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Safety Tips for Bike-riding in Boston

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Now that summer is in full swing, one of New England’s favorite summer pastimes is riding bikes throughout cities, beaches, and the countryside. Many love riding through Boston. With that in mind, it’s important to remember safety tips for bike riding in Boston. The city of Boston has provided a guide for riding bikes safely throughout the city:

 

In Boston, you’ll be sharing the road with people who are walking, biking, driving, and using public transit. Follow these tips to give yourself and others the best chance at arriving safely:

  1. Yield to Pedestrians
  2. Follow the rules of the road
    1. Ride in the same direction as traffic. Stop at all stop signs and red lights. Yield to people walking across the street.
  3. BE PREDICTABLE. USE HAND SIGNALS.
    1. Ride in a straight line as much as possible. Don’t weave in and out of traffic or parking lanes.
    2. Use hand signals to let others know when you intend to change lanes. Use a bell or your voice to let other people know when you intend to pass.
  4. AVOID THE DOOR ZONE. TAKE THE LANE.
    1. You have the same right to the road as people in motor vehicles. Always leave 2-3 feet of space (an arm’s length) between yourself and parked cars. You’ll have room to safely adjust if someone opens a door in your path or passes too close.
    2. If someone opens a door in your path, call 911 to report the crash
  5. BEWARE OF TRACKS AND JOINTS.
    1. Green Line (and other trolley) tracks and expansion joints present a unique danger. If your wheel gets caught, you’ll be thrown off your bicycle.
    2. Avoid lanes that have tracks or joints. If you need to cross, keep your wheels perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to the track or joint.
  6.  AVOID BLIND SPOTS. PASS WITH CARE. 
    1. Buses, tractor-trailers, and other large vehicles have huge blind spots. In general, if you can’t see the driver in their mirror, they can’t see you. If you must pass a large vehicle, pass on the left. Do not pass a large vehicle that is stopped at an intersection.
  7. WATCH FOR THE RIGHT HOOK.
    1. When waiting for a green light, it’s best to wait in front of cars. If you’re to the right of a car, try to make eye contact with the driver to be sure they know you’re there.
    2. People making right turns should yield and allow you to go through the intersection before they proceed. If they fail to yield, you could be caught in a right hook. 

If you’ve been in a bike accident, call our office today at 617-444-7777 for access to free resources, and a NO OBLIGATION, FREE CONSULTATION. 

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