Friday, June 13, 2008
How to Stay Safe on the Road
Follow the link above, very good article on how to ride on busy streets. We ride on some busy streets and some country streets. No matter where we ride, we are at risk of getting hit by cars. We have to ride defensively every time we go out.
If you can turn your head on your bike and look for traffic and maintain your bike position, YOU DO NOT need a rear view mirror. If you are like me, you need a rear view mirror as I cannot turn my head and maintain bike position.
Make getting a rear view mirror your next purchase. It is something that you must afford. You have three options. Mirrors that stick to your helmet, mirrors that attach to your glasses and mirrors that sit on your handlebars.
Hot Foot did have the Take-A-Look Eyeglass Mirror. This sits on your glasses. Take a Look also has a helmet attachment that you can buy as well.
When we cross traffic lanes, the rear view mirror can mean the difference between getting hit by a car and not getting hit by a car.
Turning your head takes time and sometimes we do not have that kind of time.
Sunglasses are also a good idea. Good cheap sunglasses can be found at Performance in Paoli. Most come with several lens so you can still wear the glasses in cloudy weather.
Ride Shout Outs that we all need to know and use:
Car up- car approaching
Car back- car overtaking
Car right, car left- used in intersections
Slowing and Stopping when you are doing either. Do not stop without an announcement to the riders behind you.
When we ride in single file and some one behind you is asking for help, you must pass the help plea up to the front rider. Shout it out loud so that the rider in front of you can hear it. If need be just shout stopping.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Great Blog Libby. I just have 2 things to add
1. If someone is shouting out those warnings from the back - make sure to pass it up the line. Don't assume the person in front of you heard it
2. Pot holes or other hazards. If someone is riding close to you they will likely miss the hazard you see. So point and shout it out if you can.
thanks Libby for mapping and leading the rides - great fun!!
Hey Biker Chicks -
Another word of caution... never, never ever, ever never ever talk to a motorist. Don't motion to a motorist. Don't even acknowledge that you are looking at the motorist. Often, a driver will get angry with you even if you are doing everything right (riding single file, staying in the bike lane, etc.) Don't flip them the bird or anything, just keep riding your straight line. You'll never win a fight with a car no matter how angry you are.
Post a Comment