The Highway Code

The Highway Code has some useful information for cyclists:-

• clothing a cyclist should wear to be seen be other motorists (Rule 45)
• bicycle lights & reflectors (Rule 46)
• stopping distances of motor vehicles at varying speeds (a cyclists 'dull' clothes may not be seen by a motorist to avoid an accident)
• general safe cycling guidance (Rules 47-66)
• bike maintenance

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Highway Code - For Cyclists

Read the Highway Code online. All Info in italics or bold italics is copied from The Highway Code. See Road Signs for Cyclists or Oxford Cycling (click on the picture to move left/right)

Rule 45) Clothing you should wear

• a cycle helmet which conforms to current regulations
• appropriate clothes for cycling. Avoid clothes which may get tangled in the chain, or in a wheel or may obscure your lights
• light-coloured or fluorescent clothing which helps other road users to see you in daylight and poor light
• reflective clothing and/or accessories (belt, arm or ankle bands) in the dark.

Be Safe, Be Seen!

Rule 46) At night

• your cycle MUST have front and rear lights lit.
• It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85).
• White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Law RVLR regs 18 & 24

Rule 105) Stopping Distances.

(This information is for motorists is relevant to the arguement for the use of high visibility cyclists clothes and lights - see below the 'Typical Stopping Distances' table)

(motorists) Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see to be clear. You should

• leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely if it suddenly slows down or stops. The safe rule is never to get closer than the overall stopping distance (see Typical Stopping Distances diagram below)
• allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying fast traffic. The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads
• remember, large vehicles and motorcycles need a greater distance to stop.

BeSeenOnABike says: stopping distances have implications for which High Visibility products should be worn by cyclists. Dull clothes will probably not show up sufficiently far away for a motorist to stop in time hence the necessity for high visibility clothes and lights.

How far off can a cyclist be seen by motorists?

Motorists must detect, make a decision...then react. The difference between dark clothing and the RIGHT reflective material could give then an additional 11 seconds of time. Will wearing white clothing be enough? Unfortunately not.

Driving at 70 m.p.h., a drivers needs 315 feet (96m) to stop. When can the motorist see someone on a bike?

• Blue clothing - 55 feet (15m)
• Red clothing - 80 feet (25m)
• Yellow clothing - 120 feet (40m)
• White clothing - 300 feet (91m)
• Reflective Clothing - 700 feet (213m)

Reflective clothing gives the motorist the best chance to avoid a cyclist.

Retro-Reflective clothing can Save Lives!

Retro-Reflective clothing can be the difference between being hit by a car and avoiding an accident!

If a motorist is travelling at 40mph, the darkly clothed person may easily be hit by the motorist. The typical motorist stopping distance at 40mph is 36m. Dark clothing is only visible by the motorist up to 30m. The cyclist may be seen too late by a motorist to avoid an accident. A cyclist wearing retro-reflective clothing should be seen by the motorist at 213m (700ft). So no matter what speed the motorist is travelling at, the cyclist wearing retro-reflective clothing should be safer.

Other Safety Rules for Cyclists

Rule 139) Overtake only when it is safe to do so. You should

• not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake
• give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would a car when overtaking (see Rules 188, 189 )

Annexes

1. Choosing & Maintaining a bicycle.

Make sure that

• you choose the right size of cycle for comfort and safety
• lights and reflectors are kept clean and in good working order
• tyres are in good condition and inflated to the pressure shown on the tyre
• gears are working correctly
• the chain is properly adjusted and oiled
• the saddle and handlebars are adjusted to the correct height.

You MUST

• ensure your brakes are efficient
• at night, use lit front and rear lights and have an efficient red rear reflector.
  PCUR regs 6 & 10 & RVLR no 18
  

Information for non cyclists

The Highway Code covers information for car drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. It includes guidance concerning animals, instruction on motorway driving, railway crossings and contains all the most important road signs and road markings

This edition has been updated to reflect recent changes in legislation, in particular that in relation to the use of mobile phones while driving, and some traffic signs and road markings. All road users need to be aware of the new rules.

Key Features:

The latest guidance on correct road usage

Written in a clear, easy to understand style

Updated to cover recent changes in legislations - including regulations on the use of mobile phones

Illustrated throughout with helpful and simple graphics

Guidance on proper road usage in a concise form, The Highway Code is the foundation for every learner driver and rider. The Highway Code is also the definitive reference on correct road usage for all road users.

Death and injury on today's roads could be reduced if all road users knew and applied the rules contained in the Code.

Advanced Stop Lines

In major towns and cities you may come across the Advanced Stopline whose aim is to improve safety and raise the profile of the cyclist. Cyclists proceed to the 'Advanced Cycle Stopline' and wait for the green traffic-light signal and motorists are required to stop at the 'Motor Vehicle Stopline' and not obstruct the green forward area.

The use of Stoplines for cyclists and motor vehicles helps reduce potential incidents as vehicles turn left - chances of an accident are increased in these situations as the driver of the motor vehicle can be unaware of the cyclist alongside, particularly lorries. Source: Cycle n Sleep