Bicycling myths busted

Myth 1: You should ride facing traffic

Busted! This is the worst mix-up ever, and one of the leading causes of cycling accidents and deaths even today. Cyclists should ride exactly like drivers, obey the law, and always go with traffic, never against it. As the illustration above shows, when you ride the wrong way, drivers don't see you. Entering roads, they look left for oncoming traffic. Seeing none, they turn right and may run right into you if you're there. They don't expect any vehicles there because it's against the law to drive or bike the wrong way. Plus, if you ride facing traffic you are speeding towards vehicles that are also speeding towards you. If you're traveling 15mph and they're going 30, there's the potential for a 45mph impact, far more deadly than the 15mph impact had you been struck from behind (the rarest accident). . . .

Myth 3: Helmets make your head hot

Busted! Okay, we admit that if it's blazing hot out and you're climbing in the sun, your head is going to get hotter in that helmet than if your Helmets actually keep you cooler, yet don't count on cubes for your bottle!melon was exposed. However, testing by all the major makers has shown that overall, up and down hills, and everywhere in-between, on average, your head actually remains cooler in a helmet. Why? For the very simple reason that modern helmets are comprised primarily of polystyrene foam — the same material found in coolers