Be safe while enjoying the great outdoors

The Norwalk Bike/Walk Commission is pleased to see so many more people out walking and biking during this pandemic than ever before.  And we hope it will continue and become part of our new normal.

We would like to remind you of a few tips to keep safe while walking and biking.

When walking,

• If there is a sidewalk, use it. It does not matter if you are walking with or against the traffic if you are on a sidewalk.
• If there is no sidewalk, walk against the traffic and walk single file.  (And during the current health crisis, stay at least six feet apart.  If you’re planning to walk on a trail, check to make sure it is open, during this quarantine and whether they have any special rules during this time.)
• Be visible. Wear bright colored clothes. Consider wearing a safety vest and a light, especially if it is at or after dusk.
• Do not wear ear buds or text while walking: stay tuned in to your environment.
• Practice “defensive” walking: establish eye contact with drivers and assume it is your job to stay safe.
• Cross streets carefully and at crosswalks.   Even when the signal gives you the “green light”, check both ways before crossing.
• Watch for cars and bicycles entering or exiting driveways or back up in parking lots.

When biking,

• Always wear a properly fitting helmet.  This is required by Connecticut statute for those under sixteen.  Adults should also wear helmets both to protect their brains and be a positive role model for their children.
• Make sure your bicycle fits properly: When standing over the bike, there be 1 to 2 inches between you and the top tube (bar) if using a road bike and 3 to 4 inches if a mountain bicycle.  The seat height should be adjusted to allow a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended. The handlebar height should be at the same level with the seat.
• Check Your Equipment:  Before riding, inflate tires properly and check that your brakes work.
• Ride with two hands on the handlebars.  Carry packages and other items in a bicycle carrier or backpack.
• Although it is legal to ride two abreast, only do so when it is safe – not when other vehicles are passing or on narrow roads.  (And during the current health crisis, stay at least six feet apart.)
• Watch for and avoid road hazards: Be on the lookout for hazards such as potholes, broken glass, gravel, puddles, leaves, and dogs. All these hazards can cause a crash. If you are riding with friends and you are in the lead, yell out and point to the hazard to alert the riders behind you.
• Be visible.
  • Always wear bright clothing.
  • During low light and night, you have to use a front light visible from five hundred feet, rear red reflectors visible from six hundred feet, and reflective material on the bike (somewhere on each side of the bike) visible from six hundred feet.

The Norwalk Bike/Walk Commission