- Consider making a checklist and referring to it each ride so you don’t forget things.
- Occasionally you will crash your bicycle. It will happen! Wear a helmet.
- It’s easier to crash when you’re carrying cargo, particularly cargo carried on top of your rack or in a backpack.
- Consider putting cargo in pannier bags instead to lower your center of gravity and reduce the risk of tipping over.
- Find ways to help drivers see you:
- During the day, consider blinking or strobing lights. Be considerate with these: in some conditions and situations, some blinking lights are too powerful and should be avoided.
- Also, be aware that many drivers are secretly asleep and will not see you even if you run strobe lights. They will not yield to your right-of-way. So, ride defensively!
- Nightime tips:
- Use steady lights or dim blinking. Never brightly strobing!
- Consider reflective clothing and reflective tape for the bike! These work even if your batteries die during the trip.
- Consider a mirror that attaches to your glasses or helmet. These make it very easy to see what’s behind you and work much, much better than mirrors mounted on the handlebars.
- To trigger traffic sensors, look for straight cuts in the pavement near the stop line. Try stopping in different places relative to these cuts. For example, at one local light I can trigger the sensor only by stopping on the center of three parallel cuts.
- At least around here, some lights simply will not trigger.
- If you stop at a light that won’t trigger, be mindful of motorists: they may stop too far behind you in a place that does not trigger the sensor, either. Most people don’t understand how the light sensors work.
- Sprinkles and light rain can make roads extremely slippery. Heavy rain washes the oil away and improves traction.
Cycling in the Suburbs 