Owning the Road Rules

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Improve your riding. 'Cyclists eternally hone their ability at skills such as cornering and staying stable when they're bumped or crowded . . . but it shouldn't take an eternity to master the basics,' Yeager writes. Simple techniques, such as riding 100 yards as slowly as you can without seesawing the front wheel, can improve balance and handling skills.

Justin Berger, a former bike messenger writing for Momentum, suggests finding an empty parking space and trying to make a U-turn, turning your handlebars before turning your head. The result is a sloppy, wide turn, yet when we're faced with a sudden obstacle, we tend to do this, staring at it while we're steering to avoid it. Repeat the exercise, this time turning your head to anticipate the way you're about to go; your turn will be easier and tighter. 'When a car door opens or a dog jumps in front of you, you can turn much more quickly than you can stop,' he writes. 'Look where you want to go, never at the thing you hope to avoid.'

Advocate. Hate biking to work down that unavoidable busy stretch, or not willing to ride down a poorly lit path? Sometimes there are barriers to biking that even the savviest cyclist can't avoid -- and shouldn't try to tough out.

'Public officials have been known to implement bold initiatives to protect the public's health,' writes Matthew Crosby in Urban (Fall 2006), citing indoor smoking bans as an example. Assert your right to enjoy public spaces safely; if there's a gap in your city's cycling infrastructure, let your representatives know. Get in touch with a local cycling advocacy group, and help create a transportation environment where everyone can enjoy riding a bike.

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