You’re driving on a busy road.
You stop at the traffic lights, start moving again … and bam – a cyclist pops out of
nowhere.
You hit the brakes like crazy, your girlfriend next to you spills coffee on herself, and
… fortunately no one gets hurt.
Is there a way to avoid such situations?
Let’s start with some essential tips for the cyclists.
Make yourself visible.
Wear bright colors or reflective clothing, there are special vests for that.
Don’t forget to dress your bike, as well.
Reflectors on your wheels and pedals and lights (white for the front and red for the rear)
will do the trick.
When visibility is low, keep your lights on even during daytime.
Wear the right helmet.
How to know if a helmet is too loose?
Try shaking your head “no” and if it turns, it means you should tighten it up.
Make sure it doesn’t block your vision but covers your forehead.
Adjust the strap so that nothing larger than your finger fits between it and your chin.
Check it before every ride as it loosens with time.
Check the bike before you hit the road.
Make sure the brakes are working just fine, brake pads aren’t worn out, the tires are
pumped enough, and the gears and chain are in good condition, as well.
Adjust the seat so that your leg is almost straight, with your foot flat on lower pedal
when you're seated.
It will take some extra time but it can save your life so it’s worth it.
Be a defensive cyclist.
They teach you to be a defensive driver at driving school, and this doesn’t only work
for motor vehicles.
You have to learn to anticipate what’s going to happen on the road.
Now, you can’t read other people’s minds and control everything going on around you.
But you can single out pedestrians who aren’t watching where they’re going, children playing
soccer by the road and a nervous driver changing lanes while on their phone.
Keep an eye on them all and be prepared to act quickly once they start doing crazy things.
Let others know of your plans.
Even if you’re in a rush, don’t zoom in and out of traffic like crazy.
Keep going in a straight line and make hand signals whenever you’re about to make a
turn, slow down, or stop.
If you want to pass others, inform them using your bell or your voice.
Because you know, if you bump into another cyclist, it’s going to hurt.
Go with the flow.
In other words, ride in the same direction as the traffic.
In right-driving countries, this means you should stay on the right side and as far to
the right in your lane as you can.
It can also save you from sudden obstacles coming your way.
It’s easier to avoid them if you don’t have to make a sharp turn.
Obey all traffic signs and signals.
If your vehicle doesn't have an engine, it doesn't mean you can just ignore the traffic
rules.
Stop signs, red lights and other road formalities still apply to you when you're cycling.
Confession time – do you always follow all the rules when cycling, or do you think it’s
mostly for cars?
Let me know in the comments below!
Anyway, cycling on to the next point.
Cycle with your hands covering your brake levers.
It’s important that you can get your hands on the brake levers ASAP whenever you need
to stop.
Hit both breaks at the same time and with about the same amount of pressure.
You gotta be extra careful when it’s wet or slippery.
Cycle training isn’t just for kids.
They say you can’t unlearn how to ride a bike.
But you can upgrade your skills with a good instructor.
They will prepare you for the road jungle and answer all the questions you had but were
too shy to ask.
Like what this or that part of the bike is called and how to change it, how to ride in
harsh weather conditions and so on.
Try making eye contact with others on the road.
This is especially important at junctions and side roads.
Of course, it’s no reason to relax and lose alertness, but when you’re sure a driver
has seen you, you can at least hope they won’t slam a door in your face or something.
If you receive no feedback, be prepared to brake if necessary.
The sidewalk is for pedestrians.
When you're riding down the sidewalk, you are putting pedestrians at risk.
If you don't care that much about them, think of yourself.
When you're on the sidewalk, the drivers are less likely to notice you.
So when you have to get on the road, you might have a less than pleasant rendez-vous with
a vehicle.
Don’t even try to overtake a truck.
When you’re driving to the left of a truck, there’s a good chance the driver won’t
see you at all.
They have blind spots and can start making a left turn not knowing you’re there.
So, the best you can do is keep some distance and not try to overtake them.
If you have to, drive past and in front of the truck to make sure the driver sees you.
And remember it’s hard to predict their maneuvers, so be extra careful when they’re
near.
Yield to pedestrians and vehicles when moving left.
The good old 'yield to pedestrians' rule works for cyclists just like it does for drivers.
When turning left or moving to the left side of the lane, yield to vehicles moving with
you at a faster speed.
If someone is clearly trying to overtake you, slow down to make more distance between the
two of you and let them cut in safely.
Know where you’re going.
If you’re going to a new place, want to try a new route, or have a cycling vacation,
do some research and find out more about the route before you hit the road.
Some routes require more skills and experience than others, and some might have obstacles
you’d better know of.
Even if you follow all the safety tips when cycling, you aren’t 100% safe.
Why?
Well, there are also cars on the road.
So if you’re a driver please respect those on pedal power and follow some tips to keep
them safe.
Practice the “Dutch reach” to save some lives.
A lot of accidents involving cyclists happen because of “dooring”.
When a car stops and the driver is getting out, they often open the door right into the
cyclist’s face.
It happens a lot, but there is one simple basically effortless way to avoid it.
The solution comes from the Netherlands, and so it’s called the “Dutch Reach”.
If you’re a driver in a right-driving country, the door is on your left.
As easy as it seems to just open it with your left hand, make some effort and do it with
your right.
Stretching like this you’ll automatically look into your rear-view mirror and won’t
miss a cyclist coming your way.
If you’re in the passenger’s seat, do the opposite and use your left hand to open
the door.
It takes time to get used to this habit.
One of the easy ways is to remember the slogan “Reach, Swivel, Look, Open”.
When overtaking a cyclist, give them enough space.
When you’re passing a cyclist, give them at least 1 car’s width of space.
This distance should be enough to make the maneuver safe.
Make your intentions clear to everyone.
Cyclists have to signal with their hands or shout, and things are way easier for you as
a driver.
Activating the turn indicator or turning on hazard warning lights only takes a moment
but can save a life.
So do it, and no one will have to play the risky guessing game.
Keep calm and carry on.
Remember cyclists have just as much right to be on the road as you do, so don’t get
angry if they seem too slow.
Their vehicle is only powered by their own legs, remember?
If you get mad at them and honk, you can scare them.
Try to make eye contact instead.
Be patient.
Don't try to pass them in a narrow line or with oncoming traffic.
Slow down a bit when you see a cyclist.
Even if they're moving in their lane, they might have to merge with the traffic for some
reason, and you don't want to bump into them at that moment.
Me?
I like to play a game when I’m driving and encounter a cyclist.
I picture the cyclist as a member of my family, and so, I drive around them in a protective
manner, hoping that other drivers will do the same for members of my family…
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