Before taking your bicycle on the road, brush up on safety guidelines and ordinances

As the weather cools, people start riding bikes outside for transportation, pleasure and exercise more often, putting more cyclists -- both experienced and novice -- on the road.

"Biking is a lot easier on the joints than running or other activities," said Renate DeBlois, president of Velo Girardau, a local cycling club.

However, many bikers stray off trails, like the Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail, and venture onto local roads. Before doing so, a few rules of the road need to be understood for those who prefer to travel by bike and not car, DeBlois and authorities said.

"Biking is fun and enjoyable, and we want to keep people safe while enjoying bike riding," said officer Darin Hickey of the Cape Girardeau Police Department, who is part of the bike patrol unit.

Feeling comfortable on a bike is one of the most important elements before hitting the road, DeBlois said.

"You don't want to put a beginner rider on a busy road," DeBlois said. "A skilled rider will be more OK on a road that is a little more busy."

Bikers have the same rights as a motor vehicle, DeBlois and Hickey said.

"Bikers have to follow the same laws as cars do," Hickey said. "When they're riding with traffic, if they can maintain the speed, they need to take the lane, actually occupy the lane with the other vehicles. If not, move to the farthest right of the road. We do encourage [bikers] to stay off the high-speed roads for safety."

DeBlois pointed out the importance of stopping at stop signs, like other motor vehicles, and giving hand signs to indicate when one is turning.

"Bike education and safety is not well-known," Hickey said. "We like to educate people. We will stop them, inform them of a biking violation, and let them know what they're doing wrong. Education is a big key. We try to inform them first, and if it continues, then we might issue a citation."

Hickey said passing through a red light is permissible when the biker is not triggering the light to change to green.

One ordinance he said most people are not aware of is that riding on sidewalks is not permissible in business districts. Another ordinance is a required headlight on a bike when riding at night.

"You're three times more likely to have an accident at night than during the day," Hickey said. "Most of the time, cars failed to see the biker at all."

DeBlois said a lot of accidents happen around sundown.

"That's a really dangerous time to be out on a bike without any sort of light," she said.

In addition to a headlight for the bike, DeBlois said, clothes worn while riding should always be bright colors, with reflectors when it's rainy or dark outside.

"A lot of clothing or shoes even have reflectors already on them," DeBlois said. "And let's not forget the helmet."

Though there is no helmet law in Missouri, DeBlois and Hickey stressed the importance of wearing a helmet when bike riding.

"For safety purposes, wear a helmet at all times," Hickey said. "It's a good habit to get into, especially since 75 percent of all crashes involving a bike include a head injury."

DeBlois recommended purchasing a new helmet every few years if the helmet is seeing a lot of use, because they can get soft. She also said helmets should be replaced after being involved in a crash or a fall.

Another thing she suggests is wearing gloves while biking, because they will prevent sweaty fingers from slipping off the handlebars, possibly leading to a fall.

Like DeBlois, members of Velo Girardeau are good resources for bike riding tips. Club members advocate bike riding in the community and offer several bike rides throughout from March through November, including one on Sundays and an early evening bike ride on Wednesdays. DeBlois said the Wednesday ride is good for beginners. For more information, visit www.velogirardeau.com.

For beginner bikers or those just wanting to bike around town, DeBlois said, an entry-level hybrid bike is suitable. However, for serious bikers riding long distances, she recommended a road bike. Either way, bike safety and bike maintenance are important.

"Be safe when riding and maintain your bike," Hickey said. "Keep it in good working order. Riding a bike is like driving a car; you need to still take certain steps to keep yourself safe."