Guidelines – Other Safety Factors

You will find that cycling in a group is great fun but different from cycling on your own. To enjoy your ride in safety we would ask that you observe the following points when on a Stourbug ride:-

• Your cycle must meet current legal requirements.
  Your cycle must be roadworthy.
• Carry working front and rear lights when necessary or when requested to by the ride leader. By failing to comply, the leader could refuse to allow you to join the ride. Always make sure the batteries have sufficient charge for the full length of ride you are about to undertake.
• Wear light or bright coloured clothing, with reflective strips or belts so that you can be seen from a distance and at night. Failure to comply with a ride leaders request could result in you not being allowed to join the ride. Dark clothing is more difficult to see so the advice is, avoid it.
• An approved helmet of the correct size and correctly fitted can reduce head contact injuries. If the ride leader states that a helmet must be worn on a ride, they can refuse to allow you to join the ride.
• Get eye contact with drivers pulling out at junctions. If you do not, move to the middle of the road, after a shoulder check, and prepare to slow down.
• When passing parked cars, always move to the primary position to avoid being within the zone taken up by a car door swinging open.
• When pulling away from a standing start, use the lower gears to make the transition from stopping to moving a lot easier. Move to a lower gear before the junction so you are ready to move away with little effort. Being in a high gear in the middle of a busy junction can be dangerous.
• Do not scoot when moving away from a junction as this can be dangerous. Always start with your foot/pedal at the 2 o’clock position when you set off.

Stay Safe. Happy Cycling.