Safety comes 1st at WEDNESDAY WHEELIES
We try to be diligent riders and get along with motorists and each other.
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- Helmets are mandatory!
- Rear view mirrors are strongly recommended! While the choice of a particular rear view mirror is a matter of personal preference, there are a couple that are popular with our group. Options include:
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- Spintech mirrors which attach to drop bars.
- Take a Look mirrors attach to eye glasses.
- Flashing Lights - Front & rear flashing lights provide visibility to approaching vehicles up to 1 km away. If you ride with a Garmin Edge device, consider Garmin's RTL-515 rear light with radar. Read the DC Rainmaker review. Lezyne strip lights, front and rear, are visible up to 1 km with attention-getting flash patterns.
- Ear buds are not allowed! Please, no ear buds or other distracting devices.
- Avoiding Busy Roads - We give preference to routes that avoid busy stretches of road, especially stretches with heavy truck traffic.
- Communicate and Listen - Always keep in mind, "communicate and listen". Many (most?) cycling calls or commands are derivatives or applications of this rule.
- When to Bunch Ride - Consider riding in a bunch of less than 8 when there is traffic on the road, thereby allowing the traffic to get by the bunch in a single pass.
- When to Single File - Consider the following factors in deciding whether it is prudent to ride single file on a stretch of road - driver visibility (e.g. fog, proximity to the top of a hill, bright sunligh), the length of the stretch, traffic density, traffic speed, whether the traffic includes dump trucks, the number of lanes, whether there is a useable shoulder, and anything else you consider relevant. In other words, a decision to ride single file needs to be based on safety concerns.
- Never Escalate Never do anything that might cause an encounter with an irate or frustrated driver to escalate.
- Talk Through Safety Issues - Above all else, try and talk through safety issues with your fellow riders as they arise.
