every part of your bicycle. This is the reason why frames and other parts may fatigue prematurely and cause them to fail. This increases your risk of injury.

Don't ride against Traffic. Think about this!

Ride your bike with traffic. Riding against traffic is illegal. See this problem from a physics standpoint. Let's assume you are traveling at 20 miles per hour and get hit by a car at the rear that is going 50 miles per hour. The impact will be equivalent to riding your bike into a brick wall at 30 mph. (50 - 20 = 30)

Now let's say you ride against traffic then it will be like riding into a wall at 70 mph (50 + 20 = 70). This is a huge difference. Obey traffic laws just like a motorcycle.