10 Cycling Safety Tips You Must Follow
Cycling is an enjoyable activity. It can be your favourite thing to do, but without proper knowledge and protection, it can lead to inconvenience, mishaps, or even accidents. Here we have compiled a list of things to take care of while cycling.
Effective communication
Before starting your bike ride journey, if you are not aware of traffic rules, signs, or gestures used for communication while on the road, you should dedicate some time to it.
It is your responsibility to inform other drivers on the road about your next turn. Stick out your left or right hand to indicate the turn you are about to take. Do it well in advance so that other drivers have time to respond accordingly. Standard is about 15 seconds before your turn.
All the other motorised vehicles have long horns and make sounds when they move, whereas a cycle doesn't call much attention to them. Therefore, it's really necessary for you to pay attention. You should ring your bell to get attention, or even call out to people.
Follow the large vehicle
One of the most common mistakes cyclists make is driving side by side with large vehicles like trucks. It is a dangerous mistake and can also be a fatal one. Truck drivers usually have a blind spot to their immediate side as their mirror is quite far from their seat. Because the cycle is small and silent, it is easy to overlook it by their side. This can be a potential accident situation as you don't know when the truck is going to be moved to your side.
Apply the back brakes first
Another mistake people make while cycling is that they apply the front brakes first. When you are moving fast and you need a sudden stop, using the front brakes can lead you to fly over the handle fat. There is a chance that you could fall face first. Be aware of the brake situation and use the back break first. This is particularly helpful when you are cycling down the flyover.
Always wear a helmet
Needless to say, safety should be the first priority when cycling. You should always wear a helmet, even if it is not a law mandated in your region. Your safety is in your hands.
Use an ISI standard helmet, which fits your head without any wobble. Avoid using hand-me-down helmets or helmets that have survived a couple of falls. To add more safety, add reflective tape around your helmet for visibility in darkness.
Use lights on your bicycle.
If you love riding your cycle at night, or at dusk or dawn, you should invest in making yourself visible while riding. Invest in some quality front and tail lights for your cycle. Use a white light in the front and a red light in the back.
Lights will help you stand out in the dark and can hence prevent potential accidents.
Make use of the rear-view mirror
Cycles are not usually equipped with rear view mirrors, but if you are serious about cycling and your safety, you should get them installed on your cycle.
They help you check the back traffic and identify how close or far the vehicle behind you is. This helps in making an accurate decision in case you want to cross the road.
Invest in a good pair of cycling shoes
Cycling shoes are the kinds of shoes that do not have laces. So the chances of your laces getting entangled and causing accidents become zero with cycling shoes.
Choose your trails wisely
You should choose your path wisely. Avoid using highways or expressways because they are primarily used by fast-moving vehicles, which can be dangerous for cyclists. Your trails can be a less hectic route or off-roads where you can ride safely. Many cities have bicycle-friendly lanes. Do check if your city has such areas and enjoy cycling there with fellow cyclists.
Do not come to an abrupt halt
As obvious as it sounds, people make these mistakes often without intending to. If you're riding on the main road, make sure to signal your stop with a hand gesture or signalling device to other drivers.
If you make a sudden stop to tie your laces or drink your water, or for any other reason, there might be a fast moving vehicle behind you, which might not get enough time to stop and might cause an accident.
Hydrate
Last but not the least, hydrate! You perspire a lot and lose a lot of body water quickly. Therefore, take a water bottle with you on your ride, and take small sips regularly. It will replenish the hydration which gets lost during cycling.
Hopefully, these tips were helpful to you. Happy riding!!