New to the area: Bicycle questions

[sindrian.livejournal.com]

I'm going to be staying in Medford for several weeks, and I had a few questions about riding my bike in the area:
What local laws should I be aware of/where can I find a list of said laws?
How secure do I need to make my bike when I leave it outside? (Is locking the frame and the front wheel to something enough, or should I also lock up the seat and/or rear wheel?)
Can I take my bike on the T?

Thanks!

Comments

[emannths.livejournal.com]

If you're going to be leaving your bike locked up outside overnight, you should probably lock anything that can be removed without tools--frame, QR wheels, QR seaposts, etc. Otherwise, for errands and shorter term stuff, a u-lock is what I use, and I usually just lock the frame. As long as I'm not the slowest wildebeest out there, it probably won't be my bike that's vandalized.

As far as how to ride: the overarching rule is to ride predictably. Don't weave, signal your turns, stop at lights, yield to peds, wear lights--all these fall under this rule.

The second overarching rule is to assume that everyone else will be unpredictable. Don't ride in places that will get you cut off by cars unaware of your presence. Ride in control and to the left edge of the bike lane so that you can avoid unexpected doors and pedestrians.

bostonbiker.org has some guides to riding around here, dealing with the seasons, and more. You might consider looking at the stuff there.