Many of us will soon be getting back on the bike after several months of well, let's be honest, holiday binge eating. You may feel a bit awkward the first time you are back in the saddle this year and the bike fit may feel a bit off. Your helmet mirror may feel foreign to you - who put that thing there? Your riding partners will be happy to see you for the first time in months and will have lots to say while you are riding. These can all be distractions! The Education and Safety Committee wants to remind you to First and Foremost stay safe and avoid hazards. 

First we are going to show you a video that presents some common road hazards and how to minimize the risks. Remember as you watch the video that the Brits drive and ride on the "wrong" side of the road. So you should look over your left shoulder to see traffic....

Here are links to 4 other hazard articles we wrote back in 2016. My how time flies when you are riding a bike or writing about riding a bike safely. 

Avoiding Obstacles - 2016

Potholes, hand signals and bunny hop videos. And the last video is one of the best cycling accidents ever recorded. Or maybe the worst if you were the rider...

Crossing Railroad Tracks - 2016

Featuring our very own Joe Etzler as the model! Step by step instructions on how to safely cross tracks. One great video shows a rider in a very busy city successfully navigating tracks and then, of course, we show you a video of someone falling on their #$% because they didn't take it at 90 degrees like we all would. 

Animal Encounters - 2016

Dogs, Dogs and Deer. Lots of good tips. Great videos to show what can happen. The last video includes an assortment of unusual animals from all over the world. 

Other Hazards - 2016

Videos of Cracks, Grates and Rain. Sounds like a law firm specializing in bicycle safety. Check out the last video of a man meeting a bollard.

(A bollard is a sturdy, short, vertical post. Although it originally described a post on a ship used principally for mooring boats, the word is now used, primarily to describe posts installed to control road traffic.)