Rules of the Road

Houma Police Officer 1st Class Darryl Cunningham Jr. helped pioneer the city’s bicycle police patrol program and is an expertly trained cyclist. He has these tips to share with others.

• Remember that bicyclists share the road with vehicles and have to obey every traffic law.

• Do not ride your bike facing traffic. If you are driving in the opposite direction, drivers can have delayed reaction time if they need to avoid you.

• Check your gears and your chain routinely. “You don’t want to be breaking down and the next thing you know there is a vehicle coming up.”

• Proper tire pressure is a must. Deflated tires can make for an unsafe ride.

• Routinely check to see that your wheels are spinning freely and that there is no friction other than from your brakes when they are applied.

• Check brake pads or discs routinely to see that they are functional and operating properly.

• Be sure to use proper lights, steady white in front and either steady or flashing red on the back, in addition to reflectors. The more visible you are the safer you will be.

• Listening to music is a distraction. Don’t do it while cycling. You might not hear that vehicle coming toward you until it is too late.

• If you are on a sidewalk remember that the pedestrian always has the right of way. Sidewalks were made for people, not bicycles. When you ride on the sidewalk you are taking a vehicle onto the sidewalk and people can get hurt.

• Marked bicycle lanes exist as a courtesy. They do not give bicyclists any special privileges. On bike lanes as well as on regular traffic lanes, live by the first point, which is that we must remember the road is shared.