Friday 15 May 2020

Obeying the new rules of the road


Even though the weather these past few days has felt more like fall than spring (brrr), it is bike season—and in these times of "staying safe at home" it's one of the activities you can do by yourself, or with your entire family. (As long as you already have bikes. Dad went to buy Mom a new one for Mother's Day and they're sold out everywhere.)

I'm well versed in bike safety—these six rules are pretty standard:

  1. Before you head out, check your tire pressure, brakes, gears, lights, horns and reflective devices to make sure everything works—or ask an adult to help you with all those details.
  2. Check your helmet to make sure it still fits. Wear a helmet—with the straps done up and everything. It could save your life!
  3. Know your hand signals, and use them.
  4. Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, not against it.
  5. If you’re heading out in the early morning, or coming home at dusk, wear bright clothing.
  6. Map out your route and look for side streets or designated bike paths where possible.
You probably know all of that stuff already, but this year, there are two additional rules to consider: 
  1. Keep your distance. The six-foot / two meter rule still applies, so make sure you give others a wide birth. Avoid busy paths at busy times of the day, and use your bell to let people know you're coming so they can step out of the way to let you pass. 
  2. Keep it in the family. Now is not the time to be out riding with your friends—we're not quite there yet. I know it's hard, but the safer we are now, the sooner we can back to normal, right?

Gotta jet! Happy riding—and have a great long weekend. The weather is supposed to be great.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

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