Riding a bike in the open street can be quite a treat. But many of us may miss out on this joyride as we are stuck in the city life, grappling with the daily commute. Given the constant traffic and congestion rise, navigating the urban jungle can be challenging. Like any other time you travel by road, biking has its share of risks. It is crucial to be aware of the common mistakes that riders make, potential injuries and how to protect yourself. In simple words, here are ten hacks that can make riding less stressful and more enjoyable.
1. Keep an Eye Out for Traffic Lights
First things first, always obey the traffic rules, no matter what. Whenever you reach the front line at a traffic light, ensure that you don’t stay there when the light turns green. If you do so, your vehicle is highly likely to be hit from the rear end. At times, even the traffic lights might not function properly, so rely on your judgement.
2. Always be Mindful of Your Surroundings
As a responsible rider, you need to be aware and alert of what’s happening around you when you are on the road. Watch out for not just other riders or drivers but also the pedestrians. Determine if your lane is clear to cross and whether anyone (especially a kid or an older adult) is attempting to cross the road in the middle of moving traffic. Don’t miss out on those with headphones or glued to their mobile phones. You’ll find them in plenty, and they can quickly get on your nerves. Stay calm and handle the situation like an alert citizen.
3. Slow Down Around Other Riders
With more and more riders on the road, sightings of accidents among them are relatively common. Bike collisions, even at slow speeds, can cause grievous physical injury to each rider. Such accidents usually occur when one or both riders ride too fast in congested areas. Therefore, drive safely and slowly around other riders. On a road with blind turns, it’s essential to reduce your speed as you approach the curves. A head-on collision between two riders at high speeds around bends can result in some of the most severe injuries.
4. Avoid Jumping Red Signals
It is always good to be a law-abiding biker; this can only happen when you respect those three lights on the traffic signal post. Those who disobey traffic rules and jump a red signal put their own life and that of others at risk, along with breaking the law.
5. Stay Away from Blind Spots
While riding, you often realise that there are certain positions and places where it is almost impossible to see the other driver in the mirror. Always ensure that you are easily visible in the rear-view mirrors of the vehicle ahead of you. If you aren’t, it means you don’t exist for the driver ahead of you. These spots are called blind spots and can lead to accidents if you ignore them.
6. Never Come Between a Vehicle and a Turning
In India, we drive on the left side of the road. Overtaking has to be done with caution. There should always be adequate and safe distance between the rider and the divider or, for that matter, a turning. It could be a fatal scenario if you were to get stuck between a vehicle and a turning. Although there may seem to be sufficient space between the vehicle taking a turn and a corner of the road, it’s always advisable not to squeeze in through that gap. It may lead to sideway collisions. More often than not, many drivers forget to switch off the indicators after making a turn. Watch out for such vehicles.
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7. Use the Turn Indicators
The blinkers attached to your bike’s front fairing and rear body panels exist for a purpose. Use turn indicators or blinkers whenever you want to make a directional change towards the right or left. Rather than extending your whole hand to change lanes, don’t you think it would be much easier if you were to flick the indicator switch with a finger instead?
8. Maintain a 2-4 second Following Distance
To avoid unnecessary collisions, always keep a proper distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. In daylight, the minimum distance you should keep from the vehicle ahead of you should be 2-4 seconds on the road. During the nighttime, however, maintain a distance of 4-6 seconds to gauge the vehicle’s dynamic movements.
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9. Ride in Open Zones
While stuck in slow-moving traffic, it can be quite a task crawling through the narrow gap between two vehicles. Just hunt for open zones in the traffic and brisk your bike in that gap with agility. This can help you find some extra space among the vehicles around you and a chance to vary your speed and use your bike’s power. Always maintain a constant speed to make your presence felt to others.
10. Don’t Get Worked Up by Others’ Mistakes
No two riders on the road are the same. We all differ in terms of our mental ability and intelligence levels. So be sensible enough on your own, thus positively impacting other riders around you. That way, you won’t be affected by the foolishness of other riders.
All in all, have a calm and composed mindset while riding your bike and, as far as possible, avoid overtaking. Keep your bike in good shape, including all the documents and ensure you update or renew your bike insurance regularly.
Conclusion
Yes, we all love to ride without boundaries, but we must be mindful of the people around us. Try being a role model as to why others should look up to you, as far as riding etiquette is concerned. Be firm on following all the traffic rules, speed limits and riding manners everywhere.
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