In the past twenty years, riding bicycles has become more and more popular among people of all ages. Bicycles have long played an important part in the lives of American young people. But today an even greater number of adults cycle along roadsides and bicycle paths. These new riders are often trying to become fit or lose weight. They have found that bicycling is a pleasant way to stay healthy.

This is certainly good for health. But it has also brought some problems. With all these added people on the road, bicycle safety has become a matter of real importance.

Bicycle safety is mostly a matter of common sense. People should ride only on bicycle paths where they will not be badly hurt. There are also a number of rules that riders should follow, especially when riding on streets or highways. Bicyclists should never ride against the traffic, nor should they carry other people on their bicycles. They are also supposed to ride in single line on busy streets and to walk bicycles across the busy intersections (交叉路口). By following these rules, bicycle riders will not only stay healthy but also be safe.

In one recent year, the National Safety Council reported that 34 thousand bicycle riders were hurt in highway accidents. In that same year, another six hundred riders were killed. Since the introduction of crash helmets (头盔) in 1980, the number of injuries (伤者) and deaths from bicycling accidents has gone down. Today, more and more riders realize the dangers of bicycling. They are wearing helmets and paying closer attention to cycling rules.

When you are in Hong Kong, you must be very careful in the streets because the traffic drives on the left. It is different from that in other areas of China. If you are first time to come to Hong Kong, you must look to the right side and then the left before you cross the street.

If the traffic lights are green, the traffic can go, but people on foot mustn’t cross. They can go across the street when the traffic lights are red.

When people go to or come from work in the morning and evening, the streets are very busy. Traffic is the most dangerous then, especially for the children.

When you go by bus in Hong Kong, you have to be careful, too. You must always remember the traffic moves on the left. So you must be careful. Have a look first, or you will go the wrong way.

In Hong Kong, there are many big buses with two floor, and you can sit on the second floor.

From there you can see the view of the whole city well. It’s very interesting.

When you drive, there are some things you must do and some things you mustn’t do. For example, when you come to a traffic light, a red light means you must stop. A green light means you can go if it is safe.

There are also lots of traffic signs you must understand. For example, when there is a stop sign, you must stop, and then you must look carefully. You mustn’t continue to drive, because it is not safe. When you see a no-entry (禁止进入) sign, you mustn’t turn into that road.

If you see a keep-left sign, you must drive to the left of it, not to the right. A speed limit (限速) sign, for example, 70 kph, means you mustn’t go faster than 70 kph, but you can go more slowly. Safe driving.