Biking is one of the best exercises that you can do to tone and strengthen your body. If you are concerned about the environment and pollution as well as getting adequate exercise, then you may consider biking to work. However, many are concerned about their safety while riding on the roadways. Since there are so many vehicles on the streets is riding your bike as the main source of transportation safe these days.
Weather
Some areas are more favorable for bike riding than others. If you live in California, then you will have more sunshine than rain or snow. However, in climates like Minnesota, the winters are so harsh and cold that you could never ride all year long. Idaho has pretty good weather, but each region is affected differently. The weather can be completely unpredictable, which means you would need a backup mode of transportation. What would happen if you get to work and a considerable downpour comes around quitting time? Riding a bike to work is excellent for many reasons, but you need to make sure you live in a climate where the weather cooperates with your economic mindset.
Avoiding Traffic
One of the biggest concerns that people have when biking to work is traffic. For safety reasons it is recommended that bikes stay as far from cars as possible. Some areas are safer for commuting than others. You must consider things like how many miles you must ride to work; do you have any freeways or other major thoroughfares to cross, and are you safe among the vehicles? Most freeways don’t allow bicycles or pedestrians to walk on them. There is no dedicated area for bikes, and it’s too dangerous. However, many roads have ample sidewalks that make biking easy and fun. So, you must evaluate your roads and make sure you can safely stay out of the way of traffic.
Learning the Hand Signals
If you’re going to ride a bike to work, you must learn the hand signals for biking. You must work with the other vehicles on the road so that they know the direction you are going. This is especially true if there is no dedicated bike lane or sidewalk for you to ride on. These few basic hand signals could save your life.
More people are ditching their vehicles and opting to bike to work. Biking will save you money, and you will get great exercise. Additionally, parking the car helps you to preserve the planet from pollution. However, your safety is of the utmost concern. Before you make this transportation leap, make sure you know your hand signals and live in an area where you can safely travel to and from work on a cycle.
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