Safety Guide

General Cycle Safety Tips (see hereunder) | Safety Tips For Female Travelers, read more...

Bicyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles

Bicycles are part of traffic

• Check for oncoming traffic before entering any street or intersection
• Ride on the left (South Africa), with the flow of traffic
• Use the lane furthest to the left that heads in the direction that you are traveling
• Ride in the left third of the left-most lane that goes in the direction you are going
• Take the lane if there is insufficient road width for cyclists and cars to share, less than 3.65m (12 feet)
  

Follow traffic laws

• Obey traffic control devices: stop signs, stop lights, lane markings
• Use hand signals to let pedestrians, other cyclists and motor vehicle drivers know your intention to stop or turn    
• Anticipate hazards and adjust your position in traffic accordingly
• Ride in a straight line – not in and out of parked cars on the side of the street/road
  

Ride safely

• Ride far enough away from parked cars to avoid hitting a surprise open door. Don’t ride in the door zone!
• Ride far enough away from the curb or edge of the roadway to avoid hazards and debris
• Check, signal and move into the adjacent lane if there are hazards in a bike lane
• Take the lane before intersections and turns to assert your position on the roadway
• Take the lane if traveling the same speed as other traffic or if hazards narrow the usable width
  

Bike Lanes/Paths

Courtesy   

• Yield to slower users, especially children
• Obey posted speed limits  for the safety of all users
• Get off the path when you stop
  

Announce when passing           

• Clearly indicate your intention to pass other users
• Warn other trail users in advance so you do not startle them
• Use a bell, horn, or say “On your right” or “Passing on your right” when passing
  

Yield when entering and crossing       

• Slow down before intersections and when entering a trail from the road
  

Keep Left           

• Stay as close to the left as possible, except when passing
• Give yourself enough room to maneuver around any hazards
  

Pass on right

• Scan ahead and behind before announcing your intention to pass
• Allow plenty of room, about two bike lengths, before moving back to the left
• Do not pass when visibility ahead is limited
  

Be Predictable   

• Travel in a straight line, except to avoid hazards or to pass
• Always indicate your intention to turn or pass
  

Be Visible

• Wear brightly colored clothing
• Make eye contact with motorists to let them know you are there (but don’t always expect them to see you)
• Always ride in or near a travel lane
• Stay visible by riding where drivers are looking, i.e., do not pass on the left
  

At night – conspicuity       

• Legally, cyclists must have a front white light and a red rear reflector and/or a rear red light    
• A bright red [blinking] light is much more conspicuous than a passive reflector
• Make sure that your lights are visible to motorists, and not pointing up or down
• Clear obstructions from the back of the bike that might block the light

Safety Tips For Female Travelers: 50 proven safety tips

As with all such advice, some of it may seem overly cautious, alarmist even. But the cliche holds: it's better to be safe than sorry, especially when you're in unfamiliar surroundings. By observing these commonsense rules, you can enjoy trouble-free and secure travel just about anywhere in the world.

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