When the snow starts to melt and the sun starts to shine a little bit more in our neck of the woods, that usually is the sign that the kids want me to get their bikes out of storage. As we start to ride our bicycles around the neighborhood, there are a few safety rules to remember. Here is a list of rules found in the 1983 San Diego County Council’s Pow Wow book.

1. Obey all stops signs and traffic signals, as if you were driving a car.

2. ride only on the right hand side of the street, as near the curb as possible.

3. Ride single file on busy or narrow streets. Never ride more than 2 abreast.

4. Don’t carry another person on your bicycle. It obstructs vision, makes steering and balancing difficult.

5. Don’t “hitch on” to trucks or cars. Never “stunt” or race in traffic.

6. Always dismount and walk your bicycle across busy streets.

7. Don’t “weave” in and out of traffic. Avoid sudden turns and stops.

8. Be alert for suddenly opened doors when passing parked cars.

9. Stop and make sure sidewalks and streets are clear when coming out of alleys and driveways.

10. Be sure your bicycle has good brakes, a horn or bell, a rear reflector and a headlight.

11. Never drive so fast as not to be able to stop in the assured clear distance ahead.

12. Always carry books or packages in a basket or carrier in order to have both hands free to control the bike.

13. Avoid crowding between cars at stop signs, or between a car and the cub.

14. Stunting and trick riding is always dangerous and should never be done on the street or where there is danger of collision with another person or fixed object.

15. Report all vehicle bicycle accidents to the police.

16. Avoid bumps, chuckholes, stones and slippery surfaces.