Cyclists Survival Guide

1. If there is a little space, ride in the middle of the road to prevent motorists from doing things that could hurt you. Surely, they will be very angry, but they won't run over you. If you instead move to the side of the road, vehicles will speed up while something unexpected (let's say a hole or a dog) could make you move back into the lane.

2. In terms of 'confused drivers', if a fast vehicle approaches, you must move about one meter towards the center of the lane, then quickly come back. The driver will be confused and will either reduce speed or keep a safe distance to you. If you don't do this, the draft of the vehicle at close distance could throw you off the bike or a mirror could hit you.

3. Do not indicate a turn by stretching out your arm! Drivers will either hit your arm, or speed up to get past you before you actually turn. Simply make sure that there is enough space for drivers to react and slow down, then do the turn slowly, while you carefully watch the approaching vehicles.

4. Don't let public busses pass you when the next stop is in sight. Being at your height, the bus will pull to the side of the road and force you into a crowd of people waiting for this bus. Try to dodge minor objects (holes, pedestrians, dogs) while being very sure that no car or motorbike is coming from behind. It would help to have a mountain bike, as it can stand a lot more than a conventional road bike.

5. Know your traffic partners. Colliding with a motorbike causes a lot of injury. Hitting a car, badly damages the bike but the rider often slides smoothly over bonnet or roof. Pedestrians and dogs will be propelled away when hit, and often you will stay in the saddle with zero damage to the bike.

6. Be very careful when you follow taxis and tuk tuks; they can stop instantly if a potential passenger appears. A good brake will help, but always think of the guy behind you.

7. Just maintain your speed. When you go slow, drivers tend to push you to the slower lanes where many funny things happen (and many taxis linger). If you go really slow, beggars may even approach you.

8. Bear in mind that pedestrians don't expect traffic when they don't hear an engine. People step into the road without looking.

9. Don't think that people can hear your  bicycle's bell. Bells are associated with street vendors and when you ring it, you'll make people think of fried noodles or ice cream. A pressure horn instead will give you attention. Anything that sounds like screeching tires will also suffice as a good warning signal.

10. Stay clear of cars that have oversized tires protruding from the fenders.

 11. What about rain? Follow in someone else's track as to avoid covered holes. Be prepared to get out of the way, a lot of drivers don't reduce their speed in water while accidents definitely happen.

12. In the dark, use a strong light and plenty of reflectors. This will give you a tremendous safety advantage.

13. Avoid areas of little traffic after 16::00, when dogs get aggressive and attack fast-moving objects. When you stop abruptly, most dogs scatter.

14. Know a good hospital and have proper medical insurance, just in case.

15. Ensure your bicycle is always in excellent and roadworthy condition and go through a check-list regularly to verify that brakes and all basics are in perfect working order.  Lights and reflectors are a must, and so too a bicycle lock - although, surprisingly, very little theft of this kind is ever reported.

A final word of caution to cyclists, whether you're comfortable in the seat and with local conditions or an amateur cyclist on your own or with an organized tour - be careful. Cycling offers a good alternative to get around and experience parts of the city tourists don't normally get to see, but it can be dangerous. Be alert, ride safely and enjoy the sights.