Road riding with a group can be fun and safe if done with common sense and courtesy. Below are some guidelines we all need to follow in order to maximize our safety and enjoyment while riding with our fellow cyclists among the motorized vehicles, pedestrians and roadside obstacles that we may encounter during the ride.
Stay Focused
Keep an eye on the road ahead and other riders around you. Be attentive of audible and hand signals by riders warning others of pedestrians, potholes, parked cars or other roadside obstacles. Anticipate sudden moves by other riders as they swerve or brake hard to avoid an obstacle.
Follow Traffic Laws
Obey stop signs and traffic signals. Blowing through red lights and stop signs is a recipe for disaster. Be alert for pedestrians, especially for children, who might suddenly dart into the street.
Ride Predictably
Make it easy for other riders as well as vehicular traffic to anticipate your next move. Do this by riding in a straight line, keeping a consistent pace and by not slamming your brakes. If you need to slow down a bit, adjust your speed by feathering your brakes.
Use Hand Signals
Use hand signals when you turn or slow down. Also, use hand signals to point out road hazards such as potholes, glass, parked cars alongside the road and other obstacles you might encounter during a group ride.
Be Respectful of Traffic
Avoid vehicular traffic by riding on the right side of the line separating the road from its shoulder. Be careful not to ride too deep into the road shoulder, as there tends to be debris like broken glass, rocks and other road hazards there.
Ride Single-file
Since most roads can barely accommodate a bicycle alongside motorized vehicles, ride single-file. Riding two or more abreast on most roads is a sure way to annoy drivers and could cause a crash if the rider next to you suddenly swerves in your direction to avoid an obstacle.
No Overlapping Wheels
As you ride in a paceline, avoid overlapping wheels riding with your front wheel next to the rear wheel of the bicycle in front of you. This way, if the rider in front of you suddenly swerves in your direction, he or she doesn’t take you down as their rear wheel smacks into your front wheel.
January 22, 2008
The information here has helped me alot as I am wanting to begin cycling.
Thanks.
January 4, 2009
I experienced the most bizarre road obstacle in a couple decades of bicycling on the first weekend of the 2009 New Year. The obstacle was a police motorcycle parked perpendicular to the curb on an extensive downhill slope in Newport Beach, California. I regularly bike up the steep hill to the Newport Coast, and time the return downhill ride at the setting sun. The road has a center divider, but no bike lanes and no traffic lines. The road is popular for cycling as a pathway from a Back Bay preserve to the upper coastline. Because of debris from trees on the roadway, I try to stay focused on just looking ahead and listening for cars from behind. A concern is how quickly the winter fog closes in at dusk. I was shocked to see a motorcycle sticking out on the roadway without lights. The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) officer was patrolling with a speed radar. I slowly passed him, and he looked at me intently. I hope that he realized the trade-off of a bicycle safety risk and ticketing a speeding car.