jays35

If I was to ask each one of you what would be some important safety tips that you would give, me being a new rider, when riding in groups, what would you tell me. Please list as many as you like!

Thanks in advance!

gmule

Watch that lip between the gutter and the asphalt making a turn. It can grab your wheel and slam you to the ground.

Bekologist

avoid groups of riders.

Ed Holland

1. Anticipation
2. Anticipation
3. Anticipation
4. Look behind you frequently
5. Give long clear signals for turns
6. Give parked cars plenty of door room
7. Be extremely cautious passing to the right of other traffic
8. If you think you need lights, you do.
9. Keep your bike in good shape (particularly tires and brakes)
10. Ride often to keep your "bike sense" fresh


Oh, and if you are riding in a group, don't do anything suddenly or you'll quickly become unpopular...

AndrewP

Use rear view mirror so you are always aware what is behind you.
Watch for traffic/pedestrians at intersections
Polite communication with other traffic

Pscyclepath

"Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles."

In a group:

Be alert to traffic conditions and the other riders around you.
Steady, consistent riding.
Hold your line
Signal your intentions
Leave the aerobars at home.
Respect other riders' space. Don't overlap wheels.
Easy on the brakes, if you use them at all.

Bekologist

be careful of group rides, as there will be a group dynamic that can lead to unsafe riding, even for experienced bicylists.

there was a licensed cycling instructor (LCI) killed recently on a group ride. all evidence indicates he was trying to keep up with the tail end of a pack of riders and turned across a motorists path.

group rides can introduce unthealthy ride dynamics. be careful on group rides, don't let the group think influence your judgement and your personal safety.

and be careful if some rider or LCI comes up to you and tries to tell you that as far right as practicable means riding by the right edge of the road or mandatory lane sharing- it is NEITHER of these things. there are some old guard cyclists that think riding as close to the edge is your responsibility as a cyclist, and it is not.

The Human Car

Is this for paceline riding or group riding?

jays35

Thanks for all the replies. Good info!

maddyfish

1. relax
2. stay aware
3. be 'big'-- those of you who do not understand this one, probably never will
4. don't hide at the edge of the road, cars don't see things over there
5. be visible, i.e. no black at dawn dusk or night
6. practice braking--get out into an open parking area and practice braking fast and hard, this is a seriously under stressed safety issue among bikers, very few of you can stop fast
7. practice quick avoidance type steering moves-again in an open parking area----question how many of you can swerve hard and brake hard at the same time?
8. really, really keep your eyes open at intersections
9. if possible dont let anything pass you in an intersection
10. keep an eye on what is behind you, if you are young and flexible you may be able to do this without a mirror, I am not, so I use a mirror

crhilton

+1

I wanted to write my own but I have so few disagreements with you!

I don't really agree about dark clothing. It's a good idea to be brightly colored but lights are a better idea. And, I think, a construction vest would easily make up for dark slacks and a dark shirt.

#3 is huge.

High Roller

1. Follow the rules of the road for drivers of vehicles.
2. Be predictable.
3. Be passively visible (lights, hi-viz clothing, etc).
4. Be actively visible (position yourself where they're looking).
5. Position yourself at intersections according to your destination.
6. Position yourself sensibly in the lane - don't invite lane sharing when there is not enough room.
7. Be vigilant 360 degrees.
8. Be proactive - recognize hazards in advance and avoid them, don't try to react to them.
9. Assert your right-of-way.
10. Respect the right-of-way of others.
11. Be as courteous as safety allows.

billyymc

1. Don't get hit by a car.

2. The key to not getting hit by a car, is to prepare for your ride, dress for your ride, and then ride your ride with the notion that every car is trying to hit you.

frymaster

1. learn to shoulder check without swerving.
2. realize that you are not a car and have different strengths and weakness than cars. play to the strengths (mobility, small size) and not the weaknesses (slow acceleration and top speed)
3. get some reflectors and lights and stuff.
4. don't ride on the sidewalk.

apricissimus 

1. Assume that no one can see you.
2. Never move into the path of a turning car (I see cyclists doing this all the time).
3. Use lane position and "body language" of cars to anticipate what they're going to do next. (This is an acquired skill.) Never rely on turn signals.
4. If you're riding on the right, hang back behind a car to your left as you approach an intersection. Assume they are going to turn until you know for sure otherwise.
5. Be assertive. Take the lane when necessary. You may piss someone off, but they don't want to hit you, so they won't. (And remember that you know better than they do when it's necessary to take the lane.)
6. Become comfortable riding outside the gutter/bike lane position.
7. Never ride in the door zone (of course).
8. Make sure you have 100% confidence in your brakes at all times.
9. If you need to go further into the street to avoid an obstacle like a double-parked car, anticipate it and make your move early. Don't wait to the last second to swerve into traffic (this is another thing I see lots of cyclists do).
10. If you're gonna run red lights, make sure you know your own abilities and are savvy enough to judge the traffic flow. Don't run it just because the guy ahead of you did.

closetbiker

10 Ways to Not Get Hit

https://bicyclesafe.com/

Mr Danw

Trusting eye contact with a motorist can get you ran over.

mkadam68

Hmmm... I'm confused. OP said they wanted "group ride" safety tips. Most of the ones given so far are more pertinent to "riding in traffic" tips. All are valid, just not specific to groups. Perhaps I'm not too quick on the uptake.

OP--you can check my site here. It details skills you need in a variety of group situations. The biggest safety tips for riding in groups would be: don't panic, and be careful of your front wheel.

bellweatherman

You can never be too safe. I would say #1 watch for cars approaching and coming from behind.

apricissimus 

Good call. I should read before replying.

crhilton

Hmm, oops. Group rides eh?

1. Be ready to brake. I usually take uphill segments as a great time to put my hands in a positions that's not near the levers.
2. Don't brake suddenly and harshly.
3. Point out road debris for riders following you. Watching out for the person ahead to point out road debris.
4. Stay in the back when you're first learning. It's less to deal with than being in the middle and you're probably not physically ready to lead for long.
5. Offset your wheel from the guy in front of you by a few inches. If you mess up you'll have a bit more room and the loss of aerodynamics won't get you dropped.
6. Keep a stable/straight line as much as possible. It helps the guy following you.
7. Signal when you slow. Yell "slowing" or use the hand signal. Also yell "stopping" when you intend to stop.
8. Signal when you shift over to the left or right with a hand motion behind you.
9. When someone is overtaking you yell "clear" if they're clear to move in front of your wheel without touching. This only makes sense if you have reason to believe they want to pull you and not drop you.
10. For the love of everything good and holy: Don't spit when there's someone behind you!

Ed Holland

Good list crhilton. If it has not been mentioned already, I'd stress the importance of not allowing your front wheel to overlap with the rear wheel of the rider ahead of you. That is good practice for groups of any size greater than one Especially beginners.

When I've ridden in the UK with a group (bear in mind this was mostly narrow country lanes) it was usual to call out "car" to warn of vehicles approaching from behind.

mkadam68

Funny. I had a bit of an epiphany a ride or two back: Most of us at the back (in larger packs anyway) cannot understand the word that was shouted. It's more the fact that somebody shouted that gets us all alert and looking around for danger that is the help. I suppose we could all shout "Broccoli!" and it'd have the same effect

crhilton

Yea, it really sucks when somebody shifts over a few inches and your wheels touch. Well, I assume it really sucks.

Ed Holland

It really sucks....

Once I was minding my own business, cycling to work, and moved to overtake a much slower rider. With nay so much as a look or signal they abruptly crossed straight in front of me. My front wheel clipped her rear wheel and it was Oooh! what was that funny bump? for her and a quick visit to the tarmac for me. Luckily no damage done.