...well, technically there are no rules. BUT, rather than being a cycling cynic, as both an optimist and an avid Tel Aviv biker, I would like to share my two(-wheel) cents with those squeaky clean new bike-owners ready to hit the road (and possibly a pedestrian or two).
1. Bike lanes are a suggestion more than anything.
2. Streets and sidewalks are fair game - the trick is to alternate between the two as you see fit.
3. Invest in a kryptonite lock, you won't regret it.
4. If you're still nervous, lock it in front of the nearest 24/7 AM:PM - people are afraid to steal bikes in broad daylight, even if it's emulated by the bright grocery store lights.
5. Helmets? What are those?
6. Pay no heed to road signs.
7. Don't play chicken with the pigeons...they'll win.
8. If you can dodge traffic, you can dodge a ball.
9. Riding head first into ongoing one-way traffic is permitted.
10. Ignore the 5-10 average honks you'll receive on any given day.
11. If you're a Florentin-dwelling hipster, it's the unofficial law to own a bike - for form over function.
12. Learn to outrun the bus.
13. Treat every traffic light like a stop sign, if anything.
14. There's a reason Tel-O-Funs have a 30-minute cap - DON'T attempt to take one on a 30 km off-road ride.
15. If you live on the fifth floor of a walk-up, it's better to haul it up those stairs and sweat it out than spend two hours trying to find somewhere on the street to lock it.
16. If you feel any of these rules don't apply, disregard them entirely.
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