Passed by a heavily-laden ‘B-Double’ – a frequent encounter on main roads in Port Adelaide!
Many roadways in The Port are used frequently by heavy commercial vehicles! If you do not wish to share the road with cars and commercial vehicles – there are plenty of alternatives! Please check out our ‘Routes & Maps’ and PA/E Bike Network pages for places to ride away from traffic and get from ‘A to B’ securely and efficiently! Get to know Your Bike Network!
1. ‘How to Ride’ – Staying Safe!
Question: “OK – riding a bike is simple isn’t it? And bikes are safe – why should I worry about ‘staying safe’?”
Answer: Because there’s more to it than pedalling & staying upright! Bicycle users are ‘vulnerable road users’. This simply means that, although cycling by itself is a very safe means of transport, if we ride on the road in mixed traffic then we are vulnerable to injury from motor vehicles. It happens rarely, but it does happen! If you feel fine about using on-road bike lanes and cycling in motor traffic we offer a few safety tips:
- ensure you are visible – bright lights (day and night) & light coloured clothing
- always place yourself on the road where you can be seen (and stay right away from blind spots around trucks!)
- stay alert & look around you (get a mirror & use it)
- ride predictably & according to the rules
- don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position (wait for traffic to pass when necessary & ‘learn how to take the lane’ when appropriate).
Safe bicycle riding in mixed traffic – especially around commercial vehicles and trucks – definitely requires skills and common sense!
2. New to Your Bike, or Returning to Bicycle Use? Make sure you know all new road rules, read DPTI’s Safety Tips & check out this DPTI cycling guide. Attend a ‘Be Safe, Be Seen’ presentation as soon as you can!
3. Be a ‘Defensive Rider’: Separating vulnerable road users from more dangerous trucks and cars is the first line of defence for bicycle users. Defensive Riding – just like ‘defensive driving’ – is the second! It protects us from both physical hazards and the driving of others. It is an active approach taken by bicycle users for their own safety! more…
4. Watch for & Report Problems: Watch out for poor design or maintenance on roads & bikeways & report problems when needed (reporting is simple)…
5. Reporting Dangerous Driving: You can report dangerous driver behaviour via SAPOL’s Traffic Watch Scheme. It’s just a phone call away and it works! more here…
PortBUG: The Port Adelaide Bicycle User Group. 