Staying Safe in Bike Lanes

Bicycle lanes, which are designated areas of the road for the exclusive use of bicyclists only, are located in many cities and towns and are recognized by certain signs, stripes, and other markings or symbols along the street. In many cases, however, bicycle lanes are a fairly new addition to the roadways and pose as a challenge to some communities during the stages of design and implementation, especially in areas where traffic patterns and complex intersections already put a strain on the demand for solutions to these circumstances. Plain and common courtesy for other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians can enable you to avoid potential hazards while on-the-road.

Your own safety should be your number one priority while utilizing bicycle lanes as you should be looking out for everyone else on the road; this is only one way to make certain you can avoid possible obstacles or potential accidents in which you may encounter. Never be too sure to count solely on others’ safety on the roadways, especially in those high-traffic areas where drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians can easily become distracted. Always be sure to pay extremely close attention exactly as you would while driving a motorized vehicle because you could easily discover a potential, yet avoidable threat to your safety. Selecting a route with less traffic may sometimes take a little more time to get to your destination, but it is more likely that a little longer route with less traffic can be a lot faster than a busier, shorter route – safer, too!

Using hand signals while you are turning are a must in order to further increase the chances that other drivers and pedestrians will see you and where you are going. While at an intersection, be sure to try and make eye contact with other drivers to ensure he or she sees you; a friendly ‘thank you’ wave after you have been given the right of way by the other driver(s) would be an added nice gesture as well. If you have a tendency to begin weaving back and forth as you look behind you to see if there is anyone coming, it would be advised to install rear-view mirrors on your bicycle; this way you can still keep track of who or what is coming up behind you while facing forward, keeping your eyes on the road. Finally, excellent bicycling skills and techniques play a vital role in staying safe on roadways, but it isn’t the only way to stay safe. Please remember to always be fully aware of your surroundings and be cautious no matter what the road or traffic conditions may be like.