What do you do to be safe while riding?
06-15-19, 02:06 PM
#26
Junior Member
A. my jersey is always a "more" vis color, I stay away from colors that blend in IE Black.
B. head and tail light. I notice the strobe on the front gets a lot of looks from cars at intersections. I also notice when driving my car I spot out cyclists from a much further distance if they have a light on, even in bright high noon light...
C. glasses. day and night.
D. I try to avoid high vehicle density road ways, and roads with a fair amount of traffic and tight narrow lanes. I get it, we have a right to be on the road but if possible I like try and not cause too much anger out there, we all have to get a long on this planet. Sometimes the best way to avoid trouble is to avoid it as much as possible.
B. head and tail light. I notice the strobe on the front gets a lot of looks from cars at intersections. I also notice when driving my car I spot out cyclists from a much further distance if they have a light on, even in bright high noon light...
C. glasses. day and night.
D. I try to avoid high vehicle density road ways, and roads with a fair amount of traffic and tight narrow lanes. I get it, we have a right to be on the road but if possible I like try and not cause too much anger out there, we all have to get a long on this planet. Sometimes the best way to avoid trouble is to avoid it as much as possible.
06-19-19, 10:53 AM
#27
Senior Member
Everything that's already been posted about dressing and lighting to be seen.
Ride predictably in traffic. Anticipate traffic ahead and behind you.
Choose to ride in streets with bike lanes.
If you plan to ride in heavy traffic, make sure the traffic is congested so you can maneuver instead of riding in heavy fast traffic. The congestion will prevent motorists from out-maneuvering and bullying you.
Ride predictably in traffic. Anticipate traffic ahead and behind you.
Choose to ride in streets with bike lanes.
If you plan to ride in heavy traffic, make sure the traffic is congested so you can maneuver instead of riding in heavy fast traffic. The congestion will prevent motorists from out-maneuvering and bullying you.
06-19-19, 01:50 PM
#28
Senior Member
High vis etc... all go without saying
But, for me, the most safe thing you can do when riding, for yours and others safety, is have good road sense/awareness and be able to cohabitate with motorised vehicles... To be good at that takes years of cycling experience and can't be bought off the shelf
But, for me, the most safe thing you can do when riding, for yours and others safety, is have good road sense/awareness and be able to cohabitate with motorised vehicles... To be good at that takes years of cycling experience and can't be bought off the shelf
06-20-19, 11:23 AM
#29
Senior Member
Get a loud horn. Loud in the store is nothing in traffic.
Keep your finger on the horn and be ready to blast it when you think a parked car is about to pull out or open its door. Be ready to blast it when you see a car approaching the intersection from any direction and it doesn't look evident it's going to stop for you.
Keep your finger on the horn and be ready to blast it when you think a parked car is about to pull out or open its door. Be ready to blast it when you see a car approaching the intersection from any direction and it doesn't look evident it's going to stop for you.
06-20-19, 01:50 PM
#30
Senior Member
Safe riding is mostly due to experience. You learn most from close calls...
But also a Zen-like state where you have no distractions (including conscious thoughts), and no emotions. Riding while either happy or angry is dangerous.
Dangers: what you don't expect us the thing that is going to get you. If I knew what this was going to be, then I'd try and prepare for it.
Hardware: I fuss a lot about my gear. I try and anticipate failure modes on my bike, and the potential consequences. My bike is regularly maintained and inspected. Some failures, such as with bars and stems, are potentially disastrous.
But also a Zen-like state where you have no distractions (including conscious thoughts), and no emotions. Riding while either happy or angry is dangerous.
Dangers: what you don't expect us the thing that is going to get you. If I knew what this was going to be, then I'd try and prepare for it.
Hardware: I fuss a lot about my gear. I try and anticipate failure modes on my bike, and the potential consequences. My bike is regularly maintained and inspected. Some failures, such as with bars and stems, are potentially disastrous.
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06-22-19, 04:11 AM
#31
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What do you do to be safe while riding?
I note that @Dave Mayer uniquely emphasizes prevemtive maintainence as a safety factor, as well as situational awareness. especially of unseen dangers.
I have previously posted earlier on this thread my safety mindset:
I have a Hotshot Pro 150 taillight, I wear a helmet, and most importantly: I pay attention. Situational awareness is more important than anything else.
This.
Safe riding is mostly due to experience. You learn most from close calls...
But also a Zen-like state where you have no distractions (including conscious thoughts), and no emotions. Riding while either happy or angry is dangerous.
Dangers: what you don't expect us the thing that is going to get you. If I knew what this was going to be, then I'd try and prepare for it.
Hardware: I fuss a lot about my gear. I try and anticipate failure modes on my bike, and the potential consequences.
My bike is regularly maintained and inspected. Some failures, such as with bars and stems, are potentially disastrous.
But also a Zen-like state where you have no distractions (including conscious thoughts), and no emotions. Riding while either happy or angry is dangerous.
Dangers: what you don't expect us the thing that is going to get you. If I knew what this was going to be, then I'd try and prepare for it.
Hardware: I fuss a lot about my gear. I try and anticipate failure modes on my bike, and the potential consequences.
My bike is regularly maintained and inspected. Some failures, such as with bars and stems, are potentially disastrous.
"Has A&S Changed Your Behavior?"
I'm a firm believer that experience is the best teacher and it does not have to be your own experience. Just as much can be learned from evaluating how others may have screwed up.
With this in mind, learning of the misadventures of others, as in A&S, can be valuable provided we really pay attention.
Now really paying attention is a large category…
I'm a firm believer that experience is the best teacher and it does not have to be your own experience. Just as much can be learned from evaluating how others may have screwed up.
With this in mind, learning of the misadventures of others, as in A&S, can be valuable provided we really pay attention.
Now really paying attention is a large category…
I have previously posted earlier on this thread my safety mindset:
In all fairness, I don't think there's anyone who's been riding for a long time, who hasn't at some time (or many times) ridden in that zone where the only thing separating us from disaster is favorable alignment of the stars. (Note the "us" rather than "him")
We all take chances and make mistakes, but fortunately life is"organized" with plenty of forgiveness. In my experience the difference between disaster and "whew, that was close" is millimeters and microseconds, and not anything we can take credit for.
We all take chances and make mistakes, but fortunately life is"organized" with plenty of forgiveness. In my experience the difference between disaster and "whew, that was close" is millimeters and microseconds, and not anything we can take credit for.
I try to keep safe with certain aphorisms in my head that come to mind to alert me when I encounter a situation where unseen dangers may lurk, such as “Like a weapon, assume every stopped car is loaded, with an occupant ready to exit from either side.” or“Don’t ride over an area (such as puddles or leaves) when you can’t see the road surface
…I was hit from behind by a “distracted” (? inebriated) hit and run driver on an otherwise seemingly safe and peaceful route. By good fortune, I’m alive and relatively unimpaired.
Over the past few months I have come to realize that my safety aphorisms (link), collected over the years by personal or vicarious experience, are my way of actively aligning the stars in my favor, to anticipate those unseen and otherwise unanticipated dangers.
FWIW, for my own information at least, my other aphorisms beside those above [see the link]:
…I was hit from behind by a “distracted” (? inebriated) hit and run driver on an otherwise seemingly safe and peaceful route. By good fortune, I’m alive and relatively unimpaired.
Over the past few months I have come to realize that my safety aphorisms (link), collected over the years by personal or vicarious experience, are my way of actively aligning the stars in my favor, to anticipate those unseen and otherwise unanticipated dangers.
FWIW, for my own information at least, my other aphorisms beside those above [see the link]:
- ,,,
- ...
- …
In addition, a rear view mirror is a paramount safety item.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-22-19 at 05:16 AM. Reason: added quote by Berner
06-28-19, 01:55 PM
#32
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