• Pedestrians stepping out.
• Children or pets playing near the road.
• Pot holes, sewer grating, railroad tracks, expansion joints, road or sidewalk construction, debris and other obstructions
that could cause you to swerve into trafc, catch your wheel or cause you to have an accident.
• The many other hazards and distractions which can occur on a bicycle ride.
4. Ride in designated bike lanes, on designated bike paths or as close to the edge of the road as possible, in the direction
of trafc ow or as directed by local governing laws.
5. Stop at stop signs and trafc lights; slow down and look both ways at street intersections. Remember that a bicycle
always loses in a collision with a motor vehicle, so be prepared to yield even if you have the right of way.
6. Use approved hand signals for turning and stopping.
7. Never ride with headphones. They mask trafc sounds and emergency vehicle sirens, distract you from concentrating
on what is going on around you, and their wires can tangle in the moving parts of the bicycle, causing you to lose control.
8. Never carry a passenger, unless it is a small child wearing an approved helmet and secured in a correctly mounted child
carrier or a child carrying trailer.
9. Never carry anything which obstructs your vision or your complete control of the bicycle, or which could become
entangled in the moving parts of the bicycle.
10. Never hitch a ride by holding on to another vehicle.
11. Don’t do stunts, wheelies or jumps. If you intend to do stunts, wheelies, jumps or go racing with your bike despite our
advice not to, read Section 2.E, Competition, now. Think carefully about your skills before deciding to take the large risks
that go with this kind of riding.
12. Don’t weave through trafc or make any moves that may surprise people with whom you are sharing the road.
13. Observe and yield the right of way.
14. Never ride your bicycle while under the inuence of alcohol or drugs.
15. If possible, avoid riding in bad weather, when visibility is obscured, at dawn, dusk or in the dark, or when extremely tired.
Each of these conditions increases the risk of accident.
16. Always carry some form of identication, so that people know who you are in case of an accident; and take along some
cash for a candy bar, a cool drink or an emergency phone call.
C. Wet weather riding
WARNING: Wet weather impairs traction, braking and visibility, both for the cyclist and for other vehicles sharing the road.
The risk of an accident is dramatically increased in wet conditions.
Under wet conditions, the stopping power of your brakes (as well as the brakes of other vehicles sharing the road) is
dramatically reduced and your tires don’t grip nearly as well. This makes it harder to control speed and easier to lose
control. To make sure that you can slow down and stop safely in wet conditions, ride more slowly and apply your brakes
earlier and more gradually than you would under normal, dry conditions. See also Section 4.C.
D. Riding at night
Riding a bicycle at night is many times more dangerous than riding during the day. A cyclist is very difcult for motorists
and pedestrians to see. Therefore, children should never ride at dawn, at dusk or at night. Adults who choose to accept
the greatly increased risk of riding at dawn, at dusk or at night need to take extra care both riding and choosing specialist
equipment which helps reduce that risk. Consult your dealer about night riding safety equipment.
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