A bicycle can be a great way to get around town or further afield. You can save money over using a car, while improving your health and wellbeing in the process. You’ll likely also find it quicker for certain short journeys, especially those where you’d spend more time sitting in traffic if you took the car than driving.
Yet many people do not cycle because they are too afraid of the traffic. Their fear is not without reason – you are particularly vulnerable on a bicycle, and a lot of people are not that careful when driving. Even those who consider themselves courteous drivers can find it hard not to get distracted.
A two-way street
Cyclist safety is a two-way street. It’s up to drivers to stay alert for cyclists and treat them with the respect they deserve – such as giving them adequate room when passing. And it’s up to cyclists to ride within the law, just as other road users are expected to.
As someone who cycles, you can’t do much about how people drive – but you can certainly do some things to improve your safety and make it less likely someone will knock you off. Aside from riding within the law, you can try to make yourself more visible. Ways you could do this include:
- Clear, early signaling before a maneuver
- Careful road positioning to avoid getting hidden from view
- Using lights, reflectors and bright colors on your bike, luggage or clothing
Anyone knocked off their bicycle by a motorist will likely need to learn how to claim compensation. Showing you took measures to improve your safety gives the motorist’s insurer less opportunity to try and reduce their payout by shifting some of the blame onto you.