Rider Safety Rules
When cycling in an organised cycle ride you may find yourself in a large group of people which you may not be used to. Follow these simple guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety.
- Team work – Give a helping hand. Watch for problems (loose straps, loose equipment) and help each other to be safe and enjoy the ride.
- Be predictable – Group riding requires even more attention to predictability than riding alone. Other riders expect you to ride straight, at a constant speed, unless you indicate differently.
- Communicate – Use hand and verbal signals to communicate with members of the group and with other traffic.
- Hand signals – Hand signals for turning and stopping are as follows: Left arm straight out to signal a left turn. Left arm out and down with your palm to the rear to signal slowing or stopping. And, for a right turn, put your right arm straight out (in areas where this is legal) or put your left arm out and bent up.
- Verbal warnings – Along with hand signals, verbally warn cyclists behind you of your changes in direction or speed. The lead rider should call out “left turn”, “right turn”, “slowing”, “stopping” etc. Announce a turn well in advance of the intersection so that members of the group have time to position themselves properly.
- Announce hazards – When riding in a tight group, most of the cyclists do not have a good view of the road surface ahead, so it is important to announce holes, gravel, grates, and other hazards. Indicate road hazards by pointing down to the left or right, and by shouting “hole”, “bump” etc. where required for safety. Everyone in a group should be made aware of hazards. However, not everyone needs to announce them.
- Change positions correctly – Generally, slow traffic stays right, so you should try to pass others on their left. Say “on your left” to warn the cyclist ahead that you are passing. If you need to pass someone on the right, say “on your right” clearly since this is an unusual manoeuvre.
- Watch for traffic coming from the rear – Even when you are occupying the proper lane position, it often helps to known when a car is coming. Since those in front cannot see traffic approaching from the rear, it is the responsibility of the riders in the back to inform others by saying “car back”. Around curves or narrow roads, or when riding double, it is also helpful to warn of traffic approaching from the front with “car up”.
- Watch out at junctions – When approaching junctions requiring vehicles to yield or stop the lead rider will say “slowing” of “stopping” to alert those behind to the change in speed. Each cyclist is responsible for verifying that the way is clear before entering the intersection.
- Leave a gap for cars – When riding up hills or on narrow roads where you are impeding faster traffic, leave a gap between every three or four bicycles. This way motorists can take advantage of shorter passing intervals and eventually move piecemeal around the entire group.
- Move off the road when you stop – Whether you are stopping because of mechanical problems or to regroups with your companions, move well off the road so you don’t interfere with traffic. It is usually best for the lead rider to pull forward in the stopping area and for other riders to pull in behind the rider in front of them. When you start up again, each cyclist should look for, and yield to, traffic.
- Ride in single file – Ride single file except for when you are overtaking another rider. Do not ride two or across.
General tips for safety
- Practice riding your bike until it’s second nature. There are too many other hazards to risk being distracted by starting, stopping, signalling, looking behind and gear changing.
- Cycle 1-3 feet away from the kerb and 3 feet away from parked vehicles.
- Assume you are invisible to everyone else - always plan your ‘escape route’.
- Your main visibility weapon is making eye contact with drivers.
- Anticipation is the most effective way to avoid the majority of accidents.
- Your hearing is better than the cocooned motorists; use your ears as an information source.
- You can buy a flexible orange reflector, which sticks out to the right on your bike to persuade motorists to give you more clearance. The ‘controlled wobble’ can help, as motorists will be scared you’re about to lose control of your bike.
- Look behind, then signal clearly before changing road position or making manoeuvres.
- Trust your feelings – if it seems unsafe, then get off & walk until you’re past the danger.
Key hazards to watch out for
- Never go inside large vehicles, especially juggernauts & skip lorries, they may turn unexpectedly leaving you few escape routes; add in a set of pedestrian guard rails, and it can easily be lethal
- Assume all the doors of parked cars & stationary taxis will open just as you pass.
- The gutter offers may surprises, which is a good reason to stay away from it: drain gratings can trap your front wheel, potholes breed there, & you’ll often find bulky objects (including pedestrians who’ve stepped off the pavement without looking).
- Rain attracts poorer motorist driving standards, makes metal inspection covers slippery,
- Approaching a side road on the left: You should move in the middle of the left hand lane - if you are turning left it will mean you do not need to swerve out, and if you are going straight on it will discourage left turning motorists from trying to overtake you.
- Traffic queues: when cycling inside/outside/in between lanes of traffic go slowly and be very careful - a car door may open in your face, a vehicle may take a sudden turn, or a pedestrian may be crossing the road - where is your escape route if this happens?
- Effective brakes are vital – do not cycle until they work properly.
- If a pothole appears just in front, don’t swerve out unless you’re sure there’s no vehicle behind; if you can safely do so, stand up on your pedals before you hit it.
- In the UK, cyclists are responsible for only 25% of road traffic accidents that they are involved in. Of these the most likely causes are: wet roads, bag/clothing caught in wheel, bike mechanical failure (brakes, chain falling off), cycling from pavement onto road, and collisions with pedestrians & animals.
Traffic Regulations
You are bound by the same road traffic laws as motorists. There are occasions when you may feel you need to infringe a traffic regulation in order to remain safe – you may have a moral right to do so, but the law will not recognise this unless the situation is exceptional.
And flagrantly flouting the rules of the road brings cycling into disrepute; furthermore, your actions may irritate a motorist so much that they may take it out on the cyclist behind you.
And flagrantly flouting the rules of the road brings cycling into disrepute; furthermore, your actions may irritate a motorist so much that they may take it out on the cyclist behind you.
How to pass horses safely
Sportive riders must remain particularly aware that they share the road with other users and particularly those who are also vulnerable such as horse riders. As a sportive rider we can presume that this danger will increase unless we all consider what action we can take so that any horse we come across does not take fright. Horses are often to be seen on small country roads and cycle riders will not necessarily be aware of their presence until they meet them, often round a corner. However, it is important that when someone in a group sees horses ahead that the following rules are observed: –
1. If you see a horse up the road, shout ‘horses ahead, slow down’ and use the slow down hand signal (as per the highway code)
2. Riders should avoid any screeching of brakes as this may cause the horse ahead to take fright,
3. Then shout up the road to the horse rider ‘cyclists at the rear’ and make sure that the rider turns round and acknowledges your presence,
4. Cyclists should then observe the reaction of the horse and rider in keeping the animal under control – if the horse looks erratic or confused in its movements then do not pass until it is brought under firm control by the rider. The rider may pull the animal off the road to assist,
5. Once you are sure that the animal is settled then each rider should file past in single file slowly, patiently and quietly without unnecessary gear clattering/changing. Remember to give the horse a wide berth as you pass and when no oncoming traffic is visible,
6. All riders should thank the rider for their assistance too – it helps us as cyclists to be courteous,
7. In addition, it is also advisable for riders to ride in smaller spread out groups rather than en-mass, as a large approaching group is likely to be more worrisome to a horse than a smaller approaching number of riders,
If sportive riders observe these rules then we will continue to gracefully share the road with our fellow participants in sport. Please remember that you have a responsibility as a road user to reasonably consider the safety of others at all times.
1. If you see a horse up the road, shout ‘horses ahead, slow down’ and use the slow down hand signal (as per the highway code)
2. Riders should avoid any screeching of brakes as this may cause the horse ahead to take fright,
3. Then shout up the road to the horse rider ‘cyclists at the rear’ and make sure that the rider turns round and acknowledges your presence,
4. Cyclists should then observe the reaction of the horse and rider in keeping the animal under control – if the horse looks erratic or confused in its movements then do not pass until it is brought under firm control by the rider. The rider may pull the animal off the road to assist,
5. Once you are sure that the animal is settled then each rider should file past in single file slowly, patiently and quietly without unnecessary gear clattering/changing. Remember to give the horse a wide berth as you pass and when no oncoming traffic is visible,
6. All riders should thank the rider for their assistance too – it helps us as cyclists to be courteous,
7. In addition, it is also advisable for riders to ride in smaller spread out groups rather than en-mass, as a large approaching group is likely to be more worrisome to a horse than a smaller approaching number of riders,
If sportive riders observe these rules then we will continue to gracefully share the road with our fellow participants in sport. Please remember that you have a responsibility as a road user to reasonably consider the safety of others at all times.
