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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Riding Travel Bicycles & the Requirement of Constant Awareness

By Rob Sutter


It seems like the rules and regulations upon travel bicycles should be quite obvious, unless you're Alec Baldwin. An article that was posted on NY Daily News talked about how the "30 Rock" was seen riding bout on his cycle while talking on a cellphone. This is bad enough; consider, though, the fact that he wasn't wearing anything more on his head than merely a beanie. These seem like the warning signs of an accident waiting to happen but you don't have to put up with them.

1. In order to keep up with your surroundings, maintain a good sense of awareness. Being alert is one of the key points to consider when you're traveling down just about any road in particular. Let's say that you're stationed on one side of the street, as you should be; before moving to the other side, check over your shoulder to see if you're clear and then proceed forward. It's common courtesy to others who are on the same road and it allows you to avoid an accident as well.

2. If you're looking to ride for long distances, think about what safety gear would be useful for travel bicycles. Baldwin made this mistake and you shouldn't have to, especially when you're talking on a big place like New York City. With a number of hazards that could be present, you want to stay alert and sometimes this means preparing for the trek ahead. A helmet is the main necessity and an article that I could see companies such as Linus Bike supporting wholeheartedly.

3. To all cell phone owners, do not talk on it while you're controlling a vehicle. I cannot stress this point enough, whether you're talking about the more common car problems or even those related to bikes. Speaking on your phone while operating any vehicle is deemed rude but I think that's the least of the problems. Considering how often people find themselves in accidents because they couldn't put their phones away, it's an issue that shouldn't occur or even have to be talked about at length.

Baldwin was reportedly not spoken to by an officer, which simply baffles me. I would like to think that New York City, one of the busiest places in the world, would have at least someone on duty that caught sight of Baldwin's daredevil-like actions. Regardless, I would not recommend that you go about the same actions and that you take better care when operating travel bicycles. Understanding precautions and rules while on the road will only help you ride along in a safer fashion.




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