When it comes to safety, many people believe that riding a bike is safer than driving a car. Nonetheless, the truth is that being on two wheels carries a certain element of danger as well. Yes – you read this right.
So, if you prefer cycling, you should know about the common crashes that can happen and that you have to avoid.
Crashing Against Parked Cars
Unless you are riding off-road or on a track, then it is inevitable for you to come across other road users, cars, trucks, etc. On that note, a common mistake that cyclists make is that they might ride a little bit too close to traffic when out on the road.
What typically happens is that it leaves cyclists with too little time to react to things, such as a car suddenly opening in front of them or even a car suddenly turning in the road. You can prevent these hands-in-the-face moments.
The best thing you can do is to look for indicators or make eye contact with other road users. This way, you will be giving yourself enough time to react if a car door opens. Instead of getting hit, you can always swerve around.
Nonetheless, if a car crashes into your cycle, causing you to get injured, despite you being careful, it is in your best interest to get in touch with a lawyer, such as the Alpharetta Bicycle Accident Lawyer, that is, if you reside in Alpharetta. Don’t wait – else the at-fault person’s insurance company can manipulate you into accepting way less compensation than you might deserve.
Hitting the Pedal Against Asphalt
Usually, you can get into an accident when cycling when you lean into a corner, bang the bike over, and start to pedal. However, at this point, the pedal of your cycle might hit the tarmac, which can send the rear wheel of your cycle into the air, causing you to crash.
The thing is that hitting the pedal against the road occurs more frequently when you are heading down those descents or you are trying to hit some sharp corners. It can even occur when you are doing a sharp change of direction.
You can try the following to avoid a crash: position your outer pedal at six o’clock and the inner pedal at twelve o’clock. By doing so, you will set yourself up further enough from the ground, and there will be no chance of hitting your pedal against the tarmac.
On that note, be mindful of giving yourself enough time and space to exit the corner before you start to pedal again.
Cycling on Bad Surfaces
When it comes to cycling, roads with bad surfaces can become the main cause of crashes. To avoid such crashes, you should scan the road ahead of you. You should be alert for any imperfections on the road. Subsequently, find a line that you can ride on to avoid the badly surface area of the road.
If you are riding your bicycle with a group of friends or other cyclists, you should try to have the other riders signal to you if there is a pothole or any other surface damage that you need to look out for on the road. Signaling is a great way of communicating when you have to keep your eyes on the terrain while riding your cycle.
This way, you can stay safe while cycling together in a group and enjoying it.
If you struggle with relying on other people, especially when you are cycling in a group – the best thing you can do is to leave a bit more space between yourself and the other cyclists. This way, you will have a bit more time to react to any emerging bad surfaces on the road, including potholes.
Getting Your Cycle Punctured
As a rule of thumb, you should try to avoid puncturing your bike in the first place. For instance, if you see debris on the road or right next to the curbs – even broken glass or potholes – try to avoid riding your bike over it as much as you can.
On that note, sometimes it is incredibly difficult to avoid a puncture. In such cases, your best option is not to panic and not to change direction, especially when you are riding your cycle in a group. If the air is coming out of the tires, you should try to keep the same line and not change from that.
If the front wheel of your cycle is punctured, you can try to shift your body weight to the rear of the bike. This way, you will be able to brake a lot more safely while taking off the weight from the front wheel.
When you find a safe spot to stop, you can fix the puncture and get back on the road.
Using Your Phone
Did you know that most accidents that occur on the roads are caused by phones? Bicycle accidents are no exception. You might be guilty of taking selfies while bicycling, and if you haven’t experienced a crash yet, you have been lucky.
The thing is that taking a selfie while riding your bike can potentially stop you from scanning the road for uneven roads or potholes. You need to constantly scan the road so that you can avoid crashing into a hazard.
If you pay no attention and send a quick Snapchat to your friends, it can be a quick way to run into a hazard and get seriously injured. Ideally, you should try to use your tech gadgets to an absolute minimum when you are riding your bike.
Using your phone will distract you, and before you know it, you might crash into a bush, a car, or a pedestrian. So, if you have an emergency and you want to use your tech gadget, the best thing you can do is to quickly pull over to the safe side of the road, check your message, put it back in your pocket, and resume your journey.
Ideally, place your phone in your back pocket so that all your attention is looking forward to where you are going.
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