The Effects of Wearing Safety Gear While Riding Your Bike
Riding a bicycle is an excellent way to get around for basic errands or commuting but many people may not feel safe on a bicycle. A few types of equipment and accessories make bicycling a safer activity, and when accompanied with safe and defensive riding these techniques can increase your risk of getting injured.
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Front Light
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People often assume that a rear light is the most important light on your bike, but it's actually the front light. The blinking front light helps cars see you that are parking and might open their door in front of you. It helps oncoming cars see you that could make a left turn crossing in front of you. And it also helps pedestrians and other cyclists and other vehicles see you approaching. Front lights also help increase visibility in rainy weather when drivers are concentrating on driving safely in the rain and may not see you as readily.
Rear Light
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The effects of wearing a rear light on your bicycle or attached to yourself increased visibility. Although drivers should see you when they're behind you because they will have lights on, a red, blinking rear light increases your visibility and calls attention to your presence. As with a front light, wearing these lights or mounting them to your bike will not affect your riding.
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Helmet
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A helmet is the most obvious piece of safety gear worn by cyclists and its affects are pretty clear. A helmet protects your head in the event of a crash, collision or simple spill off your bike. Even in a simple fall when your head does not break the fall, it can easily bounce against the pavement. Whenever any type of crash or fall occurs and the head makes even a slight impact, the helmet should be replaced. The way they are constructed will not protect you from multiple falls.
Elbow and Knee Pads
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Children just learning to ride a bicycle often wear elbow and knee pads. This is because they're more likely to fall than adults who are used to riding and balancing on their bike. These pads can certainly help lessen the impact of a fall and reduce the number of bruises and scrapes.
Bells and Horns
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People may not think of handle-bar mounted bells and horns as safety gear, but that is exactly what they are. A bell or horn on your handlebars allows you to warn cars and other riders of your presence. For example, when a driver is preparing to turn into your path, he may not be looking for cyclists and can easily look right pass you. If you ring your bell, this will alert the driver to your presence. There are no adverse affects of having a bell or horn mounted to your handlebars.
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