Guest Post: 7 Essential Tips for Cycling Safely

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With the rise of fuel prices and a poor economy, more people than ever are beginning to pass up a drive in their car for a ride on their bike. Depending where you are located, you will often find bike trails, shortcuts and at the very least, bike lanes to ride your bike on. Not every road is designed to accommodate the cyclist, however. You may come upon situations where there are no other options to get your bike from point A to point B without riding on roads along side of cars. Because of this, it is important to practice cycling habits that will keep you safe on each trip. Below are seven tips on road cycling safety.
  1. Always Wear a HelmetYou may think helmets are lame but there are many cool bike helmets out there that offer a sleek and stylish look and comfortable feel without sacrificing performance. Once you start wearing a helmet, it will become second nature to you and you will soon get over your previous stigma about sporting one.
  2. Always Wear PaddingNow that you have your head properly protected, you will want to do the same with your knees and elbows via pads. If you don't feel confident wearing pads in public, you can easily strap them under your clothing to hide them from view however this is not recommended as it increases the likely hood that you will tear or damage your clothing. When you fall, you instinctively use your hands, feet, knees and elbows to catch yourself on the ground so it is important that you keep these protected.
  3. Place Reflectors or Blinkers on the Back of your Bike.At night, it is tough for cars to see you. Reflectors will bounce vehicles headlights back at them which will alert the driver that you are ahead. Slightly more expensive and more effective solutions are blinkers. Blinkers work best in alerting the driver of your presence and will keep you safe at night.
  4. Keep Road Travel to a MinimumAny time there are pathways or bike lanes, use them. The less time you spend on the road, the less of a chance you have to get hit or side swiped. If possible, avoid roads completely and only use designated crossings to cross a road.
  5. Ride in the Middle of the LaneIf you must travel on a road, ride in the middle of it. Why would you ride more in the middle of the road, you ask? So you can increase your visibility to drivers. As drivers normally look straight ahead (or down at their mobile phones), placing yourself directly in front of them will help keep you safe on the road. Also you will be able to better avoid obstructions such as drain covers.
  6. Be aware of Parked CarsIf you ever drive a car, you will know that when you reach your destination, you normally park your car, wait a few seconds to gather your things and then open your door towards the middle of the road. If a cyclist is riding on that side of the road and is not paying attention, they can potentially collide with the suddenly opened door. Make sure you take note of parked cars that have people in them to avoid this from happening.
  7. Don't Run Red Lights [caption id="attachment_280" align="alignright" width="150"]Trixi Cycle Safe Frost Free Traffic Mirror 50cm Heated Mirror Trixi Cycle Safe Frost Free Traffic Mirror 50cm Heated Mirror[/caption] Cyclists sometimes think the normal traffic lights do not apply to them and make the mistake of running through red lights. This is dangerous as other cars are usually not expecting bikers to be on the road and can easily hit you if you are crossing at the wrong time. Always follow the rules of the road when you are riding on it. With more authorities now installing Trixi mirrors at major junctions, drivers of large vehicles will be able to see if there is a cyclist in their blind spot. This in time should reduce the temptation on the cyclist’s part to jump red lights thus avoiding near misses.
Remember cycling is great fun and its many benefits easily outweigh the dangers. Just be sensible and stay safe! About the author: David Smith has been cycling since an early age and is a great advocate of cycling safety. You can find many cool bike helmets and other great cycling gear by following the link.