Know the most important traffic regulations
Anticipating what’s ahead and being mindful of others makes cycling a smooth experience. It is also important to be familiar with traffic regulations – please remember to give way to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings, use your bell when overtaking if necessary, and adjust your speed to suit the situation in narrower sections.
Always overtake another cyclist on the left and clearly signal with your hand which way you intend to turn. On busy cycle paths, it’s also a good idea to signal to cyclists behind you that you are stopping by raising your hand.
Common rules make getting about safer and more pleasant for everyone.
Cycle on the bike path or road
Most commonly, the best place to cycle is the road alongside other traffic. On busier streets, cyclists can use cycle paths or cycle lanes. Pavements are intended for pedestrians, and only children under the age of 12 are allowed to cycle on them.
Pay attention to the direction of the cycle path
More and more one-way cycle paths are being built in Helsinki. Cyclists should ride in line with other traffic, on the right-hand side of the road. This makes getting around clearer, smoother and safer, particularly at junctions.
Cycling in the wrong direction can cause dangerous situations for both other cyclists and pedestrians. Two-way cycle paths will continue to be a feature of cycling in Helsinki. You can recognise a two-way cycle path from the additional panel below the cycle path sign and from the road markings.
Which traffic light should you obey?
As a rule, you must obey traffic lights intended for cyclists. Where there are no separate traffic lights for cyclists, follow the traffic lights for motor vehicles when cycling on the road, on a one-way cycle path or in a cycle lane.
On two-way cycle paths, combined cycle paths and pavements, crossing the road is usually controlled by pedestrian traffic lights. On the new two-way cycle paths, cyclists’ movements are also regulated by cycle traffic lights.
Plan your route in advance
Planning a route is particularly useful when:
- you are cycling in a new area
- you want to avoid the busiest streets
- you are looking for the smoothest possible connection.
You can find help with planning the most suitable cycle route on the cycling routes page.
Do a two-stage left turn at a crossing
On one-way cycle paths and cycle lanes, turn left so that you first cross the intersecting road in a straight line. After that, get in the lane on the opposite side of the crossing, on the corner of the street. Stopping points are usually marked with road markings. Continue to the left when it is safe to do so. The safest thing to do is to wait until the traffic lights turn green for vehicles crossing the road.