Being safe when riding

The warm weather is slowly setting in on the northern hemisphere, which means that the number of two-wheelers is going to increase dramatically. Cycling has many benefits for our health and mindset, but it also carries some dangers.

Depending on where you live, being safe when riding can be more or less difficult to achieve. In any case, there are several universal pieces of advice that you can follow that will drastically improve your safety and make traffic accidents less realistic to happen.

Wear Bright Colors

Car drivers often fail to see riders approaching an intersection and that is how most traffic accidents involving riders happen. Maybe you are a fan of basic and elegant colors, but you should definitely not shy away from the more vivid ones.

Wearing bring colors will make you more visible and make it impossible for you to blend in with the grey tarmac or the car behind you. It’s a simple thing, but it can go a long way towards your safety.

Wear a Good Pair of Glasses

Another reason that contributes to a lot of falls during rides is grit or insects getting into riders’ eyes. A good pair of glasses will prevent creepers or dust from getting into your eyes and surprising you.

Moreover, in sunny weather, a good pair of polarized sunglasses will improve your visibility and also protect your eyes from the harmful UV radiation. You will see a potential danger more easily but also save your health.

No Headphones

In many countries around the world, wearing headphones or earphones when riding is prohibited by law. This is done for a good reason. Listening to music when riding will prevent you from hearing vehicles coming behind you and becoming aware of potential danger.

Many riders keep an earphone in the ear that is farther from the traffic, and while this is a better solution, we still advise against it.

Use Hand Signals

When riding your bike, especially in the city, make hand signals when you’re making a turn. This way, you will make your actions more predictable and you will let other drivers and riders know what you are about to do. This will result in better reaction time among drivers and increased traffic safety for yourself.

Make Eye Contact

Most traffic accidents, in general, happen at intersections. Therefore, apart from following the previous advice and giving hand signals, you should also make sure to make eye contact. If you make eye contact with a car driver you will make sure that they have seen you and that they will let you pass. In case you have not made eye contact with the driver, try to make other signals by waving your hand, or making a loud noise.

Conclusion

As you can see, you do not have to do much in order to stay safe while riding. This way you will ride your bike for longer, enjoy it more, and also benefit more from it. Therefore, follow the several simple pieces of advice and have fun on your spring rides!