Ride the straight and narrow! Blaze a path straight down the road! That isn\’t so difficult as long as you can keep looking straight ahead.

Holding a straight line while looking behind you is another matter. I, for one, find it hard to do, even after well over nine years of riding; but it\’s an important part of cycling safety.

I first read these tips years ago. I still have to remind myself to  let my right shoulder rise a bit, and the left one go down and back; and to bring my left elbow closer to my body. I have to let my torso twist  a little bit as well.

Another aspect of looking behind yourself while riding is, it\’s about more than turning the head. We can\’t turn our heads 180 degrees like an owl, so once the head is turned, the eyes must shift to see what might be coming from the rear. That means, for me, trying not to look back and then forward again too quickly, or my eyes don\’t have the chance to shift.

It can help to let yourself coast while looking behind you, but it would be a good idea to get used to looking behind while still pedaling, especially if you\’ve got your sights set on racing. Just look at any pic of the peloton in Le Tour. Scores of riders, and to me they always look like they\’re packed like sardines in a can. If one coasts/slows down, or (worse!) crashes, or doesn\’t hold his line, it\’s a big-time domino effect!

Those guys really have to keep on the straight and narrow!