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In Cycling Tip of the Week, we'll be featuring a weekly tip aimed at making cycling safer and more fun for you. Feel free to send us your tips as well.
When in Doubt, Use Your Voice
As any driver knows, whenever another car doesn't see you the best course of action is to honk your horn. Unfortunately, most cyclists either don't have a horn or bell on their bike or, if the do, they don't use it often enough. Either way, cyclists possess another powerful tool for alerting drivers to their presence: the human voice. And just as with bells and horns, cyclists don't make use of this tool as often as they should.
The key to being safe on the road is to be aware of potential dangers. Whenever you find yourself in a situation where you might need to yell—such as when you are passing a row of parked cars that might open their door into the road—prepare yourself mentally to shout, as people often get shy about yelling. A simple "Hey!" or "Watch it!" will do. In my experience, I have found that as soon as drivers hear a voice they immediately slow down or stop and look around. Don't fret about sounding rude—the only thing that matters is that you are noticed.
Air Horns Are Another Option
When my dad was commuting by bicycle to work he would use a powerful air horn. There are lots of loud, affordable models to choose from, such as the Honka Hoota and the Air Zound. Just as with yelling, don't be shy about using the horn. If you do have a horn, however, be prepared to yell anyway, as sometimes you don't have time to reach down and push a button, and other times you don't need something quite as loud as an air horn.
Situations Where you Might Need to Yell
Here are just a few situations where you should be actively prepared to yell or honk your horn:
- any time you see a driver on a cell phone, assume they are not paying attention
- when passing a parked car, especially if you see the tail lights on or someone sitting behind the wheel. Try peeking into the side mirror to see if someone is in the car and always maintain a safe buffer between yourself and parked cars. Remember, you are legally allowed to do so, even if it means taking up part of a lane of traffic. If the cars behind you don't like it, tough: that's the law, and it's the only way to avoid getting what cyclists call a door prize.
- If a driver is looking to make a right turn that will force them to cross the lane you are in. Don't assume the driver will signal—if you see the car inching to the right, get ready to brake, and yell out.
- one of the most dangerous situations on the road arises when you are forced to go straight across lane that is turning right onto a freeway, as drivers tend to start picking up speed in anticipation of getting on the highway. The best thing to do here is to make eye contact with the driver, but if they don't see you yell as loud as you can!
