On March 25, Mike Hall, legendary ultra-distance cyclist and race organizer, tweeted these words of warning during the Indian Pacific Wheel Race across Australia.cyclist and race organizer, tweeted these words of warning during the Indian Pacific Wheel Race across Australia.cyclist and race organizer, tweeted these words of warning during the Indian Pacific Wheel Race across Australia.cyclist and race organizer, tweeted these words of warning during the Indian Pacific Wheel Race across Australia.

I'm fine thanks to those asking, you can add about half a dozen close fast passes since last night though unfortunately... 1/2 #IPWR
— Mike Hall (@Normally_Human) March 26, 2017

2/2 Riders will want to be alert when entering this area, don't hug the shoulder, give yourself somewhere to bail to. #IPWR
— Mike Hall (@Normally_Human) March 26, 2017

Six days later, he was hit and killed by a car during the same race. He had covered over 5,000 km of the 5,500 km the race traversed.

Biking around cars can be a scary experience, especially in urban areas. A person on a bike legally using the same roads as a fast-moving two-ton metal box of death may feel a bit outmatched, and rightly so; a bike will never win a confrontation with a vehicle. Fortunately, with a bit of common sense and some basic guidelines, there is no need for competition.

As a cyclist, seeing and being seen is vital.

Seeing

Attaching a bike mirror and checking often for cars in front of and behind you ensures no surprises. The ancient yet informative website bicyclesafe.com details “10 Ways to Not Get Hit by Cars”—outlining different scenarios and how to safely navigate them as a cyclist.

Wearing headphones is a good way to get snuck up on by a distracted or aggressive driver. If you want to listen to music, play it through a speaker so you can still hear the world around you. Unless you’re in an urban area, in which case everyone will hate you.

Being Seen

Reflectors and lights are invaluable, especially at night. Attaching reflective stickers to your bike, helmet, or clothing makes you stick out to passing cars that might not have seen you otherwise.

Headlights on your bike or helmet ensure cars see you as you approach a turn or intersection, as they will see the road illuminated in from of you. Know cars’ blind spots and try to avoid them. Make eye contact with drivers if possible to ensure you are seen. Use hand signals to communicate your intention to turn to drivers.

And, for the love of all that is holy, please wear a helmet.

For Motorists

Bike safety is not just for cyclists. Drivers share the responsibility of keeping cyclists safe on the road. When driving, the bare minimum amount of space you should give a cyclist is three feet. If you cannot give more than three feet when passing a cyclist due to an oncoming vehicle or obstacle, slow down. It lessens the chance of accident and injury and is less frightening to the cyclist.

When driving, it is easy to forget how terrifying biking next to cars can be, especially on roads with high speed limits. The way cars are built—with suspension to smooth out the bumps, insulation to block sound, and elevation from the road—can give the illusion that you are not going as fast as you really are. high speed limits. The way cars are built—with suspension to smooth out the bumps, insulation to block sound, and elevation from the road—can give the illusion that you are not going as fast as you really are.

Hearing a giant machine roar past you a foot away at sixty miles per hour and feeling the wind shove you forward is not a pleasant experience. Slow down or move over as if you were passing another car.

Another good habit is to check your surroundings before exiting your vehicle. Getting doored is a real fear for many cyclists, and can easily result in injury or death. Make sure no one is coming before you open your door.

And, for the love of all that is holy, don’t text and drive.

We’re All Just People

Some drivers have a weird animosity toward cyclists and vice versa. Some drivers see cyclists as disrespectful pests trying to keep them from getting to work on time, while some cyclists see drivers as overcompensating maniacs trying to run them off the road. This creates a lot of tension that can, with or without intent, lead to a collision.

But the truth is, we’re all just people trying to get from point A to point B. A “driver” is just a person that got into a car. A “cyclist” is just a person that got onto a bike.

Once you stop seeing drivers and cyclists on the road and instead start seeing people—like your sister, or your dad, or your neighbor—it changes your approach in getting from point A to point B in a tremendous way. So next time you clip in or turn the key, keep an eye out for people.