4.       Road surfaces

1.    Always keep an eye on the roadway in front as -

             *          broken glass, nails and a pothole can cause a flat; and/or

             *          parallel-slat sewer/drainage grates, gravel, sand, debris, expansion joints, railroad tracks,
                     wet leaves, gravel, boards, bricks, rocks, road and bridge cracks, pavement holes
                     and road cracks can cause a crash.

2.     Ride much slower in wet weather, especially when descending through corners, and apply brakes earlier as, due to the reduced coefficient of friction, it takes much more road distance to pull up.

3.     Never cycle over a timber bridge with gaps which your tyre could get caught between.  Rather dismount and walk your bicycle, as cyclists in Australia have caught their wheel in a gap between two timber planks, instantly braking their necks rendering instant death, paraplegia or quadriplegia.

4.     Cross railroad tracks carefully.  Watch for uneven pavement and grooves that could catch a wheel.  If railroad tracks cross the road at an angle, change your course so you cross the tracks at close to a 90^o angle and proceed slowly.

5.     Do not veer across the steel rails on a ramp if cycling on to or off a ferry.  Better to walk your bike onto or off a ferry unless you are very familiar with the ramp.