10 TIPS FOR RIDING IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS 1.Look ahead & slow down 2.Look out for turning cars Look out for turning cars LookScan further ahead on the road and than what’s LookMost crashes out occur atfor intersections, so look out for directly in front of you and slow down if you’re drivers turningMost crashesleft or tuningoccur at right intersections, across your so look path. out for slownot sure whether down someone has seen you, or if turningdrivers turningcars left or tuning right across your path. they will give way to you. Scan for drivers indicating to turn, as well as those positionedScan to turn for drivers but not indicating indicating. to turn, as well as those ScanCommunicate further using ahead your on bell, the your road voice, than hand Most crashespositioned occur to turn at but intersections, not indicating. so look what’ssignals and directly eye contact. in front of you and outTry to for make driversTry eye to make contact turning eye withcontact left any with ordrivers anytuning drivers and ifright andyou if you can’t, slow, and be prepared to give way. slowWhen downriding close if you’re to moving not trafficsure orwhether parked across yourcan’t, path.slow, and be prepared to give way. someonecars, do so slowlyhas seen so you you, have or time if theyto react will to Don’tScan continue forDon’t drivers throughcontinue indicating througha gap in a stoppedgap to in stoppedturn, traffic as traffic well as givehazards. way to you. thosewithout positioned scanningwithout scanningfor ato car turn for coming a carbut coming through not throughindicating. in in either direction.either direction. Communicate using your bell, your Try to make eye contact with any drivers and voice, hand signals and eye contact. if you can’t, slow, and be prepared to give way. When riding close to moving Don’t continue through a gap in stopped traffic or parked cars, do so slowly traffic without scanning for a car coming so you have time to react to hazards. through in either direction. 3.Ride one metre away 4.Ride predictably from parked cars – don’t swerve or weave Ride one metre away Ride predictablyRide predictably – fromAvoid doorings parked by riding wide carsof the door zone, Avoid swerving or –popping don’t out swerve into traffic or weave which is the space about one-metre out from the don’tunexpectedly, swerve and keep left when or possible. weave side of parked or stopped cars. Avoid swerving or popping out into traffic Avoid doorings by riding wide of the AvoidHugging swerving the gutterunexpectedly, isor not popping always and safe.keep out leftIn into certainwhen trafficpossible. doorWatch zone, for people which opening is the doors space on the about left side unexpectedly,situations this invites andHugging drivers keep the gutterto left try is towhen not pass always youpossible. safe. In certain of cars stopped in the traffic lane, especially taxis. when there isn’t actuallysituations enough this invites room. drivers to try to pass you one-metre out from the side of parked Hugging the whengutter there isisn’t not actually always enough safe.room. If you can’t ride wide of the door zone, scan the On narrow streets move further out from the or stopped cars. In certain situationsOn narrow this streets invites move further drivers out from to the parkedWatch cars for ahead people for people opening exiting, doors slow, and curb to make yourselfcurb tomore make visible, yourself and more if visible, there and if there be prepared to stop. tryis traffic to pass behind you moveis whentraffic to thebehind there left move when isn’t to theyou actually left an when you an on the left side of cars stopped in the enoughopportunity room. to do opportunityso. to do so. traffic lane, especially taxis. On narrow streets move further out from If you can’t ride wide of the door zone, the curb to make yourself more visible, scan the parked cars ahead for people and if there is traffic behind move to the exiting, slow, and be prepared to stop. left when you an opportunity to do so. 5.Use hook turns at 6.Overtaking on the left traffic lights Overtaking on the left Use hook turns at BeBike riders careful can overtake onovertaking the left but must Hook turns on a bike are a great risk give way Biketo drivers riders canturning overtake left. on the left but must trafficreduction tool whenlights you need to turn right. give way to drivers turning left. onWhen athe rider and left driver arrive at an You can keep left, you don’t have to intersectionWhen side-by-side, a rider and driverthe one arrive in frontat an has Hookcross multiple turns onlanes a ofbike traffic are and a greatyou risk Bikeright ofriders wayintersection and can the overtake side-by-side,one behind on thegives the one way. inleft front but has right of way and the one behind gives way. reductionavoid having tool to wait when in the you middle need of an to The same rules apply when changing lanes. must giveThe waysame rulesto drivers apply when turning changing left. lanes. turnintersection right. for a gap in traffic. When a rider and driver arrive at an in- It’s importantIt’s important to remember to remember that it thatcan itbe can be BikeYou riders can can keep make left, a hook you turn don’t at any have to tersectiondifficult fordifficult drivers side-by-side, for todrivers see ato bike see the aon bike onetheir on leftintheir front left has crossintersection multiple unless lanes road signs of traffic specifically and you rightso assume of soway that assume theyand that mightthe they one not might havebehind not noticed have givesnoticed way. prohibit it. avoid having to wait in the middle of Theyou. sameyou. rules apply when changing lanes. an intersection for a gap in traffic. It’s important to remember that it can be Bike riders can make a hook turn difficult for drivers to see a bike on their at any intersection unless road signs left so assume that they might not have specifically prohibit it. noticed you. 7.Stop at every red light 8.Always have your lightsAlways on have StopNever run a atred light. every Obeying road red rules Always have like makes traffic more predictable and less when yourit’s dark lights on stressful for everyone. when it’s dark light yourYou must have lights a front white on whenlight and redYou rearit’s must light have darkwith a front you white Never ride through a red light. when riding.light Make and surered rear they’re light with you Obeying road rules like makes turned on notwhen only riding. when Make it’s sure they’re You mustturned have on a not front only whenwhite it’s traffic more predictable and less night, but on overcast days and lightin low andlight.night, red butrear on lightovercast with days and in low light. stressful for everyone. you when riding. Make sure A good guideA good is to guide put youris to put your they’relights on turnedwhenlights the on on whenstreetlights not the onlystreetlights whenare on. it’sare night, on. but on over- cast days and in low light. A good guide is to put your lights on when the streetlights are on. 9.Know how to 10.Don’t pass trucks or buses on the Know how to inside Knowcontrolcontrol howyour your bike to bike Don’t pass trucks Drivers often do the unexpected. Never ride up on the left or the inside of any large vehicle at an Drivers often do the unexpected. controlOn the road, ride withyour your hands bike orintersection buses or move oninto the the space in inside front of a truck – even if it’s On the road, ride with your hands a bike box – the driver won’t be able to see you. on the breakson the so breaks that you so that can you can Driversrespond quickly.often do the unexpected. Never ride up on the left or the inside of any large respond quickly. The major blind spots for a large vehicle are directly behind and On the road, ride with your hands vehicle at an intersection or move into the space in Learn howLearn to shift how your to shift body your body to the side. onweight the rearwards brakes sowhen that making you ancan front of a truck – even if it’s a bike box – the driver weight rearwards when making an Always maintain enough distance behind or in front of any large emergency stop, use your gears respondemergency quickly. stop, use your gears won’tvehicle beso the able driver to cansee see you. you. properly,Learn properly,controlhow to the control shift bike thewhileyour bike body while The major blind spots for a large vehicle are looking overlooking your over shoulder your shoulder and and If you can’t see the mirrors, the driver probably can’t see you. weightconfidently rearwardsconfidently ride with ride one when with hand. one making hand. an directly behind and to the side. emergency stop, use your gears Always maintain enough distance behind or in properly, control the bike while front of any large vehicle so the driver can see you. looking over your shoulder and If you can’t see the mirrors, the driver probably confidently ride with one hand. can’t see you..