{"id":748,"date":"2019-04-10T15:48:40","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T15:48:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/?p=748"},"modified":"2019-04-11T15:07:32","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T15:07:32","slug":"road-safety-can-be-a-matter-of-life-and-death-from-lights-and-laws-to-preparing-for-the-conditions-heres-what-to-think-about-before-heading-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/ie\/2019\/04\/10\/road-safety-can-be-a-matter-of-life-and-death-from-lights-and-laws-to-preparing-for-the-conditions-heres-what-to-think-about-before-heading-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Road safety can be a matter of life and death. From lights and laws to preparing for the conditions, here\u2019s what to think about before heading out\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a veteran or a rookie, a top-flight athlete or a weekend warrior, one thing matters the same to everyone who hits the saddle \u2013 and that\u2019s safety.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ireland&#8217;s roads have improved immensely in terms of safety for cyclists \u2013 and continue to do so. Better surfaces have been laid, better facilities exist on busy routes, and drivers are increasingly aware of the presence of riders. But all of those do nothing to change the fact that everyone who hits the road has to take responsibility for themselves.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>No, it&#8217;s not the most exciting thing to talk about \u2013 but it\u2019s definitely the most important. So without further ado, here are a few things to think about before getting on your bike\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The rules of the road<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Nobody would get behind the wheel of a car without knowing the laws of the land inside out; in fact, you wouldn\u2019t be granted a licence. And while there\u2019s no such qualifications needed to sit in the saddle, having the knowledge might be all the more necessary.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll need to understand signs, road markings, when to yield, and know your road positioning in a number of scenarios \u2013 and if that means grabbing a Rules of the Road book and studying up like you\u2019re taking a driver\u2019s theory test, then so be it!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Road Safety Authority of Ireland offers extensive tips and comprehensive information with regard to rules of the road for cyclists on their website, too.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Make yourself visible<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One of the golden rules you\u2019ll learn from the above is that you\u2019ll need to be visible to drivers \u2013 so on the subject of visibility, we\u2019ve got to talk about dressing the (luminous) part.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Some sort of high visibility jacket is a must \u2013 and for extra glow you can add\u00a0 reflectors on your shorts, belt, bags and loads more besides. Essentially, any cycling accessory can be illuminated \u2013 and it\u2019s a pretty good idea to do so.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Lights are another absolute must-have \u2013 and with the rechargable variety becoming so common, that means making sure you\u2019re on full charge before setting off.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t forget the forecast<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Much as it pains us to admit it, cycling in Ireland isn\u2019t exactly helped by the weather. In fact, the conditions might be the cause of more accidents than just about any other factor.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As well as affecting visibility, the elements can create havoc on the ground; rain, sleet and snow can turn the road surface into a sheet of glass, while even the most experienced of riders can find themselves upended by a sneaky patch of ice. Heavy winds, meanwhile, can disrupt a peloton of pros; imagine what it can do to a solitary rider in the Irish countryside\u2026<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While it\u2019s easy to recommend checking the outlook \u2013 well, it\u2019s Ireland. When you can end up experiencing four seasons in one day, it\u2019s vital you\u2019re able to deal with anything that arises; whether that\u2019s knowledge, equipment, or something else entirely, you need to be ready.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>And all that\u2019s not even mentioning the aftermath of inclement conditions. Perilous potholes, dodgy debris and all manner of spoiled surfaces mean that even when the storm cloud have passed, the danger hasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Remember \u2013 there are no shortcuts when it comes to safety. So get your glow on, swot up, and stay vigilant!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Whether you\u2019re a veteran or a rookie, a top-flight athlete or a weekend warrior, one thing matters the same [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"global-categories":[],"class_list":["post-748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycle-safety"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Road safety can be a matter of life and death. 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