Happy September! What a beautiful time of year to be out and about on your bicycle, for a ride with family or friends or a bit of alone time. Greenways in Nashville are growing, but in traffic or not, bicyclists should keep these tips in mind for safety while riding.
1. Wear your helmet. The best way to protect yourself from serious injury.
2. Obey traffic laws. Just like you were driving a car.
3. Use signals. Be sure those around you know when you’re planning to make a turn.
4. The three-feet rule. This is one I didn’t know. When passing a bicyclist, drivers must give the biker three feet of clearance, by law.
5. Use bike lights and reflective clothing. The more visible you are, the better. Bike shops and stores like Target and Wal-Mart carry small blinking lights that you can attach to your bike and turn on at night. Make sure your bike has several reflectors that will show from different angles, and wear light colors or reflective clothing.
