Friends For Life Bike Rally - Rules Of The Road

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Rules Of The Road - And The Rally

Wednesday, 26 December 2007

While most Riders are respectful of road safety (and we appreciate that), it has been brought to our attention that there has been some questionable cycling behavior on training rides. We would like to nip this in the bud right away by clarifying our Rules Of The Road. While they are mostly based on common sense, some Riders may be unaware of our policies regarding gray areas such as riding double and stop signs, so please read this section carefully.

Give a little respect

Sharing public roadways is not a right - it's a privilege. By law, bicycles are classified as vehicles and so are subject to the same laws (see the Highway Traffic Act in our Cycling Safety & Etiquette article) Most drivers know this. So please consider yourself an ambassador for cyclists everywhere. Besides potentially causing an accident when you break the law, drivers lose respect for all of us and can become more aggressive as a result. Whether you think this is fair or not, it's easier to be play by the rules than widen the unnecessary divide between cars and cyclists.

If you ride carelessly with us, you not only make cyclists look bad in general - you make the Friends For Life Bike Rally look bad. On the way to Montreal last year, the Road Safety Crew observed some near accidents and received several complaints from drivers that were mostly caused by cyclists weaving without shoulder checking, blocking lanes and passing carelessly. Please note that the Road Safety Crew will remove Riders who are endangering themselves and others through careless cycling.

Rules Of The Road

DON'T veer into lanes without shoulder checking and signalling first. Never turn or brake without checking to see what's behind and next to you.
DON'T ride in the middle of the road. Stay near the curb - if there are parked cars, ride just far out enough to avoid getting hit by opening doors. If there are a series of sewer grates or parked cars, don't weave in between them - drivers may not be ready for your sudden reemergence in their lane. Instead, ride in a straight predictable line only as far out as you need to to avoid such obstructions.
DON'T ride double on streets with any car traffic. Ride in an orderly single line. While it is considered acceptable by experienced cyclists in certain situations to ride double, we need to take a no tolerance approach to enforcing this rule as we are trying to get 200 cyclists of varying degrees of experience to Montreal safely - we can't take any chances!
DON'T run red lights, not even at T-intersections. What's your rush? You won't save that much time and you demonstrate to drivers that you don't respect the rules of the road, therefore diminishing their respect of cyclists in return. And if that doesn't convince you, maybe a $155 ticket will.
DON'T coast past stop signs. Most accidents happen at intersections - never assume that the way is clear or that cars will see you.
DON'T block right turn lanes. When stopped at an intersection, don't block traffic by bunching up in the right lane - line up single file. If you are going straight through an intersection and there is a right turn lane (or off/on ramp), check to see that the way behind is clear, signal your intentions, and steer steadily into the through lane. Once in the lane, ride close to the lane markings on your right as if they were the curb.

You must know how to ride in as straight a line as possible so that cars or other cyclists can get by you safely. Practice on a deserted country road by riding with your wheels on the painted line (only if it's dry, road marking are slippery when wet) and try to look behind you without wobbling. Keep your hands, wrists and elbows relaxed to prevent swerving - even try whistling, it works! Focus your eyes 20 feet ahead to provide enough time to make smooth corrections in case something is in your way.

Please help us spread the word and let other cyclists know it's not cool to ride recklessly. By setting an example, you'll make the roads safer for the rest of us and ensure that drivers remember the Bike Rally as a great cause rather than an roadway annoyance!

We also ask that all Riders read the Cycling Safety & Etiquette article in the Training section of our website.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 01 January 2008 )

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