Check
the condition of your bike. Always insure that your is in good working order; tires, brakes, horn, and
lights all contribute to your safety when riding. A poorly maintained
bike is an accident looking for a place to happen.
Always stay alert to your surroundings. Remember SIPDE... scan, identify,
predict, decide, execute. Be aware, look for lane changes or merging
traffic. Use hand signals and turn lamps to indicate your intentions to
others. Check your blind spot before changing lanes. Be ready to
use your horn to let know others where you're there and be ready to move
quickly to avoid a collision. NEVER drink and ride. Your life is worth
more than a few beers.
Watch for obstacles. Be prepared to brake quickly,
using both the front and back brakes evenly. Swerving is sometimes
necessary, but don't brake and swerve at the same time... road rash
hurts! Watch for animals in the roadway. Try to avoid hitting the
animal if possible, but remember hitting something small is less painful than
hitting something big, like a car. Dogs love to chase bikes but don't
kick at them. You may lose control and that dog will have finally caught
one!
Riding in groups Always have a leader who is responsible for
watching ahead for danger and keeping the group on the right course. The
leader sets the pace according to the skill level of the weakest link.
Small groups are better since it's easier to prevent being separated. The
leader, or road captain, should go over the route, stops and hand signals with
the group before the ride. The road captain should also designate a drag
bike to bring up the rear. The drag bike is responsible for for insuring that no one gets left behind. As long as
the leader can see the drag bike, he knows the group is together.
Maintain a safe distance and put more inexperienced riders in the front of the
group can keep an eye on them. Don't ride side by side, stagger riders so
that a safe distance remains between your bike and the bike in front of you,
but keep ranks close.
