Bicycling can be dangerous. I know this because I learned it on day one, by smacking into the plum tree (see previous story). I also know this because I hear of riders getting hurt in a variety of ways, with many types of riding. Heck, once we had an employee almost tear his ear off while riding on our indoor test track upstairs at River City. I ride about 14,000 miles a year; about half of them commute miles, and have developed many habits that help navigate a lot of potentially dangerous situations. Here are some of the things I have learned to do to help increase my odds of arriving safely. 1. Learn to recognize dangerous situations, and take appropriate steps to minimize your risk. The main way I do this is by route selection- I try to stay away from cars as much as possible. I will usually try to find routes that take me through neighborhoods as opposed to busier streets, even if there is a bike lane. Especially when I am riding with my daughter Haley, who has some learning disabilities, I just prefer to ride on the quietest streets I can find. 2. Be able to honestly assess your own abilities. For example, if you are riding in the rain, do you know how far you can lean your bike while going through a corner? Unfortunately, it usually takes leaning too far and wiping out to learn this- that’s how I learned anyway. And I also learned that I’d rather slow down than go down- catchy, huh?! And likewise, even though I spent many years mountain biking, I don’t get much of a chance to do it anymore, so while there are technical sections that I used to be confident doing, these days I’d likely walk or go much slower through. 3. When riding with a group, remember there will likely be people with varying abilities and skill levels. It’s a good idea to talk about the ride etiquette before the group leaves- we stop at stop signs and lights, we will regroup at the top of hills, please don’t follow closer to the person in front of you than you are comfortable, never overlap wheels, don’t ride more than two abreast, and even that only when it is safe to do so. I always stay as far over to the right as I can. Sometimes if it seems dangerous Haley and I ride on the gravel shoulder or the sidewalk. 4. Share the road! Drivers can get pretty impatient when they are being held up by a group of cyclists on the road. Personally, I’d rather pull off and let people pass than risk drivers speeding up to zoom around, especially with limited visibility of curves or hills. Remember, there will likely be one big loser if something bad happens, and to me, that is just not worth the risk. Haley and I stop in driveways quite often, and she has learned to be a very safe rider. 5. Use lights and dress with bright and reflective colors. To me, it isn’t a fashion show out there; it is a matter of survival. I am going to give drivers the best chance of seeing me. There are some amazingly bright lights available for not much money. I use them when it’s raining, or even overcast, as well as at night. Anything yellow, orange, red, bright green will help you stand out. Thanks for reading! See you out there…-Dave
Posted on: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 19:59:44 +0000
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