Bike Riding in Dhaka – Follow These 5 Tips

Dhaka is one of the mega-cities in the world. It is one of the most densely populated cities on Earth. Due to the pressure of overpopulation, Dhaka city's communication system has become even more deplorable. A planned communication system is very important for a city's development. But due to unplanned urbanization, unbearable traffic jams, public transport crisis, passenger harassment, etc., people are opting for alternative transportation. The use of motorcycles has increased significantly to avoid traffic jams and for quick communication. Due to traffic jams, a chaotic public transport system, and unsafe roads, bike riding in Dhaka is not an easy task. Even if you ride safely and orderly, drivers of other vehicles might not drive their vehicles as orderly. Additionally, many roads in Dhaka are not smooth. These problems can certainly affect your commute. In this traffic-laden chaotic environment, you must follow some bike riding rules to travel safely. This blog discusses in detail the ways to ride a bike safely on Dhaka's roads. Additionally, some tips regarding bike riding rules in Dhaka have been provided.

Follow these 5 tips while bike riding in Dhaka

Even a decade ago, the number of motorcycle customers in Dhaka city was not very high. Now the situation has changed, people are using bikes out of necessity, and currently, the number of motorcycles in Dhaka city has increased significantly. It has increased so much that the Traffic Control Department has imposed various rules and regulations for bike movement and for bikers to restore order on the roads. For those of us who use motorcycles within Dhaka for work and business travel, almost everyone is facing various problems. Therefore, in this blog, 5 tips on how to ride a bike in Dhaka for ease of travel on the roads have been discussed in detail. We hope these tips will be useful to you.

(1) Refrain from overtaking public transport and buses-trucks on the road – We are almost all aware of Dhaka's chaotic public transport, transport crisis, and unsafe road communication system. Most buses and trucks are not suitable for use. Many public transport vehicles have old engines, no taillights, or indicator signals. These public transport vehicles stop suddenly, brake anywhere, suddenly increase speed, and suddenly decrease speed. Therefore, it is dangerous for a biker to be behind public transport and to overtake. Moreover, these public transport vehicles compete with each other to see who goes first, causing a lot of damage to the common people. So when you are bike riding in Dhaka, maintain a safe distance from public transport. Drive carefully on highway roads too, keep your eyes and ears open. Because long-distance buses and trucks also dangerously overtake on highway roads. So when overtaking buses and trucks, look front and back, honk, use indicator signals, and then overtake. At night or in the dark, keep your bike lights and indicators on so that other vehicle drivers can see you. Do not overtake or increase speed at road turns or bends under any circumstances. Because when turning a bend, you cannot see if any other vehicle is coming from the opposite side.

(2) Keep your bike's speed under control – Keeping your bike's speed under control is very important for bike riding in Dhaka. On Dhaka's roads, people try to cross the road suddenly, whenever they want, and do not use foot overbridges. In such a situation, if you do not keep your bike's speed under control, an accident can happen, and you will be in more danger. In congested roads, with a chaotic public transport system, you have to ride your bike cautiously and maintain a specific speed. When riding a bike on Dhaka's roads, you don't just have to pay attention to the front and back, but also to various vehicles around, pedestrians, speed breakers, potholes, and all directions. In such a situation, if the bike's speed is not under control, various mishaps can occur. So be careful about these small matters while bike riding in Dhaka. Drive your bike at a specific speed on unfamiliar roads, then everything will be under your control even in unpleasant situations.

(3) Maintain a safe distance from battery-operated rickshaws, modified vehicles (Navana), and CNGs – On Dhaka's roads, battery-operated rickshaws, Navana, and in some cases, CNGs are now a major source of fear for bikers. Auto-rickshaws and Navanas do not have good braking systems; they are not suitable for highway roads. These vehicles survive in Dhaka due to public transport problems. People are forced to use these dangerous vehicles for commuting. The speed of these vehicles cannot always be controlled; they brake anywhere, causing traffic jams. So be careful when passing by and overtaking these vehicles. Rickshaws and modified vehicles often have faulty structures; with even a slight impact, their brakes lose balance. Be careful when riding your bike next to them. Like bikes, CNGs also drive on one side of the road, not in the middle. If the CNG driver does not drive cautiously, you will also be in danger. So try to ride your bike maintaining some distance and looking for open spaces.

(4) Pay attention to pedestrians and speed breakers on the road – You will notice many careless people on the road. They cross the road carelessly or in a hurry. They do not follow specific rules for crossing the road and do not use foot overbridges. Many will suddenly try to cross the road in front of your bike by signaling with their hand. In such a situation, if your bike's speed is not under control, an accident can happen. So if you see an empty road in Dhaka, don't suddenly increase your bike's speed; first, pay attention to the surrounding pedestrians. Moreover, when bike riding in Dhaka, pay attention to the speed of other vehicles. Observe the indicators of other cars, and ride your bike considering what kind of vehicles are running around you, in front and behind, and at what speed they are driving.

(5) Obey traffic signals – Obeying traffic signals is very important to restore order to vehicles on the road and prevent accidents. To avoid wasting time at signals, many bikers try to cross the road quickly without obeying traffic signals. This can lead to a collision with a vehicle coming from the other side. Accidents don't always happen, but if damage occurs once in an accident, one might suffer for a long time. So obey traffic signals, stay safe yourself, and keep others safe. If the traffic police instruct you to stop, slowly reduce your speed and stop your bike; do not rush. Remember that violating a signal is a punishable offense. You will find many other signals on the road, such as speed breakers, school zones, hospitals, pedestrian crossings, etc. Obey these indicators. Carefully observe speed breakers and drive your bike slowly. Never keep your bike between two cars; stay on one side of the road. While driving on Dhaka's roads, you must adopt some bike riding rules and precautions. Because bike riding in Dhaka requires consideration of everything: road conditions, traffic situation, public transport chaos, and careless pedestrians. On Dhaka's roads, you have to accept certain things, such as not suddenly changing lanes, not turning right or left without checking the looking glass, not suddenly increasing speed, etc. Refrain from doing these things. Follow the bike riding rules mentioned above. Always keep a cool head, maintain control of your bike's speed, and use a helmet suitable for you.

Some other minor but important things in Dhaka bike riding

When you ride a bike on crowded, congested, chaotic, and busy roads like Dhaka, you also have to consider some minor but important bike riding methods. If you follow these rules correctly, you and everyone around you will be safe on the road. Be patient while traveling on the road and obey traffic rules. (1) Keep the looking glass in the correct position – In Dhaka city, traffic jams and vehicles are abundant, so the use of looking glasses is very important. Looking glasses are needed when turning at road bends or changing lanes. Moreover, looking glasses are needed to understand the position of the car behind without looking back. If the looking glass is not in the correct position, you will not be able to measure the correct position of the car behind. This will lead to an accident when turning or changing lanes. Many people do not keep the looking glass in the correct position and treat it lightly. An accident can happen for this minor reason, so do not neglect the looking glass. (2) Drive carefully at road turning points – At bends or turns on Dhaka's roads, you will not be able to see any vehicle coming from the opposite side. This is because tall buildings, large buses-trucks, etc., obstruct the view of vehicles on the turning side. So drive carefully at turning points and keep your speed under control. Assess the road traffic, overall situation, honk, use indicators, and corner to pass the turning point. In such situations, keep in mind: whether the road is broken, whether the road is slippery or wet, and measure the width of the road before cornering. (3) Use a helmet – Do not ride a bike without a helmet. Accidents do not come with a warning. No matter how skilled a rider you are, do not go out without a helmet while riding. A helmet plays a big role in ensuring maximum safety in any bike accident. Use a helmet to primarily save yourself from any bike accident. (4) Drive carefully in rain and fog – When it rains, the road gets wet and slippery. Driving a bike in this condition is dangerous. Drive slowly in the rain or on wet roads, otherwise, there is a possibility of the wheel skidding. Bike tires cannot grip properly on wet roads. If you are inexperienced, it is better not to ride a bike in the rain or on wet roads. Because life is much more valuable than time. In foggy weather, turn on your headlight, reduce speed, and drive your bike. If necessary, honk while moving forward. Use good quality headlights. (5) Keep brakes in order – Adapt to the bike's braking system. Brakes are very important for driving on Dhaka's roads. When riding a bike on congested, chaotic, and busy roads like Dhaka, you need to adapt quickly to any situation. Always keep one finger on the brake lever and control the rear brake with your right foot. Do not brake unnecessarily; turn on the indicator light before braking. Otherwise, the driver behind might hit your bike.

Final Word

Finally, the rules for bike riding in Dhaka are a bit different. However, wherever you ride a motorcycle, drive carefully, thinking about your life. Obey traffic rules while riding. Do not ride recklessly. Follow the rules of bike riding properly. We hope the bike riding methods and precautions discussed above will be useful to you. Remember, one accident can lead to lifelong suffering. For any information related to bikes, visit Bikes Guide. Here you will find various bike reviews, specifications, comparisons, expert reviews, and many other useful pieces of information.