Diamondback 2008-2005 manual Wear safety gear appropriate to the kind of riding

laws and special bicycle traffic laws. It’s your responsibility to 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, expansion joints, road or sidewalk construction, debris and other obstructions that could cause you to swerve into traffic, 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 traffic flow or as directed by local governing laws.

6. Stop at stop signs and traffic 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 stopping.

8. Never ride with headphones. They mask traffic 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 vehicle.

12.Don’t weave through traffic 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 influence 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 extremely 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. Downhill, Stunt or Competition Biking.

C.Off Road Safety

We recommend that children not ride off-road unless accompanied 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 identification, 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 specific 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 increased speed or more difficult terrain.

2.Wear safety gear appropriate to the kind of riding