22^nd October 2018 by ingenie

Tips for sharing the road with cyclists

All road users - car drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, tricylists, unicyclists (not sure that's legal) and pedestrians - deserve to be safe.

But for cyclists in particular, busy roads can be incredibly dangerous. According to the Department for Transport, in 2016, 18,477 cyclists were injured including 3,499 killed or seriously injured in Great Britain alone.

On top of that shocking stat, more than a third of people killed or seriously injured on UK roads are those travelling by bike. That's not OK.

You can help cyclists stay safe by following a few simple rules.

In traffic

Keep a watchful eye out for cyclists in slow moving or stationary traffic. Because they can cycle alongside the traffic, you need to check that left mirror before moving.
When overtaking

It's perfectly fine to overtake a cyclist - sometimes they'll even help you out by signalling the road is clear ahead.

Just make sure you give them as much space as you would overtaking a car, bearing in mind that they might have to swerve out to avoid a pothole or other hazard.
When turning left

You know the drill: Mirrors - Signal - Manoeuvre. When you're turning left, you must check your left mirror to make sure a cyclist hasn't pulled up alongside you.
At junctions

Cyclists can be super speedy, so make sure you definitely have time to turn if you're just ahead of a cyclist. If in doubt, let them go first. You can always overtake when it's safe.
When opening car doors

We're all busy people, and when you're in a rush you're not always aware of what's around you. It may sound obvious but remembering to glance in your wing mirror and check your blind spot before jumping out the car could prevent a serious accident.

Do it often and it will become as automatic as checking your mirrors while driving.