April 3, 2024
I started biking a lot more in college. I hated taking the transit system, and the best way to navigate the city was to take a bike that I shared with my six roommates (not at the same time).
Biking in the city, or “urban biking” as the pros call it, is a great way to explore and commute. You can get around much faster than on foot, and you can get to places that the trains and busses can’t access. If you live in a city like Boston, where traffic is bad and public transit is a mess, bikes are arguably the best mode of transportation in the city.
What is Urban Biking?
Urban biking means biking in the city. You’re zipping around town, dodging cars, pedestrians, dogs, you name it. It’s one of the most efficient (and dangerous) ways to get around most cities.
Now, you should take that last comment with a grain of salt. I bike in Boston, but it’s a notoriously bad driving city. The roads are confusing, the bike lanes are scarce, and the idea of “right of way” is optional for some drivers.
Your city might be much safer. But since Boston ranks a mere number 77 on the most dangerous list, I’d wager that most of us biking in urban areas enter the danger zone when we do it.
That’s why I’ve come up with this list of tips for biking in cities and urban areas. As someone who has tempted fate more than once on two wheels, I’ll give you some pointers for staying safe on the roads or at least some peace of mind while you’re out there.
1. Don’t get hit by a car.
Cars hurt. It doesn’t matter how fast they’re going; they’re going win against your tiny bike, leaving you flattened like a pancake on the road.
I know this might seem obvious, but it’s amazing how many times people (me, I’m people) forget this when you’re racing a bus through a streetlight or playing chicken with an oncoming car.
Don’t tempt fate. Use the bike line. Slow down a little bit (and look!) before you run that red light
2. Helmets are cool.
Hannah and I say this every time we take our bikes out: “Helmets are cool.”
Cool people wear helmets.
Won a war for France, and probably wore this helmet while doing it. Cool.
I rest my case. Wear a helmet. They’re cheaper than medical bills.
3. Yes. You have the right of way, but should you take it?
In most cases, you have the right of way when it comes to riding alongside a car or making a turn at an intersection. Most of the time this is a good thing. You get to take up some space (maybe even a full lane) and make those gas-guzzling cars sit and wait while you make your move.
Before I drove in the city, I used to get really upset with drivers who would narrowly miss hitting bikers with their cars. I thought it was carelessness and that these people should pay more attention to the road. That’s easy to say when you’re on a bike and have a 360-degree view of what’s going on.
When you get behind the wheel, you start to see why it’s so stressful. Cars honk at you, pedestrians are everywhere, and bikers fly by your car’s blind spot. With how people bike in the city, I am honestly shocked I haven’t T-boned someone when making a right turn.
