Top 6 Safety Tips for Biking in the City!!!
If you're using your bike to commute to and from work alongside traffic, it's important to take extra caution to avoid accidents! If you find yourself alongside traffic often, one of the best ways to stay safe is to stay visible, stay aware, and stay in a car’s sight line.
Here are some top tips you can keep in mind to ensure that everyone on the road sees you.
Tip #1: Dress Visibly
Try to wear at least one piece of clothing that’s highly visible, depending on the time of day you’re cycling. In the daytime you should try to pick something fluorescent. Bright green, yellow and pink are all easily spotted from afar and stand out against any background. When you’re riding at night, try to wear something reflective so you’ll stand out against a car’s headlights. Some riders like to buy a reflective and fluorescent vest, others have bright jackets and add reflection to their clothing and bikes. You can buy reflective stripes to add to your commuter bags, helmet, and bike as well.
Tip #2: Helmet and Bike lights, ALWAYS!!
Your helmet is your MOST IMPORTANT accessory, protecting you from brain injuries and saving your life in extreme accidents. Never ride anywhere in the city without yours. Also, make sure your helmet fits well, and replace it every 3-5 years, or after any crash. Your brain safety is of utmost importance!!
Lights are ESSENTIAL whenever riding near sunset or after dark. In Chicago summers this is less of an issue because the sun does not go down until 9pm and you can avoid being out after dark, but if you are ever riding after dark, you need a white light on the front of your bike and a blinking red light on the back. This makes you much more visible to drivers and will keep you safer!
Tip #3: Communicate with Car Drivers
You always want motorists to know your intent when you’re cycling. Hand signals are great, but it’s usually wiser to not use traditional cyclists hand signals, like raising your left hand when you’re about to make a right turn. While this will work well in a group of cyclists, motorists may have no idea what you mean and even worse: they may think you’re about to turn left. Simply pointing in the direction you’re about to turn should work for everyone. Also try to make eye contact with drivers at stop signs and 4-way stops to communicate that you are taking your right of way and expecting them to stop. Don’t speed through an intersection unless you have made sure the cars have seen you already.
Tip #4: Be Cautious when Passing on the Right
It can be very tempting to pass motorists on the right, especially if you’re in a line of idling cars at a red light. You should never pass on the right because it’s almost impossible for motorists to see you on their right. There’s a large blind spot and you run a big risk of getting hit by a car making a right-hand turn if they don't see you. You’ll also be a lot harder to see by oncoming traffic if you’re passing on the right because you’ll be hidden by other cars. There are many slower roads in Chicago where this is a safer option, and many bike lanes run on the right side of traffic, but keep this blind spot in mind, especially when cars may be turning right and crossing your path.
Tip #5: Stay toward the Middle of the Road
If you’re riding at the same speed as other motorists, you should actually try to not hug the right too much. A cyclist in the middle of the lane is a lot easier to see than one on the very edge of the road. You’ll also avoid any passengers exiting parked cars along the side of the road. Most passengers don’t look over their shoulders when leaving cars, so if you leave about 3’ between your bike and a car, it’ll be impossible for you to get doored. A good rule of thumb is if you can reach out and touch a parked car’s side mirror, you’re too close. Lots of bike lanes in Chicago put you right in the path to get doored from driver’s doors, so watching cars carefully and ride on the outside left side of the bike lane to keep yourself safer from getting hurt. (Although it is ALWAYS a car driver’s responsibility not to door you, and if you do get doored, get their information and insurance because their car insurance will pay for your bike and injuries!)