This cycle smart video from the Road Safety Authority details essential safety tips for cyclists using the road.
Cycling is great It’s fun, fast, affordable, good for you and good for the environment It’s also very safe to, providing you stick to a few common sense rules Always cycle on with the flow of traffic and ride well clear of the kerb
You have as much right to your road space as any other road user So ride with confidence and command your lane Riding clear of the kerb will make you more visible to drivers and help prevent unsafe overtaking Again, wearing a hi vis jacket can only help in this situation
Be sure not to ride close to parked vehicles Leave plenty of room to avoid a door being opened suddenly which can happen at any time in busy areas Always check and pull out well in advance when you are passing
Try and ride in a straight line, rather than moving in and out Ride positively and decisively Make eye contact with drivers and other road users where possible Remember that all vehicles have blind zones Where the driver may not be able to see you
A good tip here is to look at the driver’s mirrors If you can’t see the drivers face, the driver can’t see you either That way you’ll know they are aware of you And they’ll be reassured as to what you’re planning to do next
Think ahead have a good look around you and clearly signal before you stop, start or turn You need to take extra care when passing a long line of stationary traffic Out of frustration a driver might make a sudden U-turn
So watch out for a vehicles wheels turning for advance warning of a manoeuvre You also have to watch out for drivers cutting across the traffic at junctions They can be harder to see in heavy traffic Don’t ride too close to vehicles in case they have to stop suddenly
And never hold onto a moving vehicle under any circumstances Never try to pass a large vehicle that is indicating to, or looks like it could, turn left Long vehicles need all the room they can get to turn And will almost always cut the corner Never assume the driver can see you
The safest thing to do is stay behind them until they have completed the turn Collisions in this type of situation count for more cyclist fatalities than any other Following these simple rules will allow you to enjoy all that cycling has to offer without the worry
If you are in any doubt about riding on the roads have a another look at the rules of the road which is also available online Cycle Smart. Cycle Safe.