Stay safe on your bike
- Written byStudent Communications
- Published date 15 March 2022
As the weather gets warmer, it’s a great time to get out on your bike! Cycling is a fun, healthy and cheap way of getting around London – and it’s good for the environment too.
To help you to cycle safely to UAL, here are some tips:
Know the rules of the road
Read up on the rules of the road in The Highway Code and learn the basic skills to ride your bike safely. You can also check out Cycling UK and TFL London for advice on your road position, lights and signalling. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cyclist, you might benefit from TfL’s free cycling lessons.
Get the right gear
Always wear a helmet when cycling. You should also wear bright or reflective clothing if you’re cycling at night or in bad weather and you must have a set of working lights on your bike (white at the front and red at the rear). It’s illegal to cycle without them between sunset and sunrise.
Plan your route
Make sure you obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals and don’t cycle on the pavement unless it’s a designated cycle path. Transport for London has cycle maps, leisure routes and Cycleways to help you plan your journey.
Keep your distance
As a city cyclist, you’ll share the road with other bikes, cars, buses and lorries. Keep you distance and don’t undertake - these large vehicles could turn suddenly and may not see you. Try to ride a door’s width away from parked cars. Use hand signals to clearly show where you’re going and use your bell to warn pedestrians. Don’t forget, in the UK we drive on the left!
Lock it up
A bicycle can be a big investment, so you’ll want to keep it safe. When storing your bike, lock the frame and both wheels to the cycle parking stand. Get a good quality D lock and even an extension cable and where possible, lock your bike at secure cycle parking or well-lit areas covered by CCTV.
Read the UAL Cycle Storage Guide (PDF 35KB).
Take a photo of your bike and record details such as the frame number, the bike registration number and any other distinguishing features. You can also get your bike security marked and registered at BikeRegister or at Immobilise.
If your bike is stolen, you can report this online or call the Police on 101.