- Follow the rules of the road, ride in the direction of traffic and avoid sidewalk riding. Younger riders should ride on sidewalks until their parents say OK. Realize each driveway is a potential intersection with a car, so being on the road, you are more visible and expected. Plus, bike/ebike riders have a right to be on the road.
- Bicyclists are part of traffic; sometimes, a bike may use the full lane when it is too narrow to share.
- Keep 3 C’s in mind – Courtesy, Communication, and Common Sense
- Wear a helmet and buckle the strap – your brain matters! Ask a friend, parent, or local bike shop staff to check that it is adjusted properly for a snug fit. Do not leave your helmet out in the sun; if you crash or the helmet is damaged, REPLACE IT !!!
- If you have a passenger on your bike, that person is your friend, and you are responsible for them. Make sure your ebike is one that is set up for a passenger. More than 1 passenger is not a good idea or appropriate unless you are an adult with a cargo bike set up for multiple young passengers.
- Keep your tires pumped up to avoid flats, and for ebikes, keep your battery charged so you do not run out of juice.
- Use both brakes when slowing and stopping, not just the right (rear) brake. Maintain your bike and support our local bike shops.
- Be PREDICTABLE. Your position on the roadway should communicate your intentions, and you should always strive to be visible. At an intersection, ride in the left lane when turning left. Position yourself in the through lane when going straight. And ride in the right turn lane if you are turning right.
- Use hand signals. Point to tell others when and in what direction you are turning. Signal when changing lanes, like moving left for a left turn.
- Awareness is everything, so please stay off your phone, no earbuds, and look around to assess what is happening.
- Make eye contact with other riders, pedestrians, and motorists > let’s look out for each other.
- Be Bright, Be Seen > Wear something brightly colored (shirt, backpack, etc), add a brightly colored bag/basket to your bike, and more. Please don’t be a ninja dressed in black from head to toe and on a black bike. PLEASE!
- Lock your bike always. It costs money, and you need to protect your bike so it’s still there when you return to it.
- Talk with your parents about Traffic Laws and Rules of the Road. If you have not completed driver’s education, you do have a lot to learn—like ‘first come, first serve,’ who has the right of way at a four-way stop, and why it is important to take a pause when a red traffic light turns green so that you do not jump out in the intersection and get hit by a red light runner.
One more mention for e-bikes: pedaling is fun and good for your health. It’s best to pedal rather than just use your throttle. Putting your feet on your pedals, pedaling and being engaged as a bike rider makes you smarter, safer and more stable and helps build goodwill with other riders and motorists.
HOMEWORK WITH YOUR PARENTS: Go outside to your family car and talk about blind spots (actually show & tell with your son/daughter in the driver’s seat) and distracted driving. Talk about these Top 14 reminders and why it is important to be alert, make eye contact, look out for yourself, and follow the rules of the road to be predictable and safe.
Have questions and want to talk to someone with Active Transportation/Safe Routes to School experience? Contact Kristine Schindler at kristineschindler7@gmail.com. She is a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) working with the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, City of Encinitas, and North County schools > Let’s Keep our Streets Safer Together.
