BikeSense

Cycling Safety TipsUpdated: June 2004

The BikeSense Basics

Know and obey the rules of the road. Maintain your bike in good working

order. Be as visible as possible to others. Learn the skills needed to control your

bike. Cycle safely and predictably.

Rights and Duties

Motor Vehicle Act - cyclists have same rights and duties as drivers of vehicles.

Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as vehicles.

Know and obey rules of the road, read - RoadSense for Drivers - BC’s Safe Driving Guide.

Bike Sense Manual.

Ride safely and efficiently...

Have all equipment operating properly. Carry a tool kit and pump.

Check brake pads and brake cables and perform regular maintenance.

Use good tires inflated to the recommended pressure stated on the sidewall of the tire.

Expect the Unexpected

In BC cyclists are required by law to wear an approved helmet.

Every year more than 100 Canadians die and thousands are seriously injured in bike crashes.

Head injuries account for half of that total and it can happen to anyone.

Use your headSave your brain

Look for sticker CSA, ANSI, ASTM, SNELL standards.

Position helmet correctly.

Proper helmet...

Hockey or other types of sports helmets are not legal for cycling since they’re designed for other impacts.

Not...

Mirrors - a great safety device

Allow you to see traffic coming from behind and to keep an eye on a riding partner without turning around.

A mirror does not and should not replace the need to shoulder check.

Lights/reflectors required by law

Front - white headlight visible for 150 metres.

Rear - red light visible for 100 metres.

Rear reflector - red visible for 100 metres.

Consider stronger lights

Dual headlights will allow you to aim one toward oncoming traffic and one at the road ahead of you.

Make sure batteries are charged and carry a spare.

See and Be Seen

As a narrower vehicle, bicycles are less visible to drivers. Use every means available to be seen.

Wear bright clothing - neon green, yellow, orange and/or a safety vest.

In the dark, dawn, dusk, fog, rain, snow, it’s particularly important to be visible.

Be Aware

Lights and reflectors are useful for traffic coming from ahead or behind.

Traffic coming from the side may have trouble seeing you regardless of your lights.

Be seen from all angles

Reflective bands or lights on wrists make your hand signals more visible.

Sew reflective strips onto your clothing.

Put reflective materials on front forks, rear stays, wheels, spokes, pedals, helmets, ankles.

Position yourself where drivers are looking

Ride about one metre away from the curb, both to reduce the risk of hitting the curb and also to place yourself in the drivers field of vision.

Ride in a straight line, no weaving, be predictable to drivers.

Avoid riding in a driver’s blind spot.

Don’t pass moving traffic on the right

Drivers don’t expect to have anything interfere with a right turn from a right lane, therefore, they often don’t shoulder check.

Hand Signal well in advance of any turn

Proper turning sequence:

1. Always shoulder check first.

2. Then hand signal.

3. Then with both hands on the handlebars, shoulder check again before making the turn.

Stopping

The front hand brake accounts for up to 80 per cent of the stopping power during abrupt braking because forward momentum puts most weight over your front wheel.

Skidding and Flipping!

For optimum stopping power keep your centre of gravity low and shift your weight towards the rear wheel.

This, in addition to using both brakes will increase stability and reduce the tendency to skid or flip over the handlebars.

Braking distance

Practice stopping in a parking lot to get a feel for how much distance is needed at various speeds and conditions.

You will need considerably greater stopping distances during wet conditions!

Brakes don’t work as well when wet!

Especially during initial exposure to wet conditions. Dry brakes by feathering (applying them lightly) before you need to stop or slow down. Pump brakes for a more controlled stop.

Avoid puddles - they might hide potholes, broken glass or other nasty surprises!

Slippery when wet

Leave extra room and be prepared for sudden stops or swerves by traffic around you.

Turn more slowly - you have less traction. Avoid manhole covers and painted road markings, these are particularly hazardous when wet.

Cold weather

Frost, black ice and snow, all reduce traction dramatically. Cycle more cautiously especially at intersections.

Two wheels don’t slide in the same manner as 4 wheels. A bike is most likely to slide out from under you on ice.

Using wider tires with lowered pressure can help.

Ride Defensively

Be alert, scan the road ahead and be prepared for unpredictable moves or mistakes by others. Keep a safe distance - use the 2-second rule.

Be assertive, but remember that a crash between a cyclist and a motorist is no match!

The Door Prize

Cycle no closer than one metre from parked cars to avoid being hit by an opening door - the ‘door prize’.

Where cars are parked intermittently, ride in a straight line instead of swerving in and out between the cars. This increases your visibility and predictability for drivers.

Intersection Safety

Over half of motorist-cyclist crashes occur at intersections.

Make eye contact with other road users. Avoid entering intersection on a yellow

light, they’re timed for vehicles that can cross the intersection more quickly.

Intersections

When approaching an multi-lane intersection, choose the lane with the arrow pointing in the direction you want to go.

Treat every driveway like an intersection Don’t assume a driver backing out of a driveway has seen you.

To go straight through an intersection...

Ride in the right-most through lane. Make sure you’re away from the curb to increase your visibility.

Enter either ahead or behind - not beside the vehicle in your lane, as you may not be seen and can easily get cut off.

Don’t be squeezed out...

If there’s no shoulder or bike lane and the curb lane is narrow, take the whole lane by riding in the centre of it.

This can be safer than riding near the curb, which may encourage drivers to squeeze by where there’s little space.

Take extra caution with large commercial vehicles

Positioning is important. Avoid cycling in their blind spots If you can’t see their mirrors they can’t see you.

Watch for wide turns and strong drafts.

RVs and rental trucks

Drivers of these vehicles are often less experienced than commercial drivers.

Be prepared - these drivers might underestimate the length and width of their vehicles.

Transit buses

Remember in BC all traffic, including cyclists, must yield when transit buses signal to pull into traffic.

Triggering traffic sensors

Many traffic signals are triggered by electrically charged wires buried under the pavement.

When a vehicle stops over the wires, the metal disrupts the current which sends a signal to the traffic control box.

Bikes and traffic sensors

Look for cut lines in the pavement, filled with tar. Depending on the shape, the most sensitive spots are:– Diamonds - just inside one of the points.– Rectangles - up front, in the middle.– Circles - about a quarter of the way in.

Railway Tracks

Watch for uneven pavement and grooves along the rails that could grab your wheels.

Keep firm control of your bike - rise up from the seat; bend arms and legs so your body acts like a shock absorber. Cross tracks at a right angle.

Take special care transporting children

Bike trailers are a safer choice than a bicycle child seat, they offer more protection for the child if you fall.

To improve visibility, bike trailers and trailer-cycles should be equipped with a taillight, reflector and a bike flag.

Carrying children on bikes

When using a seat mounted on the back or a bike-trailer, be sure the child’s feet, hands, and clothing cannot be caught in the spokes or other moving parts of the bike.

Heads up!

All children should wear an approved bike helmet and should be secured by a seat belt system when in a trailer or in a bicycle child seat.

Practice before heading out

Prior to taking a child out in any type of carrier practice turning, stopping, hill climbing, etc. with a sand bag or other weight to simulate the effect of the additional load.

Sidewalk riding - against the law Several studies have proven that

cyclists on sidewalks are at greater risk than cyclists on roads.

Dangers are driveways and intersections where cyclists surprise motorists and pedestrians by appearing unexpectedly and often from the wrong direction.

Lock it or lose it!

Lock your bike frame to a bike rack, signpost, or parking meter.

Best locations are in busy pedestrian areas visible from many vantage points.

Record the serial number of your bike At home, keep your bike invisible and

inside where it’s dry and secure.

One more time... BikeSense Basics

Know and obey the rules of the road. Maintain your bike in good condition. Be as visible as possible. Learn the skills to control your bike. Cycle safely and predictably.

More Information

BC Cycling Coalition www.bccc.bc.ca phone 250-370-0428

Bike Sense Manual

www.bikesense.bc.ca Check with your local municipality,

many have a bicycle advisory committee to deal with cycling issues.

Thanks for using your BikeSense

Wishing you safe cycling

and no door prizes!