Commuting - Safety

As a bicycle commuter, what are your safety ideas/tips?

In my opinion, the more we commuters arm ourselves with knowledge, the better, since "bicycle facility planners," who claim to have our safety in mind, seem to know absolutely nothing about safe cycling. On the other hand, neither do some motorists.

Maybe that's the first safety tip!

I ride very defensively. I expect every car not to see me. Just like the post the other day about riding like you're invisible. I am constantly checking behind me to know what traffic behind me is like, especially when approaching an intersection or curve. I ride fast through curves. A curve seems like the best place to get hit because the driver may not see you until right on your tail. If there is a cluster of traffic coming on a street that usually has light traffic, I wait for it to pass before entering that street (if no traffic waiting on me). I ride fastest on heavy traffic streets and recoup my strength on lighter traffic streets. I try not to hold up traffic in any way if possible (no splitting lanes at lights, etc.). The last thing I need is a road rager focusing his/her aggression on me or just creating any kind of anxiety for drivers. I know how pissy I get when something delays me while driving in traffic.

I try to get eye contact with motorists at intersections. I want to know for sure that they've seen me.

I try to make eye contact with drivers of those big motorized creatures especially when I'm turning or changing lanes. Also, I have a flashing tail light that I use day and night. I'm also, ummmm, horizontally challenged (though I'm working on it), and even so, I generally wear bright colored clothes (like that hot pink jersey I just got)..

I want those people to see me!

I bike in city streets and in my 7 years of cyclocommuting I had 2 bad accidents non of which was my fault. Both accidents have taught me to always be aware and ride defensively.

Here are the things I have learned during this time:

1) I always watch out for vehicles making right turns and potentially cutting me off. I have made it a habit of looking at vehicles' rear signal lights when approaching an intersection / gas station / 7-11 / etc. to see if it is about to make a right turn. Also I try to make it a point not to be on a vehicle's side (blind spot) when approaching an intersection.

2) I wear high visibility clothing / helmet and even put on reflector strips on my socks.

3) Having front and tail lights on the bike just in case darkness falls while I'm still on the road.

4) I try to keep focused, steady and cool even in times when psychos miss me by just a few inches and/or shouts obscenities because they think only cars should be using the road and cyclist are impediments to them.

5) I agree with JDP with regards to maintaining high average speed in certain streets. I try to maintain an average speed of 30 to 40 kph specially on 4 or 6 lane streets (2 or 3 lanes each way) with lots of cars, trucks and buses. I notice that the drivers don't get as easily irritated if they see that you can maintain a higher speed on these multilane streets.

6) Finally, I always wear a helmet. I honestly believe that I could have sufferred worse injuries had I not been wearing helmets in both of my accidents (helmets got cracked in both incidents). Helmets are not only for head protection but they can also make you more visible to drivers.

I try to carry around a certain amount of anti-motorist bigotry when I ride. Don't get me wrong - I'm not talking about shouting abuse or trying to assault them. I just assume every driver I encounter is very, very, stupid until proven otherwise. Before anyone flames me over it, I should point out that it has saved my life quite a few times.

i always make eye contact with motorists whenever possible and reward good behavior with polite waves. better safe than a few seconds faster.

Originally posted by Chris L
I try to carry around a certain amount of anti-motorist bigotry when I ride. Don't get me wrong - I'm not talking about shouting abuse or trying to assault them. I just assume every driver I encounter is very, very, stupid until proven otherwise. Before anyone flames me over it, I should point out that it has saved my life quite a few times.

I don't blame you at all. I've always felt that you should have that kind of attitude whether you're crossing the street on foot, riding on a bike or driving a car. You can never tell what some people are going to do, so it's better to be prepared for it.

i agree; chris l's advice definitely makes sense. you cant assume that *any* driver is intelligent/safe, as so many of them arent. to be fair, many of them are seemingly safe, but you *cant* take any chances.

i dont think you need to worry bout flames, chris. =)

-rob

I think that everyone who is going to be on a bike, no matter how old or young, needs to learn all they can about "vehicular cycling." I think the skill and knowledge of a cyclist is the best thing for preventing accidents.

Accidents (including fatal ones) seem to be highest among children and inexperienced/untrained cyclists. I'm amazed at the number of cyclists I see going the wrong way against traffic (sometimes while in a bike lane, wearing a helmet!) or rolling through intersections without paying the slightest attention to lane markings or traffic signals, or cyclists who simply take to the sidewalk.

Learn vehicular cycling. Be safe.

The more that cyclists use a road, the more that motorists expect to see cyclists on the road. So the best safety type for cycling on the road is to cycle on the road. It may sound like circular reason, or a really lame zen koan, or both, or neither. But just get out on the road.

I think that VC has it nailed. Just ride. And be careful out there.

If you see a minivan or its bastard cousin - the SUV ... GO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS FAST AS YOU CAN!! Just assume that the "driver" is paying no attention to the road and will run you down and not even realize it.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. :D

Originally posted by LittleBigMan
Accidents (including fatal ones) seem to be highest among children and inexperienced/untrained cyclists. I'm amazed at the number of cyclists I see going the wrong way against traffic (sometimes while in a bike lane, wearing a helmet!) or rolling through intersections without paying the slightest attention to lane markings or traffic signals, or cyclists who simply take to the sidewalk.

Unfortunately, the standard of education in terms of teaching children how to ride is very, very poor. Most of it is based around "wear your helmet" and "get out of the way of real traffic at all costs". To put it mildly, it's a total and complete load of crap.