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This is a family-friendly article on how to bike safely in the city or any city for that fact, when there are no bike lanes for bicyclists to ride on. There are many hazards bicyclists encounter when riding on any city’s streets. We have listed a few helpful tips for safely navigating city streets to minimize potential mishaps.

Plan a route before departure that avoids busy streets, fast traffic or rush hours frequented by congestion. Most drivers are frequently concerned with what is going on in front of them in fast traffic. Cars in high speed zones cannot slow down fast enough to avoid hitting you. Planning ahead of time prevents the possibility of an incident.

Make yourself as visible to cars and pedestrians as you possibly can. Wear bright colors and reflective materials or reflective tape. Install reflectors on your bike on the wheels, under the seat and on the front to be more visible in dark areas or at night. Lights or flashing lights mounted on the front or back of a bike allows for additional visibility.

Always signal your intentions by using the appropriate hand signals to inform drivers of your objectives. Use your right arm straight out to signal a right turn and use your left arm to signal a left turn. Swivel your head around or check your bike-s mirrors before signaling to make sure there is no obstruction that can injure your arm.

Use the entire lane or stay to the left. Riding in the left most part of any lane makes you more visible to pedestrians and keeps you visible to cars by being out of their blind spot. This also allows you enough time to swerve if an unanticipated pedestrian steps in front of you or a car door suddenly swings open in your path.

It is also strongly recommended that you prohibit all distractions while riding a bicycle. Do not attempt to read a book, chat on the cell phone, doodle on the laptop or use headphones to listen to music. You must be keenly aware of what is going around you at all times to be able to take swift action if a hazard presents itself.

The best advice out of all of this is for to be safe by riding safe in order to arrive safely at the destination. Using some of these tips will bring you back safe and secure almost every time. Happy bicycling!