• Cyclists must obey the rules of the road.radstreifen 2 image by mediarts.ch from Fotolia.com
  
  As the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency notes, "a bicycle is not a toy. It's a vehicle!" While two-wheeled, human-powered vehicles such as bicycles are surely at a disadvantage in a culture dominated by cars, there are ways to increase your chances of a safe leisure cruise, fitness ride or bike commute.
  
  

Equipment

• Helmets are recommended for adults in New Hampshireman adjusting gear image by Xavier MARCHANT from Fotolia.com
  
  The New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency mandates helmets for all cyclists 16 years of age and younger, though they recommend everyone wears one. Head injuries, according to the Agency, are the most common cause of death among bicyclists. Additionally, crashes often occur when you hit a crack in the pavement and lose control of your bike. Hitting your head can cause permanent damage. A helmet can significantly reduce trauma. In addition to helmet guidelines, the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency requires that your handlebars, seat and brakes are present, properly secured to your bike and in good, working order. Brakes, for instance, must be able to stop your bike within 25 feet at 10 miles per hour on flat, clean and dry pavement.
  
  

Illumination

• Spoke reflectors are encouragedBicycle, standing, focus on the rear wheel image by Vaidas Bucys from Fotolia.com
  
  New Hampshire law requires cyclists driving at night to use a red reflector on the rear of their bicycle. A red light may be used in addition to the reflector. A white lamp is mandatory for the front of your bicycle when riding in darkness. Lights must be visible from at least 300 feet away. While the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency recommends various reflective features such as spoke reflectors and reflective tire sidewalls, they require only pedal reflectors that are visible from at least 200 feet away from the front and rear of your bike.
  
  

Traffic Rules

• The overarching rule is that bikes must abide by the rules of the road in New Hampshire. Cyclists are expected to follow traffic laws just as they do when driving a motor vehicle. Bicyclists in New Hampshire must ride single file--never next to one another. If you must ride two abreast, it is illegal to impede the "reasonable" traffic flow. It is also illegal to "hitch a ride" by holding on to or clinging to to a moving motor vehicle in any way. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT) offers suggestions, though not laws, to help keep cyclists safe in traffic. These include using hand signals to indicate turns, riding at least three feet away from parked cars to avoid being hit by opening doors and wearing bright clothing to increase your visibility.