"Safe Cyclist" is the new road safety campaign done by the Municipality of Prato targeting cyclists. It is important to know the rules for travelling by bicycle in a safe and protected way to avoid dangerous traffic accidents.

Rules to be respected

The bicycle (or velocipede) is effectively a vehicle; so for this reason you have to respect the obligations, the prescriptions, the prohibitions and all that is indicated by the road signs.

During the march you must:

•  keep the right as a slow vehicle;

•  proceed in an Indian row if you are in two or more cyclists: it is forbidden to circulate side-by-side;

•  report any change of direction as well as stopping the bicycle;

• follow the directions: it is prohibited to circulate counter-sense and/or reverse;

• Circulate on bicycle paths when these are present: it is mandatory and safer.

Also remember that:

• sidewalks are reserved exclusively for pedestrians!

• you cannnot ride your bike on the pedestrian crossing: you have to get off the bike so to become a pedestrian!

• cyclists have to respect the red traffic light!

The mandatory elements for the bicycle

The bicycle bell must be springbell or gear.
Devices that emit different sounds are not regular.

The luminous devices (lights) must be: the front one white or yellow and the back one red.  Different color lights are not allowed. They must be dynamic current or battery.

Reflectors must be: orange those installed on the pedals and on the tyre; red the back one. To work properly they must be kept clean and must not be broken.

The brakes consist of a mechanical metal part, the jaw, which is hardly worn and a braking part, the rubber dowel, which instead is consumed with the use.

They must always be kept efficient to allow you to carry out any emergency braking in full safety. Remember that when the dowels are worn out or worn, even only at one point, they must be replaced!

The tyres must be:

• the size suitable for the wheel diameter and pitch,
• kept always inflated to the pressure indicated on the side of the same;
• not worn.

Remember that a well-inflated tyre and in very good conditions guarantees the stability of the bicycle and the braking efficiency!

… and for your safety​

The retro-reflective vest, waistcoat or suspenders are obligatory at night hours outside the population centres, in tunnels, in case of fog or rain and in all other cases of low visibility.
Remember that in the city a light or colorful clothing makes you easily visible and therefore safer!   

Get It clearly in our mind!

The protective helmet is not mandatory but is strongly recomended: it protects you from cranial or facial trauma resulting from a fall from the bicycle and it can save your life!

Be aware of this signs:

These three indicates you a bicycle ways: 

 Bicycle lane

 Cycle-Pedestrian promiscuous path

 Pedestrian path adjacent to the cycle track

While this signal indicates a road reserved only for motor vehicles and you can not ride it within a bicycle: 

Path reserved only for motor veichles

For information: Road Education and Legalization, Via A. De Gasperi 51, Tel. number: 0574 527020-27-28-29, e-mail: educazionestradale@comune.prato.it