New York City, with its parkways and bike paths, is wonderful for bicycling during all seasons. However, with intense cold weather affecting much of the Northeast including New York, it is important to remember that riding a bike can get tricky on slick or icy roadways. It is best to avoid riding your bicycle in inclement weather.
If you ride your bicycle in winter weather, it is essential that you wear clothing that not only protects and keeps you warm from the cold wind, snow etc., but also does not interfere with the operation of the bicycle.
Winter Safety Tips for Bicyclists
Here are some measures you can take to ensure safety while bicycling and prevent serious injury bike accidents in the winter:
• Decrease the amount of air pressure in tires for riding on snow. If you choose to use snow bikes, there is the advantage of wider tires that will give you better floatation over the snow, which makes it easier for you to ride. Studded tires are also highly recommended for safe cycling in winter conditions.
• Make sure you maintain your bicycle well. If you ride in snow and get snow on the frame, clean it off with a cloth when you get home and make sure to dry the bicycle chain too.
• Lights are a must. They will help you see the path and help others see you as well. Have a white blinking light facing forward and a red blinking light facing backward. This ensures you can be seen from ahead and behind by drivers. A light mounted to your helmet can also help increase visibility and help you be seen by other drivers.
• Lighted and reflective arm and leg bands will help you be seen from the sides. Reflective tape placed on your bike frame can increase its visibility from all directions.
• Carry your cell phone with you just in case you have trouble with your bike or if you fall and get injured.
• Do not ride too soon after a heavy snow fall, which is anything beyond 3 inches of wet snow or 5 inches of light snow. Wait 24 to 48 hours after a good snowfall to allow the snowplows to do their job.
• Make eye contact with motorists so that you know they see you as well. Never proceed until you are sure they have seen you.
Compensation for Bike Accident Victims
If you or a loved one has been injured or if you have lost a loved one as a result of a bicycle accident, the experienced New York personal injury lawyer at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Our skilled accident attorneys have a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a man on a bicycle who was hit by a van.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com