5 Rules Of The Road You Require

Knowing and obeying the cycling rules on the road are extremely important for us to stay safe. Why? Yesterday, when I was going home on my bike and there was a girl, about 15 years old, right in front of me. She was riding at a rather slow speed and there was no sign saying that she was going to take a turn. At that time I was in a rush, so in that condition, I quickly decided to overtake her. So, I rang the bell and when I was speeding up and about to overtake her on her left side, she suddenly turned left, even without a look at people behind her.

I was so shocked and she had caught me on the hop. And there, we bumped into each other. Fortunately, none of us was badly hurt but only a few bruises.

I was so angry about it. How could the girl suddenly take a turn without a sign, and even without a look at others behind? How dangerous it can be if there was a big truck behind her and the truck was going to speed up!

So I was literally aware that how important for us to know and obey the rules of the road to keep away from dangerous situations.

So, there are several cycling rules as followed I gathered, I really hope everyone can take our safety seriously and stay safe and sound all the time.

1.Be prepared before your ride.

Make sure to check your bike before starting. Ask yourself these questions every time: if your brakes still work very well, if the tires are inflated, if the chain runs smoothly, if the height of saddle is suitable, if your quick- release level is down and locked, if you take some tools or supplies with you in case of emergency, if you take a helmet with you to protect your head and if it’s properly adjusted, if you take some snacks and water with you to stay fueled.

2.Make yourself be seen.

Not only at night, but also at daytime, it’s of vital importance to make sure you are visible as much as you can. Maybe you have tried everything you can to stay safe, but if the drivers can’t see you, you are still in a dangerous situation. The more you can’t be seen, the more dangerous you are.

Then here comes the problem: how to make ourselves be seen when cycling. The first thing is to wear bright clothing, such as traffic police clothes and sanitation workers’ clothes. These clothes are fluorescent green-yellow or fluorescent orange which are easily be seen. If you ride at night, you can wear reflective material on clothing, shoes and helmet. Don’t forget to use the light or reflectors to make yourself be seen better.

What is more, we should make sure that the drivers see you. For example, you should never too close to a track whose headstock is very high and if you get too close, you will go into their blind spot, which puts you in a dangerous situation. You can also move a little bit to indicate your existence instead of just standing still. Making eye contact with drivers when you get close is a good idea or you can just shout out loud if you are not sure if they saw you.

3.Obeying the traffic law.

We ride on the road where there are amounts of people. Everyone should obey the traffic laws at any time. For example, even you are riding at midnight even though there are few people and car there, you should never run the red light. You will never know what will happen the next second. If everyone in the world can actually obey the traffic laws, there won’t be so many car accidents.

According to Road Crash Statistics, nearly 1.3 million people die because of road crashes every year, on average 3,287 deaths a day. Additionally, 20-50 million people are injured or disabled. More than half of all road traffic deaths occur among young adults ages 15-44. what a shocking data.

As a matter of fact, cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. Only everyone obeying traffic laws can we actually stay safe and sound.

4.Cycling predictable.

Cycling predictable is to say let people behind or around you know what you are going to do. If you are going to turn left, Straighten your left hand and point to the left side, vice versa. But before turning, quickly check things behind you if it’s okay to turn or change lanes. If you want other cyclists behind you to draft, you should pat your butt to indicate which side they should draft. And if you want to stop, place your hand, palm turned out, on the small of your back. But keep in mind that don’t swing around as people behind you may get confused.whatever you do, signal yourself and make others clear.

5.Anticipate what others will do next.

Thinking ahead and making a correct decision are very important. Watch their signals carefully and react in time to avoid bad things happen. For example, there is a car in front of you and its left - hand indicator is flashing, it’s going to turn left and at the point, you should not ride on its left side with your speed up, but to slow down a bit or turn to its right side. Watch their signals carefully do react quickly and correctly. You may see some people doesn’t follow the rules, keep away from them to stay safe.

How complicated and boring these things are, you may think, and we will lose the fun of cycling because of that. Fun is important, of course, but without the premise of our safety, there is no chance for us to fully enjoy ourselves. Originally, only one life, for whom are precious. We can’t be too careful about our life. To cherish our life, be sure to follow these rules on the road and enjoy every moment of your ride.