Ride Safely to Your Destination

The police are conducting a nationwide campaign entitled “Ride Safely to Your Destination”, whose aim is to draw the attention of motorcycle, moped and bicycle users to the most important aspects of safety and to promote appropriate attitudes and behaviour. Cyclists’ safety is significantly affected by their behaviour in road traffic, compliance with traffic regulations and a properly equipped bicycle.

Mandatory bicycle equipment

• A white or selective yellow light lamp, fitted at the front.
• An audible warning signal, such as a bell, with a non-frightening tone.
• A red-light lamp fitted at the rear; it may emit a flashing light.
• A red reflector fitted at the rear, in a shape other than a triangle.
• At least one effectively functioning brake—hand-operated or foot-operated.

Cyclists are required to use lighting in poor visibility conditions—at dusk, at night or when visibility is limited due to weather conditions, such as fog. Lights must also be used when riding through a tunnel.

Currently, regulations concerning bicycle traffic contain no provisions regarding protective helmets or high-visibility vests. Nevertheless, let us remember that by wearing a helmet we protect our head—the part of the body most vulnerable to injury. A high-visibility vest, reflective braces and bands make it easier for a driver to see a cyclist, especially in difficult weather conditions.

Safety above all!

Cyclist, remember to:

• use a roadworthy and fully equipped bicycle,
• use cycle paths,
• obey the regulations,
• not force the right of way,
• signal manoeuvres, such as turning or changing lanes, sufficiently early,
• not cut corners,
• use a protective helmet and high-visibility vest.

Obligation to use a cycle path:

A cyclist must use a cycle path or cycle lane if one has been designated for the direction in which they are travelling or intend to turn. A cyclist using a shared cycle and pedestrian path must exercise particular caution and give way to pedestrians.

Cyclists on the pavement:

A cyclist may ride on the pavement or pedestrian path only in exceptional circumstances, when:

• they are supervising a person under 10 years of age who is riding a bicycle;
• the pavement alongside a road on which vehicles are permitted to travel at more than 50 km/h is at least 2 m wide and there is no separate cycle path
• or cycle lane,
• weather conditions threaten the cyclist’s safety on the road, such as snow, strong wind, torrential rain or dense fog.

WARNING!

A cyclist using a pavement or pedestrian path must ride slowly, exercise particular caution and give way to pedestrians.

Cyclists and pedestrian crossings

A cyclist must dismount and walk the bicycle across a pedestrian crossing if they wish to cross it. The situation is entirely different when a cycle crossing runs alongside the pedestrian crossing. In that case, the cyclist does not have to dismount.

Children on bicycles

Children under 10 may ride a bicycle independently under the supervision of an adult. A cyclist may ride on the pavement when supervising a person under 10 who is riding a bicycle. A child under 7 may be carried on a bicycle provided that they are placed in an additional seat ensuring safe travel.

Cyclist, before turning right:

• make sure you can carry out the manoeuvre,
• extend your right arm to signal your intention to turn,
• check again that the road is clear,
• move towards the right edge of the carriageway,
• turn, giving way to pedestrians at the crossing across the intersecting road,
• continue riding as close as possible to the right edge of the carriageway.

Cyclist, before turning left:

• make sure you can carry out the manoeuvre,
• extend your left arm to signal your intention to turn,
• check again that the road is clear,
• move towards the centre of the carriageway,
• check again that the road is clear, including that nobody is overtaking you, and that the opposite lane is also clear,
• signal your intention to turn by extending your left arm,
• when the road behind you, in your lane, and ahead of you, in the opposite lane, is clear, make the turn,
• move into the correct lane—watch out for pedestrians at the crossing on the intersecting road.

The rules of exercising caution or particular caution are rules that road users should strictly follow. These rules mean that all actions that could endanger road safety or traffic order, impede traffic or expose anyone to harm should be avoided.

Cyclists are vulnerable road users, which means that they are not protected by personal safety equipment such as airbags or seat belts and, in a collision with a car at a high impact speed, they suffer serious injuries or may even die.

For their own safety, cyclists should remember that when crossing the carriageway at a designated cycle crossing, they must exercise particular caution. Above all, they should reduce their speed so that a car driver, especially one turning into the intersecting road, has a chance to see the cyclist in advance and react appropriately.