Cycling Safety! | MIT Cycling Team Blog

Street Security

Bike defensively! (Assume the worst of everybody round you till disproven: that pedestrian will bounce into the bike lane with out wanting, that automotive will flip with out signaling…)
Be careful for vehicles turning proper (particularly in case you are going straight by the intersection) 
Look ahead to vehicles turning left from oncoming site visitors. These are sometimes essentially the most harmful as a result of they’re the least more likely to see you within the bike lane and infrequently flip quick to shoot a niche
Keep away from being straight behind or alongside vehicles, particularly vehicles. That is their blind spot and essentially the most harmful place to be. Since they’ll brake quicker than you, you would possibly 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 evening, put on hi-vis clothes
Keep alert in bike lanes with parked vehicles between you and site visitors. Pedestrians will overlook that there’s a bike lane and bounce out from between vehicles or out of vehicles. Typically keep as far-off from the automotive aspect as you may. The intersections in these kinds of bike lanes will be harmful. You might be 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 site visitors, keep on the aspect with site visitors. Counter-intuitive, however a lot safer. The vehicles are developing behind you and see you. They’re unlikely to hit you. In the meantime, folks opening doorways from their automotive into the bike lane or strolling out between two parked vehicles don’t see you and aren’t on the lookout for you. That is way more harmful.

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

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

In case you have hassle wanting behind you, attempt taking your left hand and grabbing the again of your seat. This enables your chest to show with you as you do a test over your shoulder

Get comfy taking the complete highway when crucial. If it’s a good highway and also you’d really feel unsafe with a automotive passing you, trip within the center in order that they received’t. Make certain to look that it’s protected to take the complete highway and sign that you’re transferring laterally. You typically have the correct to do that, therefore the entire “bicycles might use full lane” indicators. Nonetheless, if there’s a wider part, pull over to allow them to go so that you don’t anger the drivers
Supply vehicles shall 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 highway and go round them
Identical with common vehicles (Ubers, DoorDash, and so forth). They are going to 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. Folks will virtually at all times be leaping out of those vehicles, typically with out wanting as a result of they’re harassed
If you recognize an intersection properly, go on the pedestrian gentle when you may (look ahead to vehicles operating crimson lights, they virtually at all times do). It’s typically most secure to cross an intersection earlier than the vehicles do.
Rightfilter stopped site visitors when protected to take action. You might be allowed to trip on the correct 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. Nonetheless, bear in mind that the sunshine might flip and so they would possibly begin transferring at any time. Moreover, there isn’t at all times area, so you could have to discover a spot in line. If you do, you may take the complete lane to soundly cross the intersection
Give blind driveways a berth. Vehicles backing out actually don’t have any hope of seeing you.
In actual fact, give all blind turns a large berth, be they on the bike path or vehicles turning into your highway at a pointy angle and so forth. If you happen to at all times assume there’s somebody coming round that nook at you, then you’ll by no means be unpleasantly stunned
Go 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 totally) or do a two half left flip, the place you proceed straight to the alternative nook and look ahead to the sunshine to show for perpendicular site visitors. Typically there’s a devoted area for bikes to take a seat by the nook to make this type of flip.
Don’t brake laborious with solely the entrance brakes – until you need 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 in case you are in site visitors, maintain your line and trip the pothole moderately than swerving into site visitors.
Get up out of the saddle when using over tough highway or potholes and use your legs and arms as shock absorbers
When going round a nook, maintain your exterior foot down (don’t pedal by sharp corners)
As a lot as you may, keep away from biking by damaged glass and nails

Bike Upkeep

How typically must you clear and lubricate your chain? Whereas there’s nobody proper reply, some counsel each 150 mi or as soon as a month
Verify your brakes: brakes put on away over time. If you happen to discover lowered braking energy and the brake pads look skinny it could be time to exchange them (if the brakes don’t look skinny attempt cleansing your rims or rising the strain within the brake cable)