Safety first on Friday the 13th

Ooh, blimey. Friday the 13th today. Mind how you go. No cycling under ladders, no cycling on the cracks in the pavement, no cycling out through a different door from the one you came in.

I know they're only old superstitions, but better be safe, just in case, specially today. Perhaps we need a 93-page cycling manual, like the one produced for police bikers and widely ridiculed yesterday.

Instead, here's the Real Cycling round-up of the Top Ten Safety Tips for unlucky days.

• If you can't hear the traffic, it can't hurt you: turn the iPod to full volume
• Helmets prevent accidents, so if you wear one, you don't need to cycle as carefully
• Red lights may indicate areas of prostitution and low personal safety. Best cycle straight past them
• Make eye contact with drivers before changing lanes - it helps them identify the body afterwards
• When making hand signals at night, think from the driver's point of view: with dark gloves on, the number of fingers you're sticking up might not be clear
• Never cycle onto a pavement from the road - the kerb can buckle your wheel. Get onto it via a dropped kerb, or dismount and remount
• Late at night, watch out for drunks and clubbers. They often know where the best parties are
• Cycle lanes are wide, safe, obstruction-free and continuous, so always use them
• Bus and taxi drivers are professionals, so you can rely on them to drive safely
• Pigs make excellent pilots