Protective gear is incredibly important when it comes to bicycle riding. Wearing a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads while biking is extremely vital.
Riding a bicycle can be a lot of fun. It's also one of the best ways to get around town and save on gas money. But bicycle riders must always stay safe! In this blog post, you'll learn how you can ride your bicycle safely so that you never have to worry about getting hurt or killed while doing something as enjoyable as riding a bicycle.
Wear protective gear
Protective gear is incredibly important when it comes to bicycle riding. Wearing a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads while biking is extremely vital. Though most of these protective gear are not mandatory in countries like the U.S., wearing them can help prevent injuries that could potentially cause paralysis or death.
That being said, many people who ride bicycles do so without helmets which becomes an issue because almost half a million bicycle riders get injured every year. With head injuries accounting for three-quarters of those bicycle-related accidents.
Here's a list of bicycle gear you should wear:
- Helmet
- Knee Pads
- Elbow pads
- Goggles
There are a lot of cyclists in the City of Angels nowadays, but traffic is still a major issue causing frequent collisions. If you do get into one, make sure to find a good bicycle accident lawyer in LA who will help you get compensated for the injuries. The protective gear will help you a lot, but you can still suffer from the crash so be careful and find an attorney just in case.
Check if everything is working fine the bicycle
You have to check if everything is working fine on the bicycle before riding it. If you don't do this, there are chances that something might break down while you are out on the road and being hurt becomes a risk.
You have to check if everything works as expected:
- tires – air pressure;
- brakes – stopping power;
- pedals – grip with feet when applying force;
- chain/sprockets – no slipping or skipping
Checking all these aspects will make sure that nothing happens by chance during your bicycle ride. It also makes sense because fixing most bicycle problems isn’t very difficult and by doing so you can save money for expensive bike repair service costs!
Dress for the weather
If you dress accordingly to the weather, you will be prepared for any bicycle ride. When it's warm outside and humid, dress in breathable clothing to avoid excess sweat or overheating while on your bicycle ride. Also, make sure not to wear any bulky layers that may become uncomfortable when riding a bicycle.
If the day is overcast or there are strong winds circulating around then you should dress in protective bicycle gear such as a helmet, gloves, and knee pads. If it is raining outside then make sure to have rain gears available for your bicycle ride. In case of cold weather conditions wear several layers on top of each other so you can easily shed them off when riding the bicycle indoors or at warmer temperatures outdoors.
Always ride on the side of the road that faces traffic
You should always ride your bike on the side of the road that faces traffic. While bicycle accidents are rare, you never know when one could happen in order to ensure staying safe while riding a bicycle. If there is heavy traffic where you live or on your route, it is best practice to ride on the opposite side of the road as cars will be driving towards you with less visibility and at greater speeds.
Riding against traffic can cause other problems such as not being able to see signals like stop signs clearly which may lead to a car accident happening if they did not expect someone coming from another direction without stopping or slowing down first.
Obey all traffic laws
Obeying traffic laws should be your priority when riding a bicycle. It's important to be aware of your surroundings while pedaling, but you also need to realize that you are essentially sharing the road with other vehicles and cyclists who may not have as much care for safety as you do.
You won't be causing any problems by following traffic laws. In fact, you'll be ensuring that everyone else on the road is obeying them as well.
Never ride on crosswalks
Crosswalks are for pedestrians and cars. Pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks, so make sure that you are not riding your bicycle on a crosswalk if there is any chance for pedestrians to be crossing at that time. If you ride through the intersection with bicycle traffic signals, then make sure to wait until all cars have gone before entering into bicycle traffic.
Photo by renategranade0 from Pixabay
Now you know how to ensure your safety when riding the bicycle around town. Always keep your eyes open and wear safety gear. Dress according to the weather and obey all traffic laws in the area. If you do get into an accident, make sure to find a good lawyer. Ride safely!
Main photo by Дмитрий Макаров from Pixabay
