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Ride Better Tips
Use these tips to learn the basics of safely riding your bike in traffic and sharing the road with cars.
Traffic Principles
- Always ride with the flow of traffic
- Do not ride on the sidewalk
- Allow yourself room to maneuver around hazards
- Ensure the lane is clear and free of oncoming vehicles before you move into it
- Always use signals to indicate your intentions to move position
- Looking behind you is a way to indicate to other road users your intention to change your position on the roadway. It is will also allow you to determine when you can safely navigate your move in relation to other road users.
- Traffic in your destination lane has the right-of-way
- Making eye contact with drivers lets them know that you see them
- Signal and make your lane change early, before you need to
- Position yourself in the right-most lane that goes in the direction of your destination
- Ride in the right third of the lane
- Avoid being overtaken in narrow-lane situations by riding in the middle of the lane
- Position yourself relative to the speed of other traffic
- Left-most lane is for fastest moving traffic, right-most for slower traffic
- Yield to faster moving vehicles by staying to the right in the lane
Where to Ride
- All 50 states say that people on bikes are to ride "as far to the right as practicable"
- No clear definition of practicable has been identified
- Always ride in a straight line; do not swerve between parked cars
- Give yourself enough room on your right to maneuver in an emergency
- Ride in the middle or right third of the lane if there is not enough room for lane sharing
- Slower moving vehicles travel to the right of faster moving ones
- Follow the same rules as motorists including yielding right-of-way and signaling
- Ride just to the right of the travel lane to remain visible to other motorists
- Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars, even if this means riding outside of the bike lane.
- If a lane narrows ahead or is blocked by a bus, establish your position in traffic early
- Avoid riding where glass and other trash accumulates on the right side of roadways
- Grates and gutterpans should be avoided by positioning yourself away from them
- Always cross railroad tracks perpendicular to the tracks
Lane Positioning
- Ride in the same direction as traffic; stay far enough away from curb to avoid hazards
- Ride in the right third of the right-most lane that goes in the direction you are going
- Ride in the middle of the lane if traveling the same speed as traffic or in a narrow lane
- Always ride in or near a travel lane; stay visible by riding where drivers are looking
- Wear bright clothing
- Do not pass on the right; motorists are not looking for other vehicles there
- Ride in a straight line, not in and out of parked cars on the side of the road
- Beware of cars merging into the roadway from a parallel parking position
- Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars
- If there is not enough room to share the lane
- If traveling the same speed as other traffic or if hazards narrow the usable width
- Before intersections and turns to assert your position on the roadway
- Do not ride completely to the right; you will be more visible 3-4 feet away from traffic
- Place yourself, so right turning cars and cars entering will be more likely to see you before they turn
- Be careful of motorists passing on the right around left-turning vehicles
Turning
- Before a turn: scan, signal and move into the lane that leads to your destination
- Ride in the right third or middle of the lane, as lane width dictates
- To cross multiple lanes, move one at a time, scanning and signaling each move
- If your lane turns into a right-turn only lane (and you’re not turning), change lanes before the intersection
- Changing lanes too late could result in an overtaking motorist turning in front of you
- Maintain a constant position relative to the curb or shoulder during a turn
- Most drivers do not always expect to see people on bikes in the roadway
- Do not ride directly next to another vehicle unless you are passing or slowing down.
- If you can't see bus, truck or car mirrors, the drivers can't see you
- Signal well before the intersection; make sure you are in proper lane position
- Left arm out and down with palm to the rear to indicate stopping
- Left or right arm straight out to indicate left or right turn
Lane Changing
- If you are familiar with the traffic patterns, be sure to get in the correct position early
- Keep in mind the relative speed between you and other traffic — plan accordingly
- Be aware of road conditions that would impede your progress across lanes
- If you do not feel comfortable or safe when crossing an intersection, consider dismounting and use the crosswalk
- Ride to red light then move to left turn lane if volume and speed do not allow crossing
- Look for traffic, pedestrians and hazards in front of you and behind
- Identify lane markings and traffic control devices for an approaching intersection
- Keep an eye out for bus stops, driveways, crosswalks and other special traffic zones
How to Avoid Getting Doored
- Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars: far enough to the left to avoid a suddenly opened door, even if it's outside the bike lane
- Never swerve between parked cars; use the outside of the next car as your guide
- Avoid riding on the right side of any stopped car, especially if it is near the curb
- As you begin to overtake cars in urban settings, always pass them on your right
- If you are traveling at the same speed as traffic, ride in the center of your lane
- As traffic begins to speed up, signal and begin moving to a lane on your right
- If a car stops in front of you suddenly, stop, look for exiting passengers, then pass on left
- Make sure that you stop safely before you release the handlebar to signal and pass
- Maintaining control of your bike is the most important task
- Before turning, look for potential obstacles in your destination lane, for example double parked cars
- When turning, take the lane so you don't get forced to the right of a stopped car
- Plan your turn so that you remain at least three feet to the left of any stopped cars
- You do not have to ride within a bike lane if you are avoiding a hazard or potential obstacles in your destination lane, like double parked cars
- Cars must not drive in bike lanes but bikes may leave bike lanes at any time
- Stay out of the door zone, even if this means riding on the edge or outside a striped bike lane
How to Ride in Bike Lanes
- Bikes are not required to travel in bike lanes when preparing for turns
- Always ride outside the door zone when passing parked cars
- Avoid bike lanes that you think are poorly designed or unsafe; alert your local government
- Avoid riding in lanes that position you on the right side of a right turn lane – if you are not turning
- Bike lanes should stop before an intersection to allow for bikes to make left turns
- Always signal as you move out of a bike lane into another traffic lane
- Report obstructions and poor maintenance to your local government
- Ride at least a 1-2 feet away from the edge of the road so that you can safely avoid debris that is in your travel space
- If debris forces you out of the bike lane, signal your move out into traffic
- Stay out of the door zone, even if this means riding on the edge or outside a striped bike lane
- Watch for brake lights, front wheels, signals and driver movements
- Position yourself in the field of vision of a motorist pulling out of a parking space
- Avoid riding in lanes that position you on the right side of a right turning motorist
- Move out of the right turn lane if you are not turning right
- Ride in the rightmost lane that goes in the direction that you are traveling
- Move out of the bike lane well in advance of the intersection; signal every move
- Position yourself in the rightmost left-turning lane
- Reposition yourself after executing the turn; remain clear of parked cars
Traffic Lights
- People on bikes, just like motorists, must obey all traffic control devices
- It takes longer to travel through an intersection on bike; plan to stop for yellow lights
- Avoid cars that run red lights by waiting for the signal to turn green and scan to make sure it's clear
- Bikes must activate a vehicle detector just like a motor vehicle
- Detectors are embedded in the roadway; look for squares cut into the roadway
- Detectors use magnetic forces to pick up vehicles, not weight
- Some detectors may or may not detect a person on a bike. Activating a crosswalk “beg button” may be a way to change the light but could require you to dismount to reach the button.
- In most states, after three minutes, you can treat a red light as a stop sign
- Pass through a red light only as a last resort and use caution
- Yield to other vehicles while crossing the roadway