A place on the fediverse to share and discuss about commuting by bicycle
The most important thing is visibility. Be where the motorists, and the pedestrians, and the other cyclists, expect you to be. Don't weave. Don't stop suddenly, or change lanes without signaling. Don't ride on the wrong side of the street, or on sidewalks.
The other main piece of advice? Cars are super dangerous, but unless you're a complete dumbass, most of your accidents will be from unexpected objects in your path. Watch out for potholes, sticks, or slippery conditions.
Not a biker but omg please yes don't bike against traffic. I promise you I do not expect a biker coming towards me on the passenger side, especially where there aren't sidewalks or crosswalks.
(Mini rant: someone did that yesterday as I was waiting at the left arm of a T intersection to turn right down the trunk of the T. Dedicated right arrow, in a dedicated right turn lane. Dude bikes against traffic from the right arm of the T to the left, treating 4 lanes of traffic as his personal invisible crosswalk. One hand on the handlebars, the other waving his cigarette.)
Take these ideas with a grain of salt, I live and ride in a relatively small city, so 90% or more of the time I have no cars near me. But that's how I rode in college, when I was in a bigger city.
This is all great advice. I like to warn people not to get close to parked cars. The stationary ones are more likely to door you than the moving ones are to run you over.
Confident big city rider here, four tips for you: