that’s the mentality you have to have as a biker. their job is to protect you from themselves so do not worry about offending cars. Let them be offended!!
it’s much worse imo to bike on the sidewalk
3d ago
Related Recs
- Invest in bike lights and reflectors - make yourself KNOWN on the road
- Invest in a HELMET, better safe than sorry!!
- Bike lanes are there for a reason; if you have them, use them! Just like car traffic, the right side is for going, the left side is for coming back
- If you don't have bike lanes, stay to the right side of the cars and try to mitigate weaving between traffic - even if you're a great biker, the CARS are the unpredictable ones, and you can't be lucky 100% of the time
- ALWAYS BE ALERT, ESPECIALLY BEFORE MAKING A TURN
- TO PASS SOMEONE (pedestrian or biker), YELL "ON YOUR *insert side you intend to pass on here*" BEFORE YOU REACH THEM - BE LOUD AND CLEAR, RING A BELL IF YOU'VE GOT ONE, IF THEY DONT HEAR YOU, KEEP YELLING AND GO AROUND WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO
- HAND SIGNALS (as seen on attached image) are KEY for communicating with other bikers and drivers! Learn them and use them to better telegraph your intentions to other people on the road!
- Stay OFF the sidewalk as much as you can! I know it's right there and it's easy, but pedestrians are unpredictable too and it's there for them, not you
- Cars and drivers suck. If they start to ride up on you, play it safe and get out of their way. They can run you over and likely not even be charged with anything. If you get harassed at traffic lights, start recording with your phone and get a pic of the license plate in case they decide to do something dangerous for both of you
3d ago
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dont Feel bullied by cars and buses. Where bike lanes don’t exist, take Up as much space as you need to feel safe. And watch for potholes - they’ll ruin your day.
Apr 24, 2024
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i spent all summer being too afraid to bike but a week ago i was going to be late for an appt unless i biked so i just got a citibike and hit the road. it's scary in theory but it's actually quite nice. i rode along riverside so that if i felt intimidated by the cars i could ride on the sidewalk and if there were too many pedestrians i could switch to the street. i think ny drivers are more accustomed to sharing the street than suburban drivers. if they don't want to be behind you they'll just go around and keep it pushing. if youre worried abt being hit you could buy a helmet and learn the arm turn signals but either way after 5 minutes you'll forget why you were even afraid.
Sep 25, 2024
Top Recs from @its_just_kate
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at least casually. don’t delete the accounts but don’t have the apps on your phone either.
rediscover your love of reading thru the magic of recognizing titles strangers are holding on the subway. become a subway reader.
don’t use sound as an escape from your thoughts/feelings/surroundings. grocery shopping without headphones is actually kind of beautiful!
pick up a new hobby or two or three. one of them should be something you’re not good at, and at least one should be no- or low-cost.
never. stop. learning. the library, the parks and rec department, and nearby museums offer great materials already but also usually have free lectures or courses.
go outside more. like, a lot more.
(took this much less literally, so apologies if it’s not what you’re looking for lol — as a narcoleptic I have no tips on how to Not Sleep since Sleep is basically my job)
Sep 30, 2024
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destined in the stars
Jan 1, 2025
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keeps it funky, keeps it fresh! a book for outside, a book for downstairs, a book for bed, a book for the subway, a book for the bathtub…..
Nov 30, 2024