Diamondback 06.DB SS OM - Manual (Page 9)

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know and obey the laws.
2. You are sharing the road or the path with others —
motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists. Respect their rights.
3. Ride defensively. Always assume that others do not
see you.
4. Look ahead, and be ready to avoid:
• Vehicles slowing or turning, entering the road or your
lane ahead of you, or coming up behind you.
• Parked car doors opening.
• Pedestrians stepping out.
• Children or pets playing near the road.
• Pot holes, sewer grating, railroad tracks, ex pan sion joints,
road or sidewalk construction, debris and other obstructions
that could cause you to swerve into traffi c, catch your wheel or
otherwise cause you to lose control and have an accident.
• The many other hazards and distractions which can
occur on a bicycle ride.
5. Ride in designated bike lanes, on designated bike paths
or as close to the edge of the road as possible, in the direction
of traffi c fl ow or as directed by local governing laws.
6. Stop at stop signs and traffi c lights; slow down and look
both ways at street intersections. Remember that a bicycle
always loses in a collision with a motor vehicle, so be prepared
to yield even if you have the right of way.
7. Use approved hand signals for turning and stop ping.
8. Never ride with headphones. They mask traffi c sounds
and emergency vehicle sirens, distract you from concentrating
on what’s going on around you, and their wires can tangle in
the moving parts of the bicycle, causing you to lose control.
9. Never carry a passenger, unless it is a small child wearing
an approved helmet and secured in a correctly mounted child
carrier or a child-carrying trailer.
10. Never carry anything which obstructs your vision or
your complete control of the bicycle, or which could become
entangled in the moving parts of the bicycle.
11. Never hitch a ride by holding on to another ve hi cle.
12. Don’t weave through traffi c or make any moves that
may surprise people with whom you are sharing the road.
13. Observe and yield the right of way.
14. Never ride your bicycle while under the infl uence of
alcohol or drugs.
15. If possible, avoid riding in bad weather, when visibility
is obscured, at dawn, dusk or in the dark, or when ex treme ly
tired. Each of these conditions increases the risk of accident.
16. Before you attempt to jump, do stunt riding or race with
your bike, read and understand Section 2.G. Down hill, Stunt or
Competition Biking.
C. Off Road Safety
We recommend that children not ride off-road unless
ac com pa nied by an adult. In any event, never ride alone in
remote areas.
Even when riding with others, make sure that someone knows
where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Always
take along some kind of identifi cation, so that people know
who you are in case of an accident; and take a couple of
dollars in cash for a candy bar, a cool drink or an emergency
phone call.
1. The variable conditions and hazards of off-road riding
require close attention and specifi c skills. Start slowly on easier
terrain and build up your skills. If your bike has suspension, the
increased speed you may develop also increases your risk of
losing control and falling. Get to know how to handle your bike
safely before trying in creased speed or more diffi cult terrain.
2. Wear safety gear appropriate to the kind of riding
you plan.