If you are riding and someone runs from you, why should you stay on your bike?

• A. You should immediately dismount to escape
• B. You should stop and confront them
• C. You should never give up your mechanical advantage
• D. You should move into traffic to escape faster

Answer: (C)

Staying on your bike preserves your speed, balance, and steering control, which together give you a real advantage for escaping a threat. The bicycle acts like a rolling shield and a fast, maneuverable tool—keeping you in motion lets you steer away, brake as needed, and create distance quickly. Dismounting or stopping would slow you down, reduce your control, and make you more vulnerable to being grabbed or blocked. Moving into traffic to escape faster is dangerous and can put you at risk from vehicles. Confronting someone is risky and unnecessary in this situation; the safest goal is to disengage and put physical space between you and the threat, using the bike to get away.