A Bike Is A Vehicle

A bike is a vehicle. As a cyclist, you are expected to follow the rules of the road. Some rules and safe practices to remember when on a bicycle are listed below.

Obey ALL traffic lights and signs.
Use the correct hand signals for turning left, turning right and for stopping.
Ride on the right side of the road.
Allow only one person on a bike. Do not ride double or carry large packages on your bike.
Be visible. Wear bright clothing. Cyclists must be seen by motorists to ensure their safety.
Encourage children not to ride at night. If night-riding is unavoidable, use appropriate lights and reflectors.
Be predictable – other traffic must know how you intend to act. Signal turns and stops. Cyclists need to know what the traffic around them will do next as well. In this way, the road can be shared by cyclists and motorists safely.
Pedestrians have the right of way over all vehicles, including bicycles. Let pedestrians cross before you move through an intersection or a crosswalk.
Ride single file when with a group of cyclists. Call out stops and turns to the cyclists behind you. Do not blindly follow another cyclist through an intersection; each rider must decide when it is safe to go.
Cyclists should ride one metre from the curb. This allows a cyclist to be clearly visible to motorists and to avoid holes, debris, grates and other hazardous objects. Cyclists may move away from the curb when necessary to avoid hazards, turn left and pass slower vehicles or cyclists.
Cyclists should ride one metre away from parked cars. This helps avoid car doors that are being opened or cars that suddenly pull-out of parking spots. Cyclists should ride in a straight line from parked car to parked car and not swerve in closer to the curb between parked cars. This will ensure a cyclist stays visible to other traffic and makes predictable movements.
When changing lanes, plan the move ahead of time. Before moving, look over the shoulder on the side you will move to and check for traffic. Make a hand signal to tell traffic what you are going to do. Shoulder check again and wait until the path you intend to take is clear. Quickly move to the new lane of travel.
When turning right, signal the move while approaching the intersection or after stopping at the corner. Stop if the traffic lights or a stop sign indicates you are to stop. Cyclists must stop and wait for any pedestrians in the crosswalk or intersection to clear before making their turn.
When turning left, use the procedure for changing lanes to get to the left turn lane beside the centre line. Signal for the lane change and again for the left turn. After completing a left turn, a cyclist must return to the curb position as soon as it is safe to do so. Make a left turn only when the intersection is clear and when signs or lights allow you to do so. Remember that you are crossing in front of oncoming traffic and vehicles travelling from the other direction have the right of way.

NOTE: If an intersection is busy or looks difficult, you can always dismount and walk your bicycle across the crosswalk instead of changing lanes to make a left turn.

Stay safe on the road. Call Heritage Insurance, Ltd at (306) 693-7640 for more information on Moose Jaw SK auto insurance.

A Bike Is A Vehicle

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