Cycling provides a feeling of freedom and exhilaration like few other activities, but when you take your bike out on the road, it can feel like you have a bull's eye on your back. Angry drivers, snapping dogs, scattered gravel and broken glass all conspire to give you a face-to-face meeting with the asphalt. Following a few road safety rules will improve your chances of making it home with your skin intact.
Obey Traffic Rules
A bicycle must follow the same traffic laws as a car. Running stop signs and red lights is common practice among cyclists, but the rules of the road apply to bikes, too. Some cyclists will ride in the middle of the lane to hold their position, but drivers are not expecting a slow-moving bike and may collide with you if you try this. Aggressively holding your position on the road may be technically legal, but it angers the drivers stuck behind you. Ride with the flow of traffic as close to the edge of the road as possible. Signal your intentions at intersections or when turning. If your movements are predictable to motorists, it is less likely that you will end up as a hood ornament.
Be Visible
Motorists who have accidentally killed cyclists have a tragic and common refrain: "I just didn't see him." Do everything in your power to increase your visibility to drivers. Wear brightly colored clothing. Place reflective strips on your helmet. Use a flashing headlight and tail light, even during the day. Traveling in groups increases visibility, and gives you immediate help if you have an accident. When turning or crossing in front of a motor ehicle, make eye contact or even wave to the driver and be sure he acknowledges your presence in the intersection. You may have the right-of-way, but in a collision between a car and bike, the bike always loses.
Choose a Safe Route
Riding a bike on the road means sharing it with thousands of 2-ton steel missiles whizzing within inches of your bare, unprotected body. Pick routes with wide shoulders and low traffic volume. Seek out routes where speed limits are lower. If you can find a bike route through a neighborhood, take it. Even if you must ride farther, you are safer off of main traffic arteries. Avoid roads with potholes, gravel and other obstacles that can flatten tires, bend rims and send you over the handlebars. Parked cars hide pedestrians, and doors can open suddenly and force you into traffic.
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