HVCC Rules of the Road
1. Equipment Needs
- Always wear a properly fitting helmet
- All club rides REQUIRE riders to wear an approved (ASTM, ANSI, Snell) bicycling helmet
- After a crash or any impact that affects your helmet, visible or not, replace it immediately
- Spare tubes/patch kit/tools
- Fixed gear bikes without brakes are prohibited on official HVCC group rides
- Aero bars are prohibited on all HVCC group rides
- Headsets, earbuds or similar music devices are prohibited on all HVCC group rides
- At least two water bottles
- Water or sports drink
- Power bars/gels/fruit
- Always ride in the same direction as traffic
- Use the lane furthest to the right that heads in the direction that you are traveling
- Ride no more than two abreast and single file on shoulder-less roads
- Slower moving cyclists stay to the right on flat, downhill and uphill roads
- Obey all traffic control devices, such as stop signs, lights and lane markings
- Always use hand signals to indicate your intention to stop or turn to motorists and other cyclists
- Don't overlap wheels
- Ride in a straight line and don't swerve in the road or between parked cars
- Check for oncoming traffic before entering any street or intersection
- Anticipate hazards and adjust position in traffic accordingly
- Use hand signals to warn other cyclists of anticipated hazards
- Use verbal cues when passing other cyclists in the group, to warn of anticipated hazards or when passing walkers or joggers on the road:
- Car up, car back, hole, gravel, slowing, stopping, clear, on your right and on your left are typical verbal cues used when riding in a group
- Car up, car back, hole, gravel, slowing, stopping, clear, on your right and on your left are typical verbal cues used when riding in a group
- Wear brightly colored clothing at all times
- At night use a front light, red rear strobe light or reflector, and reflective tape or clothing
