Ride Safe

Braking
Which brake should you use in an emergency? The front one. As you brake your weight is transferred to the front wheel until, at maximum braking, the rear wheel is on the point of lifting. Both brakes must work, and you need to be comfortable using them, but if you want to stop in a hurry the front brake is the one which will do it. Did you know that? If you lock the front wheel you could go over the bars, but if you lock the back wheel it will slide out and you'll crash. Plus you won't stop half as quickly! So practice stopping with your front brake.

Pavements
Small children often learn to ride on the pavement, but once you are riding a bike with 24” wheels and above you really need to get on the road. Pavement cycling is generally slower and more dangerous than road riding, it’s illegal, it upsets pedestrians and it actually prompts some drivers to behave worse towards cyclists.

Hang on a minute, how can it be safer on the road than on the pavement? The answer is simple: on the pavement you will come across obstructions, driveways, pedestrians, dogs and especially road junctions. Junctions are the most dangerous places for pedestrians, and they’re doubly dangerous for pavement cyclists. Just think: on the road you have right of way passing a side turning. On the pavement you have no right of way., You have to look behind for turning traffic, ahead for traffic turning into the road, down the road for cars approaching the junction, an none of them are expecting you to be there, so they aren’t looking for you.

If you do ride on the pavement, including on shared-use pavements or tracks where you're allowed to ride, you need to follow some basic rules:


 * Remember the pavement belongs to pedestrians. Slow right down around pedestrians, ring your bell or say "hello" if you approach them from behind.
 * Take extra care when crossing roads. This is where the danger is greatest. Slow right down and be prepared to stop - look in all directions, including behind you if necessary.
 * Dogs on leads are dangerous! The lead can get caught on your bike and have you off. Slow right down and give them a wide berth
 * Watch out for low branches, road signs, bollards and street furniture. Some councils think grey poles show up just nicely against a grey background!
 * Be extra careful crossing driveways, and especially the turn-ins to petrol stations and other businesses. Always be ready to stop.
 * On shared-use paths, keep to the side that's marked for bikes.

Junctions
Bikes can get through congestion by cycling past queues at junctions. It's part of the fun! But it can be dangerous. In general, it's safer to pass on the right of the queue than the left. Drivers cancut left, or passengers open doors, but they are less likely to cut to the right especially if there is oncoming traffic. Ride slowly past queues, and never position yourself alongside a truck or a bus. Goods vehicle drivers are highly trained and ususally very considerate - but if they can't see you you can be just as dead. The general rule with big vehicles is that if you can't see thier mirrors, they can't see you. And the second rule is, don't pass them on the left in traffic. Especially buses: the driver might open the doors to let someone off!

Never go past the line at traffic lights. Some lights have an advanced stop line just for bikes - this is great, it allows you to get back into your preferred riding position. Bikes accelerate rapidly, we can often be clear of the junction before the cars. If you have passed a queue at a traffic light with no davanced stop line, try to get back into the queue before the front of the line.

Get Out of the Gutter!
One common mistake is riding too close to the kerb. Bad move! Not only does this encourage drivers to pass without overtaking properly, it gives you nowhere to go and no room for manoeuvre if one gets too close. A bike needs to weave from side to side to stay uip. If you try to ride too close to the kerb and someone overtakes, suddenlly you can't steer!

On most roads you can see two lines where the car wheels have been. Get your wheels in the middle of the left-hand one. Car tyres have swept it clear of glass, mud and stones, you’re far enough out to be seen and to remind drivers that they need to pass carefully, and if it’s not safe to pass you at that distance from the kerb, it wasn’t safe to pass anyway! Sometimes you need to take the whole lane. You are allowed to do this: the advanced cycling manual Cyclecraft describes this as the “primary riding position.” It's an advanced skill that takes quite a bit of confidence, but it can help keep you safe.

Sometimes there are green bike lanes at the side of the road. You don't have to use them! If they are too narrow, ride as if they were not there. Cycle lanes should never be narrower than roughly the length of a bike - but a lot of them are, and trying to keep inside them could make you less safe. Remember: where you ride on the road is nobody's business but yours. The Highway Code says you must keep as close to the kerb as is safe. You decide what is safe. Don;t be intimidated by drivers behind, but if traffic is building up behind you, find a safe place, pull over and let it pass.

Roadcraft
Roadcraft is a life skill. You can learn it on a bike and it will stand you in good stead when you ride a motorbike or drive a car. Roadcraft is all about taking your place as a vehicle on the road, and riding defensively. Riding defensively means making sure that if something unexpected happens, you have time to stop.

Here's an example: you are riding along and you come to a side-turning. You're on the main road, so you have right of way. There's a car in the side-turning waiting to turn onto the main road. As you approach the junction, try to make eye-contact with the driver. Watch carefully - if the wheels of the car start to move, be prepared to stop! Lots of drivers think that bikes are very slow and will pull out far too close in front of you. If there are cars behind, make sure your hands are on the brake levers. If a car starts to overtake you just before the junction, watch out for indicators - some drivers overtake far too late and then turn across the front of cylists. Some drivers forget you are there as soon as you are out of their front view. Watch for the car moving to the left and be prepared to stop.

Learn The Rules
There are rules. The rules are set out in the Highway Code (see the book list). Read it! And not just the special rules for cyclists, either. Find out what other road users are supposed to do, learn the meanings of the signs and signals, and familiarise yourself with them. Ask someone to test you! All car drivers are supposed to know the Highway Code - see if you can catch your family out!

Learn For Life
You can learn a lot by going out for rides with local cycle clubs, and by training (lots of councils run training courses). Read Cyclecraft.