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Show TIPS ON BICYCLING or packages that obstruct your view. Use hand signals to indicate indi-cate turning or stopping. Use required reflectors and lights when riding at night. A bicycle craze has gripped the country. Once mostly a child's activity, bicycling is now a favorite with people of all ages as a family pastime, a source of recreation, a physical fitness exercise, and oftentimes, as an eco nomical means of transportation. transpor-tation. Over 60 million Americans have become bicycle bi-cycle riders. Bicycling is meant to be fun and safe. Although bicycles bi-cycles don't need a lot of attention, they should never be neglected. The chain, axle, and other moving parts should be cleaned and lubricated lu-bricated periodically. Every rider should learn to change a tire and check brake levers, cables, and brake blocks. Tires should always be inflated to the proper pressure which is usually indicated in-dicated on the side of the tire in raised letters. Regular car wax will protect a bicycle's bicy-cle's finish and keep it new looking for years. Defensive riding is the responsibility re-sponsibility of every cyclist. Thomas F. Henry, Director of Safety Services for The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, outlines the following as rules for safe riding: Keep right, riding with traffic. Ride single file. Don't carry passengers Wear comfortable clothing. cloth-ing. Don't wear anything that might hamper your ability to maneuver the bicycle. Watch out for road conditions. con-ditions. Be on the lookout for drainage grates, oil spills, potholes, and broken glass. If you do see a pothole coming up, face it straight on and try not to lift the bike as you ride over it by standing on the pedals. "Bicycle riders must conform con-form to the same laws that govern the use of automobiles. automo-biles. They must stop at stop signs, red lights etc.," Mr. Henry says. "Some communities com-munities may have additional addition-al restrictions on the use of bicycles, and cyclists should check on these by contacting the safety division of their local police department." |