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Traffic law says that slower vehicles should stay to the right. But where exactly should bicycles ride? Here are some basics.

Never Ride Against Traffic

If you feel safer riding against traffic because you can see cars coming, you are wrong: Twenty percent of all car-bike collisions result from cyclists going the wrong way. Drivers moving down a street—and drivers turning onto the street—don’t look for vehicles coming at them in their lane. And if they hit you, it’ll be much harder head-on than from behind.

When to Stay Right

Stay right if you’re moving slow com-pared to traffic, but remember: the farther from the curb you ride, the better motorists can see you—whether they’re in your lane, oncoming, or on cross streets. Riding farther from the curb keeps cars from passing you on the left and then turning right immediately in front of you—and gives you more room to avoid car doors, debris, and potholes.

When to Ride In the Middle

It’s safest to ride in the middle of the lane when

• You’re moving at the speed of traffic;
• the lane’s too small for cars to pass you safely; or
• you’re avoiding pot-holes or the doors of parked cars

If you’re riding in the middle and traffic starts to move faster than you can, move toward the curb if there’s room. Some special cases:

		Bike Lanes You can ride in the middle of marked bike lanes. But when you find parked or moving vehicles in these lanes, follow the lane practices described above.
Dangerous Areas If you come to a dangerous area—like a bend in the road that you can’t see beyond—ride in the middle of the lane to be more visible.
		Underpasses Ride in the middle on roads where they pass under other roads or train tracks, where there’s no shoulder. If you approach an underpass while riding on the right side of the road, always check traffic behind you before moving into the middle of the lane. Also, motorists be-hind you might get impatient, so communicate with them by using the “slow” arm signal.

Parked Cars

Don’t weave in and out of parked cars, because you’ll confuse drivers; ride in a straight line. Ride at least four feet away so you don’t get hit if someone opens their door. And if a car door starts to open into you, yell and brake; swerve out of the way only if you have enough room.

Riding with Others

A few things about riding with others:

• Illinois law says that in traffic no more than two cyclists may ride side-by-side. If you ride next to someone, don’t block cars or bikes that want to pass you.
• When another cyclist turns or changes lanes, don’t assume it’s safe for you to do the same. Always look be-hind you before you make a move.
• When you’re with a group stopped at a light, line up single file so you don’t block or slow other vehicles.

Blind Spots

To be safe, know where a driver’s blind spots are—and stay out of them! Don’t follow a vehicle so closely that you can’t see potholes or other pavement problems until you’re on top of them. If you’re following a large vehicle—like a van, truck, or bus—don’t follow so closely that it blocks your field of vision. When you go over a hill, motorists behind you can’t see you. Stay on the shoulder to the far right. If there’s no shoulder, consider walking your bike until you’ve gotten well past the top of the hill.

Big vehicles coming at you can hide other cars behind them. Slow down or don’t proceed until they get out of your line of sight.