STREET SMART
BIKING
~A Student’s Guide to Smart Biking~
PRESENTS...
Smart
Biking
The great thing
about biking
when you’re a kid
is all the places you can go.
Biking is about
fun, freedom & friends.
And now more than ever, biking is one of the best things
we can do for ourselves, our community and the planet.
Knowing how to get around safely and well on your bike can be your
ticket to freedom.
Here’s what you need
to know about riding the streets...
Part 1: Riding Basics: Where and How
Part 2: Staying Safe: Stopping and Rules of the Road
Part 3: Riding in Groups: With Friends & Family
Part 4: Stuff you Need: Helmets and Lights
Part 5: Biking All Year Long
Where and How
Bicyclists should ride in a straight, predictable line
in the same direction
as car traffic.
Where to Ride
Under California traffic law,
bicyclists have the same rights
and responsibilities as motor vehicles.
VEHICLE
BICYCLE
Where to Ride
Ride in the bike lane when there is one and be mindful of obstacles like parked cars, trash cans or debris that might block your lane.
Where to Ride
When you see this symbol, a “sharrow,” it means a lane is meant to be shared by vehicles and bicyclists. The tip of the arrows point to where in the lane bicyclists should be.
Where to Ride
“Sharrow”
When there is no
bike lane and no sharrow, ride at least a car door’s length from parked cars so if a parked car’s door suddenly opened it wouldn’t hit you.
Where to Ride
Car door
length
Where to Ride
Faster traffic should pass slower traffic, when it’s safe, ON THE LEFT.
When there are two lanes, slower traffic should only be in the left lane if about to make a left turn.
Hot Tip!
Keep a close eye on windows and mirrors of parked cars, since movement inside
means someone in the car may be about to move or
open the car door.
If possible,
ride on streets that don’t get much car traffic, and try to use off-street bike paths
when you can.
Where to Ride
For “Getting to School” maps, visit San Carlos School District’s website.
Also, map apps offer ‘Bike Directions’ for bike-friendly routes.
Where to Ride
Predictability is super important on streets.
Everyone
should be able to tell what others are likely to do next.
That’s why following the rules of the road is so important!
How to Ride
Ride in as straight a line as possible as you follow the road.
Unless you SIGNAL or are in a turning lane,
others expect you to keep going straight.
How to Ride
DON’T weave in and out of parked cars.
It surprises drivers and other bikers when someone suddenly pops out from behind a parked car.
How to Ride
How to Ride
Bikes don’t have turn signals like cars.
HAND SIGNALS
are how bikers let others on the road know they plan to change lanes or turn.
Before you signal
to change lanes or turn,
LOOK over your left shoulder to scan for traffic. Then LOOK over your left shoulder one more time before you merge.
How to Ride
Hot Tip!
One of the best safety devices for bikes is the
BICYCLE REAR-VIEW
MIRROR.
MIRROR
Knowing how fast
someone is coming
from behind and if they’ve seen you
lets you know if they are going to pass you safely, or if you need to get the driver’s attention.
How to Ride
How to Ride
A rear-view mirror lets you track who’s coming up from behind without having to look away from the road ahead as often, which keeps you safer.
But even with a rear-view mirror, make sure you also ALWAYS TURN AROUND
to double-check the way is clear before changing lanes or turning.
How to Ride
RIGHT
WRONG!
When you turn around to look behind, it’s easy to accidentally SWERVE.
So PRACTICE off the street until you can look behind without swerving.
How to Ride
How to Ride
To signal a
LEFT TURN:
Point with your LEFT arm straight out to the left
To signal a
RIGHT TURN:
Point with your RIGHT arm straight out to the right.
OR
Raise your LEFT hand with a bent elbow
OR
How to Ride
To signal a STOP:
Bend your left arm down with your open palm to the back.
(No need to signal ‘stop’ at a stop sign, only when others aren’t expecting you to stop.)
How to Ride
Remember, NOT signalling
tells drivers, other bicyclists, and pedestrians you PLAN TO KEEP RIDING STRAIGHT.
How to Ride
Sometimes drivers (and bicyclists) FORGET to signal.
WATCH OUT for cars & other bicyclists who may have forgotten to signal.
How to Ride
The fine for forgetting to signal before turning or changing lanes is $238 in California. (Plus, for drivers, $1,000+ in higher insurance costs.)
Did you know?
2. Staying Safe:
Stopping & Rules
of the Road
Staying Safe
Most crashes can be avoided if you pay close attention to your surroundings.
One of the most important senses you need when biking is HEARING.
Legally, one earbud is allowed, but avoid wearing anything that blocks your ability to hear.
Staying Safe
Be really careful when you ride out of a driveway. LOOK LEFT, RIGHT & LEFT AGAIN
to make sure the sidewalk and roadway are clear.
Staying Safe
Cars parked on the street are hard to see around, so ‘inch out’ slowly until you can see around them to make sure the way is clear.
Staying Safe
IF for safety reasons you need to ride on a sidewalk,
WATCH FOR CARS
pulling in or out of
Driveways, ride slowly, and be ready to get off and walk around pedestrians.
Staying Safe
Staying Safe
Don’t ride faster on a sidewalk than if you were walking.
Be ready to walk your bike if there are pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Staying Safe
If the sidewalk is crowded you will need to
WALK YOUR BIKE.
Riding bikes, scooters or skateboards in a Pedestrian Zone is not allowed, please walk your wheels when asked.
Staying Safe
BLIND SPOTS
Staying Safe
Drivers have
BLIND SPOTS
where the frame of their car
blocks their view.
Don’t assume a car YOU CAN SEE has SEEN YOU.
BLIND SPOT
Staying Safe
Drivers have to STOP MOVING to really be able to check their blind spots, so a car that isn’t coming to a complete stop might miss seeing a biker or walker.
BLIND SPOT
Staying Safe
#1 Rule:
ALWAYS
MAKE EYE CONTACT
...with drivers before you ride out in front of them.
Sometimes in a bike lane traffic next to you will slow way down, and you find yourself in the awkward position of passing drivers on their right.
Avoiding
Accidents
Watch out for cars turning right across the bike lane!
Ride EXTRA carefully when traffic slows or approaching an intersection. Drivers sometimes forget to look for bicyclists on their right.
Possible Conflicts
Avoiding Collisions
Traffic law
REQUIRES
BICYCLISTS TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP
at stop signs, like cars.
Stopping on
a Bike
Not stopping completely
AT THE STOP LINE (before the crosswalk)
can cost you a
$238 fine as well as result in a collision.
STOP LINE!
Did you know?
Even if NO cars or pedestrians are around, bicyclists still need to stop at every stop sign...
Stopping on a
Bike
Pedestrian beacons help pedestrians CROSS BUSY STREETS.
They only come on when someone pushes the crosswalk button.
Pedestrian Beacon
What is a pedestrian beacon?
When the pedestrian beacon button gets pushed, the light flashes yellow, then turns solid yellow, then solid red. Flashing yellow lights mean PREPARE TO STOP.
Yellow Lights mean PREPARE to stop
Sometimes in a bike lane traffic next to you will slow way down, and you find yourself in the awkward position of passing drivers on their right...
Since drivers don’t expect anyone passing on their right, they may not see you & turn into your lane unexpectedly. Ride EXTRA carefully when traffic slows down.
Possible Conflicts
Avoiding Accidents
Balancing in place
Stopping on a
Bike
...but, if no cars are around, bicyclists sometimes stop by BALANCING IN PLACE instead of putting their foot on the ground. It’s called a ‘track stand.’
Stopping on a
Bike
Most cyclists don’t know how to do a track stand.
If you don’t know how to do one, put your foot on the ground to indicate you are stopping at a stop sign.
!
Stopping on a
Bike
Riders who are really good at track stands can balance upright in place indefinitely.
Stopping on a
Bike
The law says bicyclists have to stop at stop signs, and bicyclists have to follow the law.
My leg muscles are SO much
stronger!
My balance is SO much better!
The bright side of stopping at every stop sign is the OPPORTUNITY to practice your balance and workout your leg muscles. :)
Stopping on a
Bike
As you slow down to stop, SHIFT DOWN to a gear that makes it easier to pedal. Starting out is easier from a lower gear than a higher one.
Hot Tip!
Who should go FIRST at an intersection is decided by traffic RIGHT-OF-WAY RULES.
(“Right-of-Way” means who gets to go first.)
Rules of the Road
AT INTERSECTIONS & CROSSWALKS
PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, which means the right to go first.
Rules of the Road
Rules of the Road
A pedestrian is anyone walking, running, in a wheelchair, or on a scooter or skateboard that isn’t electric.
…aren’t powered
by pushing off with a foot, so electric device riders aren’t considered pedestrians.
If you are riding one, you must follow the rules of the road, like bicyclists & drivers.
Electric devices like
Electric scooters
,
Electric skateboards
When a bicyclist wants to cross the street as a pedestrian, they can use the crosswalk if they get off and WALK their bike.
This is especially important when crossing a busy street.
Hot Tip!
Drivers don’t legally have to stop for someone riding a bicycle in a crosswalk, but they do for someone walking a bicycle. Always make eye contact before crossing!
Rules of the Road
A bicyclist or driver who DOESN’T LET
A PEDESTRIAN GO BEFORE THEM at an intersection or crosswalk can be fined $238.
Did you know?
At a 4-WAY STOP (once pedestrians have crossed)
cyclists & drivers
get to go in the order of who stopped fully at the STOP LINE FIRST.
1. Cars & bikes get to go according to who arrived FIRST
Rules of the Road
When other bicyclists & drivers are at the intersection with you, putting a foot down when your front tire reaches the STOP line helps everyone know that you’ve ‘arrived’ at the intersection.
Foot on the ground
Hot Tip!
Drivers will often want to let cyclists go first at intersections, regardless who has right-of-way.
Practice letting drivers go ahead if they have right of way. Everyone will be safer!
Hot Tip!
Not all intersections are 4-WAY STOPS.
Look UNDER THE STOP SIGN to see how many directions of traffic have to stop, especially at Traffic Circles.
Rules of the Road
Cross Traffic Does Not Stop
2-WAY
If two bikers or drivers arrive at the intersection at the SAME TIME,
the ONE ON THE RIGHT gets to go first.
2. If arrive together, the one on the RIGHT goes first
Rules of the Road
If two drivers or bikers ACROSS from each other arrive at the same time AND both are going STRAIGHT, they can go at the SAME time...
3. If vehicles across are both going straight, both can go
Rules of the Road
...BUT, if one is going straight and one is planning to turn left, the one going STRAIGHT gets to go FIRST.
4. If across from each other & one turning left, STRAIGHT goes first
Rules of the Road
Rules of the Road
At this Traffic Circle only two directions of traffic have to stop. The cyclist must wait for the car to pass before entering.
(Roundabouts are similar except all drivers YIELD to traffic in the circle.)
STOP
2-way
Rules of the Road
Once cross traffic is clear, the bicyclist can enter the traffic circle.
Ride in the middle of the travel lane so no one tries to squeeze by and pass you unsafely.
STOP
2-way
Rules of the Road
Pedestrian beacons help pedestrians cross busy streets. They only come on when a pedestrian pushes the crosswalk button.
Pedestrian Beacon
Rules of the Road
When the pedestrian beacon button gets pushed, the light flashes yellow, then turns solid yellow, then solid red. Flashing yellow lights mean PREPARE TO STOP.
Yellow Lights mean PREPARE to stop
Rules of the Road
When the pedestrian beacon is solid red traffic must stop so pedestrians can cross. Solid red lights mean STOP.
Solid Red Lights mean STOP
Rules of the Road
When the pedestrian beacon starts flashing red it means traffic must stop, check to see if any pedestrians are still crossing, then proceed only if the crosswalk is clear.
Flashing Red Lights means STOP, CHECK if crosswalk is clear, GO if it is
3. Riding in Groups: With Friends & Family
When riding in a group on a lane shared with cars, you may need to ride single file
so cars can still pass you safely on your left.
Riding in Groups
Riding side-by-side should only happen when no cars are trying to pass from behind. (A rear-view mirror helps you track this.)
Riding in Groups
If you find yourself in a large group try to ride with no more than 1 cyclist next to you, or about the width of a car.
Riding in Groups
LEAVE SPACE between riders and DON’T OVERLAP WHEELS
with the rider ahead. If they move toward you and their wheel touches yours you’ll both go down.
YES
NO
Riding in Groups
To pass a slower biker on the street (or a pedestrian on a path) call out “PASSING ON YOUR LEFT” before you ride by them on their left side.
Passing on your left!
Riding in Groups
I know I’m fast…
I don’t have to prove it by speeding up.
No matter how tempting, NEVER SPEED UP when another bicyclist is passing. For safety, they need to be able to get around you quickly.
Riding in Groups
If you see a hazard in the road ahead
(like a pothole, rock, bump, glass, etc.), call it out and point down to it to warn the cyclists behind you as you go around it.
Riding in Groups
Each biker in a group is responsible for making a complete stop at every stop sign, and following the rules of the road...
Riding in Groups
Riding in Groups
...BUT, up to two bicyclists can STOP next to each other at a stop sign if they are RIDING TOGETHER and GOING THE SAME WAY.
BRAKING!
STOPPING!
Riding in Groups
When riding in a group it helps to call out “Stopping” or “Braking” as you slow down, so the bikers behind you can react more quickly.
You have the right to use the full lane and drivers can only pass when they have 3 feet of clearance.
BUT, If 5+ cars are behind a bicyclist, by law the cyclist has to pull over to let the cars pass.
Riding in Groups
4. Stuff You Need:
Helmets & Lights
Inventors created a helmet to look like LEGO minifigure hair. Someday, LEGO fans may get to wear their favorite LEGO hair as a helmet!
Did you know?
Meanwhile, a helmet was also invented that decreases your concussion risk in a bike accident by nearly 98%! And unlike LEGO hair helmets, these ARE available.
Helmets
Under California law, youth under 18 have to wear a well-fitting, BUCKLED HELMET when riding wheels like bikes, scooters and skateboards.
Helmets
A well-fitting helmet should feel snug but not tight and sit level on the head…
To fit a helmet, remember the
“2-2-2 Rule”.
FITS
SNUG
& LEVEL
Helmets
Not more than
2 fingers
should fit between your eyebrow & the helmet...
Helmets
SITS
JUST ABOVE
EYES
...the straps
should make
2 V’s
that meet just
below your
earlobes...
Helmets
STRAPS MAKE 2 �“V’s” JUST BELOW EAR
...and not more than
2 fingers
should fit between your chin and the helmet’s chinstrap.
Helmets
CHIN
STRAP
NOT LOOSE
When you shake your head the helmet shouldn’t wobble.
Helmets
DOESN’T
WOBBLE
Helmets
The protective material in helmets breaks down over time so they need to be replaced every 3-5 years for growing students. If you are in a bike crash, replace your helmet even if it still seems wearable!
Wear a helmet. Buckle it.
Protect your brain.
Also it’s the law.
Please don’t make anyone have to remind you.
Helmets
On a bicycle,
YOU ARE SAFER IF YOU CAN BE SEEN,
so wear bright or light colors when riding during the day, but especially when it gets dark.
Did you know?
When riding at night bikes are required by law to have a
WHITE LIGHT IN FRONT and a red reflector in back. Adding a RED LIGHT IN BACK really helps you be seen.
Lights
White Light-Front
Red Light-Back
Even a flashlight or phone light strapped securely to your handlebar will work as a white light on the front.
Lights
At night,
aim your front light slightly DOWN
so you can see the road and you don’t blind oncoming drivers. (The rear light should aim straight back though.)
Lights
Use can your lights in the daytime to be more visible, especially when rainy, foggy or during the winter months when the sun reduces visibility.
Lights
The BRIGHT setting on lights is great for DAYTIME, but the DIMMER setting is better at NIGHT, so you don’t blind drivers.
Lights
During Daytime use Brightest Setting
At Night use
Dimmer Setting
You can add stick-on reflectors to your bike and helmet to be seen better by cars at night.
Reflective bike tires and clothing help too.
Lights
Use baskets, racks and special bags called “panniers” to securely carry musical instruments, sports equipment or anything you might need.
Useful
Accessories
Secure large items
as needed with bungee cords.
Useful
Accessories
Make sure nothing dangles where it can get caught in the wheels or chain
Useful
Accessories
Dangling Cord!
Don’t carry items on your handlebars or in your hands.
You need both hands to steer and brake!
Useful
Accessories
Always lock your bicycle when leaving it.
Lock the frame and at least one tire to rack. A heavy duty lock, like a U-lock, is recommended. Practice using before riding!
Useful Accessories
5. Riding Year-Round
BEFORE each ride, do a quick safety check, called the:
“A.B.C.
QUICK
CHECK”
Riding Year-Round
A is for AIR
Squeeze the tires to make sure they aren’t low or flat.
Add air if they are, or ask an adult to help.
Riding Year-Round
Check the side of your tire for how much air it needs, every tire is different.
The maximum helps you roll fastest. Riding below the minimum can get you a “pinch flat”.
Riding Year-Round
Inflate to 30 - 50 PSI
(PSI stands for “pounds per square inch”)
B is for BRAKES
Squeeze the brakes to makes sure they stop the bike.
(Don’t ride if they don’t, or if you have to squeeze really tight to make it stop.)
Riding Year-Round
C is for CHAIN
If you are having trouble shifting or turning the chain it may need to be cleaned/lubed. Ask an adult for help with this.
Riding Year-Round
QUICK is for
“Quick Release”
IF your bike’s tires (or seat) have ‘quick release’ levers, make sure they are tight.
Tighten if loose.
Riding Year-Round
Quick Release Lever
CHECK is for “Check
Overall Bike”
To check for loose or broken parts, pick your bike up & lightly bounce it. Does it rattle? Tighten or fix if needed.
Riding Year-Round
Also CHECK to make sure you have sunglasses, water, rainwear, etc.
and start your ride slowly to make sure there are no issues.
Riding Year-Round
You can take your bicycle
on the bus and train to help get
you almost
anywhere you
want to go.
Taking Transit
If the bike racks on the front of the bus are full, bicycles can be brought INTO samTrans buses.
Did you know?
Thanks for learning,
Have fun on your bike!
Get more information about
Walking & Rolling in San Carlos
at the School District’s Transportation Page: https://www.scsdk8.org/apps/pages/Transportation
This presentation created by Sonia Elkes of
In close editorial collaboration with Rosie Mesterhazy of
Educators are welcome to copy and tailor these slides to teach bike safety in their own community.
Link: www.tinyurl.com/StreetSmartBikingEd
Email Sonia@sancarlosbikes.org if additional images are needed.
Extra Slides, as needed
In a pandemic, remember to physically distance when riding
--
Leave at least 6 feet between yourself, other riders, pedestrians & outdoor diners, unless you are wearing a mask.
← 6 Feet →
As long as you ride 6 feet from others you don’t need to wear a mask
BUT, carry one in case the street or trail gets crowded, or if outdoor diners are seated close to where you are riding.