Beyond the obvious safety precautions such as wearing a helmet, high-vis clothing and having lights, there are some small changes you can make to your behaviour to lower your chances of getting in an accident.

Make eye contact with drivers

This is the best way of finding out if a driver has seen you or not. By looking at the driver’s eyes you can see where they are looking and if they are aware of your presence.  It is also possible to do this by looking at the driver’s mirrors to see their eyes. Sometimes a driver may not have seen you, or may be deliberately not looking to avoid giving way. Either way, you can respond appropriately to avoid a possible collision.

Be aware of blind spots

If you don’t have a driver’s licence or don’t drive often, you may not be aware of blind spots. It is very difficult for drivers to see someone directly along side the vehicle as they wont appear in the mirrors. This is particularly bad on the left side.  Some drivers check their blind spots by looking over their shoulder, but many don’t. This is especially dangerous if they take a left turn or pull over without indicating. Avoid staying in blind spots to give other road users the best chance of seeing you.

Ride decisively but not aggressively

'Cycling rage’ is real. There are some truly angry cyclists out there that put themselves in danger by the way they ride. Behaving decisively is an important part of being a good cyclist, but it is possible to take it too far.  Even if you have right of way, ploughing ahead despite what other driver’s are doing is a terrible idea. And winding yourself up will only further diminish your ability to make safe, rational decisions. We hope you enjoyed reading this blog.  If you run a fleet then it’s worth reminding your drivers to watch out for cyclists and take extra when they are around.