The Best Ways To Prevent A Collision From Behind

A car runs into you from behind. This is just what numerous bicyclists are afraid of the most, yet it's in fact not very common, making up only 3.8 % of crashes. It's one of the hardest crashes to stay clear of, since you're not usually looking behind you. The threat is most likely greater during the night, and in rides outside the city where traffic is a lot faster and lighting is even worse. The 3 bicyclists killed when struck from behind in Austin in 96-97 were all riding during the night, and at the very least two of them really did not have reflectors on their bikes. The best means to stay clear of getting Rear-Ended is to ride on very wide roads or in bike routes, or on roads where the traffic travels slower, and to make use of lights when biking during the night.

How you can stay clear of getting struck from behind:

1. Purchase a rear light. You absolutely need to make use of a flashing red back light if you're riding at dusk. Bruce Mackey (previously from Florida, now lead of bike safety in Nevada) says that 60 % of bike crashes in Florida are caused by bicyclists cycling in the evening without lights. In 1999, 39 % of fatalities on bicycles all over the country happened in between 6 p.m. and midnight. [USA Today, 10-22-01, attributed to the Insurance Institute for highway safety]

Bike shops have red back blinkies for $15 or much less. These kind of lights usually take two AA batteries, which last for months (something like 200 hrs). I can not mention this product enough: If you ride in the evening, purchase a rear light!

2. Put on a reflective vest or a safety triangle. First class reflective gear makes you a lot more noticeable even in the day time, not just in the evening. I had a pal ride far from me while using one in the day, and when she was about a quarter mile away, I could not see her or her bike at all, yet the vest was clearly noticeable. During the night the difference is even better. Bike shops have vests and triangles for $10 to $15. When you hear a motorist nearby, straightening up into a vertical position will certainly make your reflective gear more obvious.

3. Choose wide streets. Bike on streets whose outside lane is so wide that it can easily fit a bike and an auto side by side. That way a vehicle might zoom by you and avoid bumping into you, even if they really did not see you!

4. Choose slow-moving streets. The slower a vehicle is going, the more time the driver gets to see you. I browse the city by going through communities. Find out how to do this.

5. Bike on back streets on weekend breaks. The threat of cycling on Friday or Saturday night is much higher compared to riding on other evenings because all the drunks are out driving around. If you do ride on a weekend night, see to it to take back streets rather than arterials.

6. Purchase a bicycle mirror. Purchase a mirror and utilize it. If it appears like a vehicle doesn't see you, jump off your bike and get on the sidewalk. Mirrors are economical. Believe me, when you have actually biked with a mirror for a while, you'll ask yourself how you got along without it. My paranoia decreased 80 % after I installed a mirror. If you're not convinced, after you have actually used your mirror for a month, take it off your helmet and ride around and notice how you keep glancing to where your mirror was, and notice how dangerous you feel without it.

7. Do not hug the curb. This is counter-intuitive, however give yourself a little space in between yourself and the curb. That gives you some room to move into in case you see a big vehicle in your mirror approaching without moving over far enough to avoid you. When you hug the curb tightly you're more most likely to suffer a right cross from motorists that can not see you.

Post sponsored by http://www.Geared2U.com and used with consent from http://www.BicycleSafe.com by Michael Bluejay.