by Matt Bird

Created on: May 27, 2009

If I could, I'd say "Don't" and just end this article right now. I can't, though, so onwards ho.

Cycling in the city is dangerous. Supremely dangerous. It combines cars coming from multiple directions, drivers who aren't paying enough attention or are just overly aggressive and pedestrians who don't know or don't care that you're coming with narrow sidewalks. Bad combination to be riding around on.

Not everybody can avoid these situations, however - indeed, many couriers rely on their bikes to make a living. Here are some tips to allow you to survive the trials of the city and, hopefully, emerge unscathed in the process.

1.) Wear a helmet. I don't care what your policies are elsewhere, but for the love of god, wear a helmet if you're going to bike downtown. The dangers of riding elsewhere are compounded by the hectic mayhem of the city, and if you do end up in an accident you want to be prepared for the worst. Other protective gear, like knee and elbow pads, might not be a bad idea either.

2.) Keep your bike in tip-top condition. It needs to be able to stop and turn exactly when you want it to. All the reaction time in the world won't avail you if your bike doesn't respond to your commands.

3.) Keep to the sidewalks when possible. The road is just too unsafe. On narrow streets, keep a constant eye out for doors opening and pedestrians wandering out into your line of fire. Ride slow if you can, though in many situations this won't be an option.

4.) Obey the rules of the road when you're on the road. You need to know how to signal properly, how to turn, how to merge, all that stuff. Mount rear-view mirrors on your handlebars to make looking behind easier and keep away from parked cars, as people get out without looking all the time.

5.) Avoid riding at night. It's just too dangerous, no matter how visible you are.

6.) Stick to back streets. It's not always possible to do this, but whenever you can use roads you know aren't as traffic-heavy as most. Think what you might, they DO exist.

7.) Look both ways. Yes, it's cheesy, but it's also extremely good advice. Every time you're about to hit a point where flows of traffic are merging you should keep your eyes free for looking in both directions. Usually you won't have anything to worry about, but that doesn't mean vigilance is optional.

8.) Keep your ears clear. No headphones. You need to be able to hear everything around you.

9.) Use bike lanes. Whenever they appear you should be in them. Bike lanes make city riding a thousand times easier than sticking to the road alone, which makes sense since that's what they're meant to do.

Surviving a city ride requires constant alertness. If you can't hop on your bike and keep your mind clear, you're going to run into trouble. And given how much goes on in any city at any time, that trouble could prove deadly.

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