Installing a bicycle safety flag on your bicycle can ensure that you are seen by the other drivers sharing the road.
What is "it"?
It is the most valuable piece of safety equipment a bicycle can have for daytime use: a bicycle safety flag. New bicycles come standard with reflectors, which make the bicycle stand out to nighttime drivers, but daytime drivers often have difficulty noticing a child or adult on a bicycle, especially at intersections when those drivers are looking for other cars or when they are parked and opening doors. Bicycle safety flags make the bike stand out in traffic and are as valuable as helmets when it comes to safe biking with one exception: a helmet may save your life if you have an accident, but a safety flag, especially when combined with other safe riding precautions - such as bright clothing or a flashing headlight - can help keep you from getting hit by a car in the first place.
The bicycle safety flag is a 10-18 inch long triangle of colored cloth or plastic that is suspended above the bicycle on a flexible plastic shaft. As the rider rides, the flag waves around, alerting traffic (even if the bicycle is hidden by a car) that there is a biker in the area.
Safety flags come in several bright colors, usually red, orange, or yellow, which make them stand out in traffic. Shafts come in sizes from 2 feet to 9 feet long, depending upon what kind of bike they are meant to be attached to. A shaft for most bicycles should be at least 6 feet long so the flag can be clearly seen in traffic.
If your bike is a conventional bike with a rear axle, the steps involved in installing the flag are few and simple (and should also be included with whatever flag you purchase), since most safety flags on the market are designed for bicycles with bolt-on rear wheels and sport a very similar design.
1. The bicycle flag should come with at least 3 parts: the flag itself, the shaft, and a bracket which attaches to the rear wheel axle of the bicycle.
2. Attach the flag to the top of the shaft (if it is not attached already attached).
3. Remove a bolt from the rear axle of the bike and place the rear wheel bracket on the axle so that it is pointed directly up, outside the frame of the bike. If the shaft has trouble staying vertical, it can be moved to the inside of the frame for extra support.
4. Tighten the bolt, ensuring that the bracket is still standing vertical.
5. Place the shaft into the bracket. You may choose to attach it directly to the frame of the bicycle with zip ties, depending upon the flexibility of the shaft and the design of the frame.
If your bike is a recumbent or other specialized bike, it may already have a bracket along the frame which holds the safety flag. If it does, simply attach the flag to the shaft and slide the shaft into the bracket. In this case, you will not use the rear axle bracket that comes with your flag.
You're finished and ready for safe riding.
Bicycle safety involves a lot more than wearing a helmet and looking both ways at intersections, and many bicycle/car accidents happen because the bicycle was not seen by the driver of the car, even if the cyclist is careful and obeys the law. Installing a bicycle safety flag on your bicycle can ensure that you are seen by the other drivers sharing the road and can mean the difference between riding safely and the kind of accident that will make you glad you wore your helmet.
