Sharing the road and hazards
Seeing and being seen
Ride where drivers can see you: avoid sitting in blind spots, especially beside large trucks and buses. Use your headlight, wear high-visibility gear, and position yourself for a clear view. Keep at least a two-second following distance in good conditions; double it in rain, dark, or gravel.
Sharing with heavy vehicles and hazards
Trucks need more room to turn and stop. Do not overtake a turning truck on the inside. Watch for parked cars opening doors, pedestrians stepping out, cyclists, and road hazards such as gravel, painted lines, railway tracks, and wind gusts. Painted markings and metal surfaces can be slippery in the wet, so cross them upright and smoothly.
Worked example
You are behind a truck that is signalling left. You cannot see its left mirror. Do not try to pass on the left; the truck may swing wide before turning. Hang back, stay visible in its right mirror, and wait until the turn is complete.
Traps that cost marks
Riding in a blind spot because you can see the truck’s mirror-the driver may not see you. Following too close for reaction time. Overtaking on the inside of a turning heavy vehicle. Ignoring slippery road markings in the wet.