How to Survive New York City Cycling: Nine Classic Rookie Mistakes

By Rob Kotch

Rob Kotch knows NYC cycling as a bike commuter, racer, courier, and owner of Breakaway Couriers. By stressing safety, Breakaway has been able to minimize messenger accidents and burnout. Although the advice here is geared for messengers, it applies to all city cyclists.

A different version of this article appeared in Jan/Feb 1992 Bicycle USA, published by the League of American Wheelmen.

1. Getting Doored Classic rookie mistake. Watch out for car doors, especially cabs. Don't go blazing through a narrow lane of standstill traffic. This is how most "dooring" accidents happen. Look through the rear window for exiting passengers as a warning for an opening door. Look for cab lights that just turn on, which means a passenger will be exiting soon. Keep at least a car door-length distance. This way, even if a door opens, it won't hit you. Most dooring accidents happen by staying too close to parked cars. They also happen when some idiot opens his door in the middle of the street to litter.

2. Hitting Pedestrians Don't ever assume a pedestrian is looking out for you. If you hit a pedestrian, it is your fault even if you have the right of way. Legally the pedestrian always has the right of way. It is your responsibility to be aware of all the thoughtless, crazy moves the pedestrians will make.

• Riding the Wrong Way down a street and hitting a pedestrian who is looking in the opposite direction. This is the biker's fault; there is no excuse for this type of accident.
• Pedestrian Walking Against a Light, crossing with their ears, not their eyes. Most people look only when they hear something approaching. They will not look for you, so you must expect the unexpected. When they see you, they will panic, move to the left, then to the right, and then suddenly at the last moment, they will run right in front of you.
• Pedestrian, Obscured by a Van or Truck, Comes Out of Nowhere into the Middle of the Road. This is the hardest type of accident to avoid. It happens in standstill traffic. Again, the best thing to do is to ride very slowly in such situations. Moral of the story: go very slowly when entering highly congested areas. Do not go blazing through a thick wall of pedestrians at 30 mph. The pedestrian has the right of way.

3. Car Turns Without Warning Keep your eyes on the front tire of cars, especially at intersections. Usually this gives you enough time to tell if someone is turning, even if they don't signal, and to move out of the way.

4. Taking Too Large a Package If a package can't fit in your bag, don't try to ride with one hand and hold the package in the other. Use a bike trailer or take the subway.

5. Out-of-Control Recklessness Forcing situations, lack of concentration, or taking stupid risks is clumsy and lunkheaded. You must move deftly and with grace.

6. Riding Into Sewer Grates After a heavy rain, huge puddles sometimes obscure grates. Don't ride through large puddles of water - you have no idea what's underneath. Don't go off curbs into puddles either.

7. Can't Stop Because of Wet Brakes When it rains, you must allow for wet brakes. Pumping brakes before a stop can clear some water off rims. Go slower.

8. Slipping on Wet Metal Another reason to use extra caution in the rain. Wet metal is all over the place. Avoid metal construction covers and manholes. If you have to ride over them, don't try to turn.

9. Oil on the Road I myself have fallen on oil, very embarrassing. Just got to be careful.

Summing up

The #1 Rule for Safety: in standstill traffic, go slow; in congested areas, go slow. The #2 Rule: make sure your bicycle is in safe working condition. Your brakes should work well at all times. If one of them fails, fix it immediately. Make sure the steering and the handlebars work well.

We like to deliver packages fast. But don't ever put a delivery ahead of your life and limb.