The following safety tips are applicable to all cyclists, but even more so for commuters who often ride on their own as opposed to in small groups.
Always wear a helmet. Apart from it being South African law since 2004, you never know when a dog runs out in front of you or a car cuts a corner in front of you and causes a fall. And as they say: If your head is worth R50, wear a R50 helmet...
Obey the traffic rules:
* Most cyclists get killed riding on the wrong side of the road or because they were not visible. Always have a steady white light on the front of your bike and a flashing red rear light between sunrise and sunset, and wear reflective kit.
* ALWAYS STOP AT RED TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND ALL STOP STREETS. And even if the light is green for you to cross an intersection, look out for motorists jumping the lights. Watch out for other road users at stop streets. Even if you are continuing straight at a T-junction stop street, there may be horseriders or people walking dogs in the area, and by not stopping, you could cause an accident.
* Ride in single file, unless you are overtaking.
General riding tips:
* Ride defensively but decisively: Follow the K53 principles and keep a clear space around you. Make it easy for a driver to anticipate what you are going to do (eg stopping your bicycle, turning left or right, etc) so that he/she can act accordingly. Ride in a straight line without swerving unnecessarily fromside to side.
* Indicate your intentions, and check if the driver has seen you. Preferably get the driver to acknowledge you before turning in front of a vehicle. A quick smile and a "thank you" wave also works wonders...
* Wear gloves. It improves grip on the handlebars, and may save some skin should you get into contact with the tar (most cyclists put their hands out to break a fall).
* Be careful: Ride as if you are invisible to traffic until you are sure a car has seen you.
* Do not ride in the gutter or close to parked cars. Be aware of drivers of parked cars suddenly opening a car door. Ride wide and take the lane if it is not safe for a car to pass you. Watch out for glass on the road, cat-eyes, drain covers, oil, sand etc, which can often be found in the far left of the gutter.
* Use lights (a steady white light in front and a flashing red light at the back) if you ride in the dark, dawn or dusk. In fact, consider having a flashing red rear light at all times, even in the middle of the day.
* Always carry identification with you. Programme the details of your next-of-kin into your cellphone under ICE (In Case of Emergency). Carry your medical aid details with you, if applicable. Have identification both on your bicycle and on your person, should you get separated.
* Do not use an iPod or phone while riding! You need to be able to hear approching traffic, or other cyclists who may be warning you about a problem. You cannot do so if you are listening to an iPod! Be sensible, and leave the iPod for the gym.
Where may you ride?
* You may cycle on any public road other than a freeway, or where expressly forbidden by law. This means, near Cape Town, that the Blue Route and M5 are OFF LIMITS, as are any roads that are signposted to be accessible only to eg official vehicles or goods vehicles.
* The law says you must ride on the left of the road, but that does not mean the edge of the road. Ride a safe distance from the edge to avoid glass, cat-eyes, manhole covers and drains.
* Be careful when riding past parked vehicles, as they may suddenly open their doors. Give yourself enough space (also see above).
Where should you rather not ride?
* Narrow, twisty roads without a yellow lane (road shoulder) often pose problems for cyclists because cars battle to pass cyclists and, when there is not enough space, "squeeze" the cyclists off the road. If such a road is part of your day-to-day commuting road - please take extra care and make sure you wear highly visible clothing. If you have a choice, rather choose another, sfaer road.
* Examples of the above include Constantia Nek into Hout Bay; Rhodes Drive (Constantia Nek to Kirstenbosch); Newlands avenue (Kirstenbosch to the M3); Main Road Kalk Bay, and the like.
* If you do have to use these roads, try to do so outside peak hours, and at all times ride in single file
What does the SA law say?
The National Traffic Act 93 of 1996 and the National Road Traffic Regulations 2000 promulgated on 17 March 2000 in Gov Gazette 20963 (as amended from time to time) includes the following bicycle-specific laws:
* You must be seated on your saddle
* You must ride in single file
* You may not deliberately swerve from side to side
* If you are riding on a public road where there is a bicycle lane, you must use that bicycle lane
Note:
Regulation 296 of the National Road Traffic Regulations 2000 states: “A person driving a vehicle on a public road shall do so by driving on the left side of the roadway … .”. Driving is defined in the Act to include riding a bicycle. There is no requirement to ride on the far left of the roadway or on the shoulder. The Road Traffic Regulations impose the same obligations on a bicycle as on a motor vehicle in this regard.
Regulation 298(1) requires a vehicle to pass a cyclist at a “safe distance”. A safe distance depends on many factors, one of which is the vulnerability of cyclists. A safe distance would be even further under particular circumstance, such as manhole covers or uneven road, strong winds, recumbent cyclists, steep hills, tandems, children on bicycles, which factors might make it more likely for a cyclist to suddenly swerve or fall. In Europe many countries have specified a safe passing distance of 1.5 meters to pass a bicycle. That distance should be increased by any of the special factors mentioned before.
In case of an accident, what must you do?
1. Report the incident within 24 hours to the SA Police
2. Send us an email with the following information:
- Date of incident
- Time of day
- Venue/place
- A brief description of what happened
- Your contact details
And if the Police don't seem to be too interested?
The SAPS may not refuse to open up a case in a criminal matter. Once they take the affidavit from you ,they have to supply you with a CR number. If they refuse to do so, you have the right to ask for the chairman’s name of that station's Police Community Forum (non-SAPS, consisting of normal community members) and report the matter to him/her.
Click here to read the full text of the Road Traffic Regulations. Note that the regulations on this website do not reflect subsequent amendments.
READ MORE
The British Department of Transport has an excellent web section called "Drive Safe, Cycle Safe" which can be reached on http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/cyclingandmotorcycling/drivesafecyclesafe . Some of their tips include:
What motorists would like cyclists to know
* Motorists get upset if cyclists ride without lights at night, ignore red traffic lights or hop on and off the pavement.
* Motorists usually travel faster than cyclists and may have less time to take account of hazards.
* Motorists may not always see cyclists.
* Motorists are made uneasy when cyclists seem hesitant, move out suddenly or wobble around potholes.
* Motorists can feel delayed by cyclists.
* Motorists don't always understand that some road surfaces, junctions or traffic conditions cause problems for cyclists. Read the rest.