So it seems to be wise to go over a few safety tips for bicycle riders.

Here are some of those guidelines:

Scanning

Bike riders need to learn to scan a wide arch in front of them at all times, more so than a car driver.

This helps identify cars that may be turning left, right or pulling out from a side street. Cars that signal give you a pretty clear picture of what they may do, but using a car's signals seems more a rarity in Honolulu today. And motorists constantly change their minds so scanning can help protect you.

I never cross a major intersection without scanning over my left shoulder to see if a car coming from behind is about to turn right. A mirror on you helmet can be helpful, but I trust a quick backward scan better. It keeps your neck limber, too.

Listening

Visibility

Those of you who watch the Tour de France, and even local bike races for that matter, probably have noted the rider's colorful clothing. Some may feel the colors actually clash, but they are that way for a good reason: You can easily spot a bicyclist clad in swirls of orange, blue, green and red.

Do the same for yourself by wearing highly visible shirts and pants. I shuddered the other evening when I saw a bicyclist riding against traffic (which is illegal). And he was dressed in black with no lights and no helmet.

Your head

When I worked at a bike store on Ward Avenue we used to display about six helmet styles and prices. Many customers would stand and ponder whether to spring for the cheapest helmet versus the more expensive ones.

If they asked our advice, our quick response was, "If you have a $10 head buy a $10 helmet." Naturally, we would go into the more technical aspects of the helmets. But the point was made that bicyclists must buy a helmet regardless of cost.

One rant in the helmet department. Have you ever noticed dutiful parents riding with their kids who are nicely helmeted according to the law? But mom and dad are riding sans head protection. Parents should set an example for their kids and wear helmets, too.

The law

The laws for bicyclists in Hono-lulu are pretty clear: You must follow the same laws as an automobile. You must stop at red lights, ride with traffic, only taking a lane when you can keep up with the speed of traffic, signal whenever changing lanes, and so forth.

Sidewalks usually come up in conversation about bicycling in Honolulu. It's simple. You may not ride a bicycle on a sidewalk where it is prohibited, or on a sidewalk in Waikiki or in a business district. Waikiki is very crowded, and riding along a sidewalk where there are stores might cause a collision with someone stepping out of a store.

There you have some of the safety tips I have learned and passed along to many others. It's really all about common sense.