Bicycling in Dallas

• Wear a helmet. Minors (persons under 18 years of age) are required to wear a bicycle helmet by law in the City of Dallas.
• Ride in the street, not on the sidewalks whenever possible. 
• Riding on sidewalks is permitted outside of the Central Business District.
• If you must ride on a sidewalk for safety, ride at "walking speed" with special care and room given to pedestrians while passing.
• Ride with traffic, not against it.
• Stop at red lights and stop signs. Obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings.
• Use marked bike lanes or paths when available, except when making turns or when it is unsafe to do so. 
• If the road is too narrow for a bicycle and a car to travel safely side by side, cyclists have the right to ride in the center of the travel lane.
• Bicycling is permitted on all main and local streets throughout the City, even when no designated route exists.
• Take care to increase your visibility while riding.
• Use a white headlight and a red reflector or tail light when riding at night - it's state law.
• Use reflectors and reflective tape to further increase visibility.
• Use a bell or horn to alert other cyclists and pedestrians of your presence while riding.
• Brightly colored clothing may increase your daytime visiblity.
  
• Ride in a straight line, and do not weave in and out of traffic. 
• Riding predictability allows other road users to anticipate your movement, and reduces the chance of a crash.
• Look, signal and look again before changing lanes or making a turn. 
• Establish eye contact with drivers. 
• Make sure drivers see you before executing a turn or riding in front of a turning car.
• Watch out for car doors. Be prepared for the possibility that a car door may be opened in your path. 
• Leave room between yourself and parked cars (3 feet is recommended) to avoid a car door that opens unexpectedly.
• Don't wear earphones while riding. 
• Keeping your ears clear is a much safer choice.