Cycling Safety! | MIT Cycling Team Blog

Highway Security

Bike defensively! (Assume the worst of everybody round you till disproven: that pedestrian will soar into the bike lane with out wanting, that automobile will flip with out signaling…)
Be careful for vehicles turning proper (particularly if you’re going straight via the intersection) 
Look ahead to vehicles turning left from oncoming visitors. These are sometimes probably the most harmful as a result of they’re the least prone to see you within the bike lane and infrequently flip quick to shoot a spot
Keep away from being immediately behind or alongside vehicles, particularly vans. That is their blind spot and probably the most harmful place to be. Since they’ll brake quicker than you, you may run into the again of them, or they may flip into you since they’ll’t see you
Put on a helmet, use lights/reflectors at night time, put on hi-vis clothes
Keep alert in bike lanes with parked vehicles between you and visitors. Pedestrians will overlook that there’s a bike lane and soar out from between vehicles or out of vehicles. Usually keep as distant from the automobile aspect as you may. The intersections in a majority of these bike lanes could be harmful. You’re hidden by the parked vehicles, so that you and the turning vehicles have much less time to react. Go gradual into the intersections.
If in a motorbike lane between parked vehicles and visitors, keep on the aspect with visitors. Counter-intuitive, however a lot safer. The vehicles are arising behind you and see you. They’re unlikely to hit you. In the meantime, folks opening doorways from their automobile into the bike lane or strolling out between two parked vehicles don’t see you and aren’t in search of you. That is way more harmful.

If a automobile has lights on, give it an additional broad berth as a result of the chances that somebody is getting in or out are excessive
aspect notice: advocate for safer infrastructure – https://www.cambridgebikesafety.org/

Give vans additional area when they’re turning as a result of they usually find yourself within the bike lane and even over the sidewalks throughout a pointy flip
Ensure that your brakes work nicely and check out braking as exhausting as you may at completely different speeds (and when it’s moist) so that you get a really feel in your stopping distance
Search for eye contact with drivers. Don’t assume they see you till you’ve gotten locked eyes with them
Be careful for intersections on quiet roads. The percentages of encountering anybody are low, however which means vehicles usually roll shortly via stops since they assume nobody is round
Look forward and behind you usually. You’ll have a sense for what’s forward and the visitors behind you. That manner you may comfortably and safely keep away from conditions by taking early evasive motion

You probably have bother wanting behind you, strive taking your left hand and grabbing the again of your seat. This enables your chest to show with you as you do a examine over your shoulder

Get comfy taking the complete street when needed. If it’s a decent street and also you’d really feel unsafe with a automobile passing you, journey within the center so that they received’t. Ensure that to look that it’s protected to take the complete street and sign that you’re transferring laterally. You usually have the proper to do that, therefore the entire “bicycles could use full lane” indicators. Nevertheless, if there’s a wider part, pull over to allow them to go so that you don’t anger the drivers
Supply vans will likely be within the bike lanes. In case you are wanting forward, you will notice them with loads of time to sign and simply take the complete street and go round them
Identical with common vehicles (Ubers, DoorDash, and many others). They’ll pull over into the bike lane or simply randomly cease on the street. Go round them with warning and provides their doorways a large berth. Individuals will nearly all the time be leaping out of those vehicles, usually with out wanting as a result of they’re pressured
If you realize an intersection nicely, go on the pedestrian gentle when you may (look ahead to vehicles operating purple lights, they nearly all the time do). It’s usually most secure to cross an intersection earlier than the vehicles do.
Rightfilter stopped visitors when protected to take action. You’re allowed to journey on the proper of stopped vehicles at an intersection and it’s safer so that you can be seen on the entrance of the road of vehicles then subsequent to them of their blind spots. Nevertheless, bear in mind that the sunshine could flip they usually may begin transferring at any time. Moreover, there isn’t all the time area, so you will have to discover a spot in line. If you do, you may take the complete lane to securely cross the intersection
Give blind driveways a berth. Vehicles backing out actually haven’t any hope of seeing you.
In reality, give all blind turns a large berth, be they on the bike path or vehicles turning into your street at a pointy angle and many others. For those who all the time assume there may be somebody coming round that nook at you, then you’ll by no means be unpleasantly shocked
Move on the left
Sign your intentions (e.g. left arm out if merging into left lane or turning left)
When making a left flip in an intersection with a left flip lane, both use the left flip lane (taking the lane absolutely) or do a two half left flip, the place you proceed straight to the alternative nook and anticipate the sunshine to show for perpendicular visitors. Generally there’s a devoted area for bikes to sit down by the nook to make this kind of flip.
Don’t brake exhausting with solely the entrance brakes – until you wish to do a cartwheel 😉
Watch out of slinging a bag on one shoulder or placing baggage in your handlebars – they may slid into/get caught in your entrance spokes (a backpack, cross-body bag, or panniers are higher options)
As a lot as you may, keep away from deep potholes and sharp edges. However if you’re in visitors, maintain your line and journey the pothole moderately than swerving into visitors.
Rise up out of the saddle when using over tough street or potholes and use your legs and arms as shock absorbers
When going round a nook, maintain your exterior foot down (don’t pedal via sharp corners)
As a lot as you may, keep away from biking via damaged glass and nails

Bike Upkeep

How usually do you have to clear and lubricate your chain? Whereas there’s nobody proper reply, some recommend each 150 mi or as soon as a month
Examine your brakes: brakes put on away over time. For those who discover decreased braking energy and the brake pads look skinny it could be time to exchange them (if the brakes don’t look skinny strive cleansing your rims or growing the stress within the brake cable)