Riding safely, safety equipment, and safe places to ride.
6
votes
2answers
542 views
What should I consider when buying a respirator?
I'm using my bicycle to ride from home to work and back. Now I face a problem that the air is not so clean: dust, car exhaust etc.
So I'm thinking of buying a respirator (i.e., an anti-pollution ...
0
votes
3answers
411 views
Should I listen to music when I bike? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is listening to music dangerous while cycling?
Is it bad to listen to earphones while commuting? I have a lot of people tell me I shouldn't, but I find when I'm biking ...
6
votes
4answers
511 views
Babies on Bakfietsen: How young is too young?
When is it safe to transport a baby on a bakfiets? How does one know when a child is old enough for this?
By "safe" I mean, protecting the child's brain from damage due to road vibration, pothole ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it a good idea to get a narrower front tire and a wider rear tire on a road bike?
I am currently running Continental Grand Prix S 4000 in 23-622 / 700x23C front and rear. I am about to buy a new set of tires for my road bike and am fancying a smaller tire for the front and a wider ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
What are the accepted hand signals for cyclists in the UK?
see also "What are the accepted hand signals for cyclists in the US?"
7
votes
5answers
751 views
Is it more dangerous to use a bike lane or to ride in the road proper?
When I ride my bike, depending on which route I take, there are bike lanes and there are not - both routes take the same amount of time/distance, the only difference is the presence (or lack thereof) ...
5
votes
3answers
342 views
Are reflectors mandatory by the UK highway code?
I bought a set of mudguards recently, the rear one attaches onto the seat post.
I have a red reflector that also attached onto the seatpost, so if I have both the seat has to be too high and only my ...
5
votes
4answers
220 views
Which parts of a wrecked bike would be OK to use or sell?
A few months ago I was in an accident with a car on my way home from work (oncoming car turned left in front of me). My bike was severely damaged, the frame broke in two and the front wheel is bent ...
13
votes
5answers
511 views
How should I deal with bike messengers + others (salmon) riding the wrong way in a bike lane?
Frustrated cyclist "jegrgic" poses this question at the New York Cycling Club (NYCC) website.
They say:
When I see this, I want to just go over to the person and try to give them some common ...
3
votes
4answers
406 views
What statutes govern the directing of traffic by citizens in Massachusetts?
Are there laws or statutes governing the directing of traffic by citizens or "members of the public"?
A scenario I often encounter is one in which someone — typically another rider or pedestrian in a ...
7
votes
2answers
294 views
How much does an impact reduce helmet's ability to protect?
I read the answers to "When or how often should I replace my bike helmet?", but unfortunately none of the answers there cites any references.
Have there been any studies quantifying the claim of ...
3
votes
10answers
683 views
Safe cycling lights red but the man is green
At a standard road crossing, the lights have turned red, but the man has gone green for pedestrians to cross. What do you do?
Honestly in the situation I coast through as long as there is room. (i.e ...
48
votes
12answers
1k views
Is pollution a problem in urban cycling?
I usually ride a bicycle in Barcelona. I'm concerned about pollution and I take an anti-pollution mask. Of course, some people scream because they confuse me with Hannibal Lecter but currently that's ...
16
votes
7answers
588 views
How to convince fellow cyclists to follow the rules, like stopping at red lights?
I'm basically a year-round cyclist in Toronto, Canada. The popularity of bicycling as a form of transportation and commuting here has been growing over the past few years, and I'm generally happy ...
14
votes
10answers
1k views
Should I get a reflective jacket/coat, or more lighting and reflective strips for the bike?
What with daylight savings time ending and it now being pitch black by the time I finish work, I'm not exactly trusting of just a couple small lights on my bike being enough to make me visible to ...
29
votes
21answers
3k views
How can I make my bike (and myself) visible at night?
By winter I will be commuting on my bike at night. How can I make my bike as visible as possible to all car drivers?
8
votes
4answers
215 views
Supervising a beginner in traffic
Let's say you persuade some significant other to ride with you in the city. You both have good bikes, they are inexperienced, and you are (I am) used to commuting, including in traffic.
How do you ...
5
votes
4answers
500 views
Cycling traffic signs and rules in Germany
I'm over 30 and have just started cycling in real traffic, my first experience, as I have only ever ridden as a child in parks and such. I live in a university town in the state of Baden-Württemberg ...
12
votes
5answers
483 views
What to do after an accident?
This morning I almost witnessed an accident. I was a couple of hundred metres behind the incident but arrived at the scene when a pedestrian was picking a bike from the middle of the road, a ...
16
votes
9answers
5k views
Using a ski helmet for winter biking
I am cuirious if anyone uses a skiing helmet for winter biking? Would this be safe? Are skiing helmets designed to protect you from the same kind of acidents that you would have on a bike?
I am ...
11
votes
5answers
423 views
Most favoriable collision with a car? How should I act before collision, supposing enough time?
Suppose a car is going to collide with you. What can you do to minimise the consequences?
By collision I mean that it may be intentional or an accident. Anyway I am looking for tips on how to act in ...
13
votes
5answers
318 views
When accompanying children on roads - ahead, beside or behind?
When accompanying children (in my case roughly in the 5 to 9 range) on a moderately busy (by rural standards) road on our commute to their school I'm sometimes ahead, sometimes beside (at least the ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
What does a flashing yellow arrow traffic signal mean?
While bike commuting in an urban setting, I've started noticing that some intersections have flashing yellow turn signals during part of the light cycle. What does this mean? If I am on my bike in the ...
3
votes
1answer
127 views
Can the extreme heat from powder coating influence frame integrity of older bikes?
I just got an older frame powder coated. The shop that I took it to doesn't specialize in bikes. They mainly do industrial grade powder coating and perhaps a car wheel here and there, so I wouldn't ...
5
votes
4answers
284 views
How far do I “pull over” in a bike lane?
If I am riding down a marked bike lane on a road which is adjacent to the curb, and I need to stop for a very short time (e.g. to adjust something, turn on lights, or drink some water), how far should ...
4
votes
6answers
596 views
Storing bicycle helmets…will temperature affect the performance of the helmet?
I got into a discussion at home about where to best store our bicycle helmets. We store our bikes in the garage (a standalone, not attached to our apartment). So, logically and aesthetically my wife ...
7
votes
2answers
310 views
How could I have avoided this accident?
On Sunday I wanted to use my free day and I planned to do a half-day ride with my mountain bike. The weather wasn't really good, but at least it wasn't raining as the days before.
I rode up a ...
2
votes
2answers
600 views
Helmet Safety Standards Canada
I am looking at buying a helmet meeting ASTM F 2040, CPSC and EN 1078 safty requirements. Are these reasonable standards and will they protect my head in an axcident?
Are these standards recognised ...
3
votes
2answers
379 views
Speed wobble safe fall?
What's the best downhill safe fall if you're getting a lot of speed wobble, or you're on a really rocky course and lose control?
I noticed a lot of people try to slide the bike down to its side, but ...
8
votes
4answers
609 views
Is it generally the case that bikes are allowed to use the “full lane”?
Many blogs and other sources of information on cycling advocate "riding like a car" or "taking the lane" as a way to increase safety and visibility when riding on a road. But such advice presupposes ...
4
votes
2answers
174 views
Rules for rotary/roundabout?
Does a cyclist have the right of way in a traffic circle/roundabout/rotary (in the US)? Any tips for riding around one of these scary things?
This past summer, I was riding around a rotary (a.k.a. ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
Enhancing brake force with steel rims in wet conditions?
I currently own an old racing bike, that still has ripped steel rims and a side pull caliper brake. The braking power is acceptable when the street is dry, but as soon as it gets wet (even morning ...
9
votes
2answers
963 views
What do you do when a bus stops in front of you?
When a double decker bus stops in front of you, what do you do? Is it safe to attempt to overtake the bus?
22
votes
6answers
497 views
What is a good camera arrangement for city riding?
I would like to have continuous camera coverage while commuting on city streets, in order to have evidence in any collision. I have been experimenting with an ATC3K mounted on the pannier rack, ...
3
votes
4answers
337 views
Should I ring my bell before going around corners?
I'm in a town in Bavaria, Germany and the local custom with the more dangerous corners is to honk a horn or ring a bell. Will this actually make me safer?
Currently I am cycling in a half-urban ...
5
votes
1answer
350 views
Do cyclists make safer drivers?
Is there any research that suggests cyclists are safer drivers than drivers who don't cycle? Is there evidence to suggest the opposite?
Please remember this is not a discussion. Please include ...
7
votes
5answers
2k views
Is there such a thing as frame failure?
Several general questions have been asked regarding how long a bike or bike frame will "last", and the gist of answers seems to be that a bike can last quite a while of the replaceable components are ...
10
votes
2answers
699 views
Do liners or other hats worn inside a helmet compromise safety?
Is there any data or official (e.g. standards-based) information on the effects of wearing a liner, bandana, or other hat under a helmet?
Like many riders, I wear "headsweats" in the summer for sun ...
14
votes
11answers
569 views
Urban Cycling Safety Innovations
Portland, Oregon is one of several U.S. cities with a progressive bicycling culture. A couple of innovations the city has implemented are "bike boxes" and "sharrows".
Bike boxes are road markings ...
3
votes
1answer
3k views
What is the best Anti-Pollution Mask?
I bike everyday in Paris and I am looking for a mask with a particulates filter.
4
votes
5answers
1k views
Are runners allowed to use the bike lane?
This morning on my commute I encountered a runner in the bike lane I was riding in. This irked me because:
The bike lane was on a busy street, with three lanes of motor vehicle traffic in each ...
10
votes
5answers
3k views
What are the risks of untrued wheels?
I understand that wheels should be trued for efficiency. Are there any safety risks (or risk of damaging the bike) in using untrued wheels?
Are the risks different between wheels untrued left-right ...
2
votes
3answers
585 views
Why are frame pads no longer readily available?
When mountain bikes first became popular people were a lot more likely to buy a full set of frame pads than a helmet. Obviously helmets had all of the aesthetic appeal of a lycra covered fan-heater ...
11
votes
7answers
571 views
Why should I use a mirror?
In a comment to an answer about helmet replacement mention was made of a mirror and perhaps suggesting that a helmet was merely a good place to mount a mirror. I, hopefully humorously, suggested that ...
5
votes
6answers
418 views
Should the laws be amended to allow cyclists to run red lights?
Ignoring the question of whether or not cyclists should or should not break the law by running red lights, should the law be changed such that cyclists are somehow exempt from stopping and waiting? ...
38
votes
8answers
2k views
When or how often should I replace my bike helmet?
I’ve fallen a couple times, but no serious damage is visible on the helmet except for a couple divots here and there.
Should I consistently be replacing my helmet after a certain amount of time? ...
4
votes
1answer
386 views
What does this warning symbol on my pannier bag mean?
I bought a pannier bag which attaches to the rear rack with 3 quick-releases. Each quick-release has a sticker on it:
What does this symbol mean? My guess would be something like "don't hit this ...
18
votes
2answers
756 views
Do I really need to replace my helmet every 2-3 years if it hasn't been in a crash?
OK, I know from the top answer here: When or how often should I replace my bike helmet?, that I should buy a new helmet every 2-3 years, even if it hasn't been in a crash and shows no signs of damage.
...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Where can I find replacement pads for a bicycle helmet?
I have a Bell bicycle helmet that is probably two years old, and the pads for the front and sides have disintegrated from sweat and are now little more than pieces of fabric attached to the velcro ...
7
votes
3answers
428 views
What are the features that I should seek in cycling glasses?
I am seeking eye protection for cycling. I don't know if I should buy glasses or goggles.
