How To Handle Traffic When Cycling

Share your road safety tips in the comments 🚙🚴

My top three rules of riding in traffic: 1) always ride as if the drivers cant see you 2) or won't see you 3) or refuse to see you

Making eye contact with motorists at side junctions etc makes a difference. See and be seen 👀

Take primary position (i.e. cycle in the centre of the lane) whenever you believe that the motorist coming out of the side junction, or the one behind you, or the one just about to get out of their parked car, or the one waiting to turn right across your lane, might do something dangerous. Some motorists will go on social media and complain about "cyclists in the middle of the road", but this is an driver education problem, not a problem with this type of cycling.

My favourite 10 tips: 1. Commuting is not a race. Ride slower than on your training rides and just enjoy it without needing to rush. Mistakes are more avoidable with time to react. 2. Stay out of the door zone when passing parked cars. 3. On cycle paths, slow when passing dog walkers (and say hi to the dogs!) - people are almost always appreciative of this and it costs mere seconds. 4. Where possible, do training rides out of busy areas - then you can enjoy the Power and Wattage and Smashing some Vs. 5. A camera is a great idea. 6. Hi vis works well in the daytime. Reflective clothing works great at night .Lights work well all the time. Assume you haven't been seen. 7. At the lights, when that boy racer Audi pulls up behind you at the red - and it's the only car behind you - pull to the side when the lights go green and let him race off before you go. Better him in front of you and causing someone else issues! 8. Never engage with angry motorists - not verbally, not physically, no gestures. Keep a clear head and concentrate on riding. Such people are stupid and dangerous and have a 2+ tonne metal weapon. It's not worth it. 9. Say thanks to other road users who show courtesy. 10. Riding is always more enjoyable than driving. When you're tempted to take the car, just remember this.

I would add that when signalling, always look over your shoulder BEFORE you signal. I 've lost track of the times someone has tried to overtake me close to a roundabout/ juction and nearly taken my arm off! I also go by 'assume every other road user is an idiot' whether I'm on a bike or driving. That way, I'm prepared for anything.

In California, if there's no dedicated (official) bike lane, the cyclist is supposed to get the 1st lane (w/the curb) and the cars are supposed to take the other one or two outer lanes. It's been on the books for 3 years now. Do you think the 4-wheeled nitwits know that?

Exert dominance by performing a stoppie at every intersection 💯💯

Rear-view mirrors changed how I ride in the city, Philadelphia, PA. It is very busy, and many drivers are unaware of traffic laws for bicycles, and some are outright hostile to bicycles. I'd never ride without a rear-view mirror. It may take only a split second to turn around, but that is too long in nasty traffic.

Knowing how to drive a car and understanding how drivers act and may react on the road is the most useful tool a cyclist can have imo. Makes it much easier to predict what a car/bus may do and also helps with how you should act on the road.

I have been riding for +20 years in traffic and here is some of my pro tips for new biker: 1) Signal for left/right turns. 2) For a full stop hands up flat like giving someone a high-5. 3) Be aware of your surroundings that means no headphones that stop you from hearing the traffic. 4) Eye contact with the driver through the car window or side mirror if they are about to make a turn on your lane and you want to go straight. 5) Respect larger vehicles such as buses, trucks and vans since they have A LOT of blind angles. (That is where no. 4 is good.) 6) Always make sure you can be seen on the road when the night falls - such as yellow jacket/360 reflection jacket, front and rear light. Keep on the good work :) and hello from Denmark.

1. Always signal at an intersection 2. Always pay attention to everything around you 3. If a car gets to a stop sign at a multi-way stop just before you, and it's just the two of you, stop pedaling and just coast for a moment. That will often prompt the car to proceed through the intersection. Then you can treat the now-empty intersection as a yield sign, you can slow down and roll through it, or you can stop and get right back going (I won't judge). All are better than the car just sitting there, making you stop completely to then wait for that person to go (because they never give cyclists any signal indicating their intentions). 4. If you approach a stop sign on a road with no bike lane or shoulder and a car behind you accelerates to try to force his way next to you with a few inches to spare, just move a bit toward the center of the lane and take your lane. If they wind up next to you at the stop sign anyway and there's no oncoming traffic, just keep going for your own safety. 5. Ride in a predictable manner 6. Use lights front and back

hat's off to anyone who can ride in traffic. I had to get on some back street with barely any traffic few days ago, that along was enough to freak me out.

Greetings from Singapore! When I’m planning a route I like to scout it out using google maps’ street view so I can see if there’s anything sketchy, or if the “quiet” road Bikemap is trying to take me has loads of lanes of busy traffic. And adjust the route or my expectations accordingly! Stay safe everyone, and be nice and courteous to everyone else out there!

Always map out a ride if there is a certain destination because there could be roads with less traffic

My experience from being a bike messenger, and cycle commuter: 1. Be predictable. If you're going to deviate from a straight course, signal your intention. 2. When approaching a junction with traffic that may turn into your lane, ride in the non-curb side of the lane. It makes you more visible, and gives you more space to maneuver if a collision seems imminent. 3. Never trust a car's turn signal. Make eye contact with the driver and signal your intent when you know they're watching. 4. Where possible, choose roads in your route that keep you close to the speed of traffic. 5. Ride with your head on a swivel. No matter who had right of way, in any collision, the cyclist always loses.

Great tips. I couldn't agree more to staying in the middle of the road when riding through corners to avoid unsafe overtaking by other road users😅. I use a side mirror as well, it's helps me see what's behind me all the time.

Make sure you are visible! My bike has proper reflectors, but also lights that are always on even during daylight (flashing).

Always good to give a thumbs up to motorists and drivers when they have held back and overtaken safely 👍

Nice video on how to handle traffic, but in every scene you guys are in all black kit, black bike. Being seen is surely a key point in remaining safe when out on the roads, colourful/fluro kit all day long for me, being seen is #1.