Transport for LondonCycle safely
- Be aware of lorries
- Be alert
- Watch your position on the road
- Wait ahead at lights
- Take care in bus lanes
- Be seen and be safe
- Make eye contact
- Ride confidently
Be aware of lorries
Although fatal accidents are relatively rare, more than half of cyclist deaths in London are caused by accidents with goods vehicles. Drivers can struggle to see you, especially if they're turning left and you're going straight ahead.
Risk can be minimised if drivers and cyclists are aware of each other and behave responsibly.
- Avoid cycling on the left or close to the front of a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) - the driver can't see you
- When moving through a junction look out for large vehicles turning left from beside or behind you
- Be extra alert when either passing or being passed by an HGV
- Take a cycle training lesson to learn how to be safe around HGVs
We've produced a training film to help cyclists and lorry drivers navigate London's busy roads - and each other - safely.
If you can't see the video, it may be because it is blocked by your network, you may have Javascript turned off or you don't have a current version of Flash. Turn on your Javascript and download Flash to view the video
Find out more about road safety for drivers of goods vehicles.
Be alert
- Be aware of everything going on around you
- Watch out for pedestrians stepping off the kerb
- Watch out for vehicles pulling into the kerb or turning left
- Look up and around, rather than just in front of your bike
- Practice looking behind without wobbling or swerving
- Watch out for vehicles coming out of side streets - they may not see you
How aware are you of other users on the road? Take the test.
Watch your position on the road
- Ride further out, away from the kerb. You'll be more obvious and easier to avoid
- Allow at least a full door width's space between you and parked cars - and watch for open doors
- If the road is too narrow for a vehicle to pass you then it may be safest to ride in middle of the road
Wait ahead at lights
- Wait in front of other vehicles when you're at traffic lights. The green painted box with a white cycle symbol shows you where to wait and help you move ahead of other vehicles
- Make sure you are well in front of large vehicles such as HGVs and are not waiting on the left - make eye contact so they know you are there. If you can't get to the front safely, wait behind the vehicle
Take care in bus lanes
- Look out for buses, motorcycles and taxis in bus lanes
- Never pass buses on the left when they're at stops or pulling in to them
At the moment motorcyclists are allowed in many bus lanes as part of a trial. Read more about the trial and have your say in our survey.
Be seen and be safe
- A bright jacket or rucksack can make you easier to see
- By law, after dark you must have white lights at the front and red lights at back of your bicycle
- Put reflective strips on your rucksack, panniers, jacket or wrist bands for better visibility at night
- It's not the law to wear a helmet but many Londoners choose to. If you wear a helmet, make sure it fits - tighten the straps so that you can't push the helmet up your forehead, side to side or up at the back
Make eye contact
- Make eye contact with drivers to ensure they know you're there. It will make them give you the space on the road that you deserve
Ride confidently
- Know where you should be on the road and stick to your guns
- In heavy traffic go at the same speed as other vehicles
- Look out for drivers trying to move onto the road you're on
- Be assertive, not aggressive
One of the joys of my ride home is the way you reconnect with the seasons.
