Cycling UK Forum

Hi, I want to commute to work. I'm hoping the work will join a bike to work scheme and i'll get a decent tourer to commute. However, i haven't cycled in a long, long time. I've looked at routes to and from work, there are several options using cycle paths and or roads.I'm just a bit concerned I won't have the savvy to deal with traffic on two wheels rather than four.
On the paths I'm going to get off bike and cross a couple of busy roads, on the roads I'll have to do right turns and mini r/abouts. Any help please? or even a gee up?Thanks.

Good question!

The main thing, is that you RIDE! My advice is for you to get on your bike any way you wish to get to work.

Then, as you gain in confidence, branch out onto the roads a bit. Why not get out for a ride on a Sunday morning? Traffic would be lighter and less aggressive, so you may feel better. Practice makes perfect.

mini roundabouts aren't really a problem, as the appraoch is usually only one lane and you don't have to worry about the traffic behind you. Turning right at a normal junction can be a bit more problematical. Getting across one or two lanes of traffic to get in postion to make the right turn can be a problem when it's busy. I often pull over to the kerb and have a good look behind or even dismount and cross by foot, using a ped crossing if necessary.

By all means try the path route, but you might find it's slower and pedestrians get in your way. On my ride home I take short cut through a park on a shared cyclepath and have to be constantly alert for jay walking pedestrians, small children and dogs. Nice to get away from the rush hour traffic though!

Get some training.

Contact your local Primary Care Trust, they should have details of free or very cheap training courses (£3 per hour at my PCT).

Training will boost your confidence in traffic to no end, and it will also give you the tools you need to stay safe.

And as Mick said, get out and ride!

In the meantime buy or borrow a copy of John Franklin's book, Cyclecraft published by The Stationary Office. It will detail the best way to approach and execute most junctions and traffic islands.

Gazza

I've been commuting around 20 miles a day for 10 years now and always cycle on the roads. On your average British cycle path you have no priority and have to get off and walk regularly. They are generally not at all well thought out for anyone who wants to travel a reasonable distance at a reasonable pace.

If you are nervous, get some practise in outside of rush hour(s). Try your route at the weekend to get a feel of where you should position yourself on the road to negotiate the junctions. If you are still not confident I'd still cycle on the road, but walk the busy junctions. Perhaps with increased practise you will feel more confident to stay on the road permanently.

I'd like to think that if more cyclists are out on the roads we will eventually get more respect from other road users. I don't think segregation is the answer - but I'm sure plenty out there will disagree !

Thanks guys. I think I'll take Mick's suggestion and maybe try a couple of dry runs on Sundays and early mornings.Since I've started to look into this, the more I'm determined to do it. I've also started to look at my own car driving, after reading some of the stories on this site!

"I won't have the savvy to deal with traffic on two wheels rather than four."

It is essentially the same. Try and position yourself as if you were a car, and watch out for all the things you would normally expect car drivers to do - pull out, change lanes, etc etc.

The practise runs with at low traffic volumes will help. Sometimes though it is easier in rush hour as the cars aren't going anywhere and you can ride past at your leisure. Depends on how badly congested your roads are.

HAZBOY wrote:Thanks guys. I think I'll take Mick's suggestion and maybe try a couple of dry runs on Sundays and early mornings.Since I've started to look into this, the more I'm determined to do it. I've also started to look at my own car driving, after reading some of the stories on this site!

It’s true, real cyclists also make the safest drivers.

As a statement of fact it’s purely anecdotal, but I’d put my mortgage on betting that a proper study would come to the same conclusion.

Gazza

I find cycle paths often have more risks than roads.
Often overhung with vegitation particularly brambles.
Crossing drive entrances, cars coming out of the drive will usually stop at the road edge, not at the edge of the cycle track.
Track surface can go from good to very poor in an instant.
You need to watch out for cars turning left across the front of you, not allways easy. A car driver usually looks for traffic on the road, and dos'nt notice the bike on the track or expects him to stop at the junction.

Whilst i use cycle tracks on occasion i much prefer to be on the road.

I haven't really been commuting to work for that long (since March) and use the roads as there aren't any cycle paths into town. There is one major junction I use the Toucan crossing at as it goes across a dual-carriageway with a 40mph limit (well it's supposed to be 40mph )

There is another junction I used to get off and walk across. Now I cycle it.

I use cycle paths if I'm out for an evening cycle away from traffic which goes through some pleasant countryside but for commuting a prefer the roads anyway.

When I got back into cycling about a year ago, it was strictly paths for me - even a bit of quiet back street would make me apprehensive.
Paths are obviously better than not cycling at all, but on the whole they treat you like a second class citizen.
Sooner or later you will want to go somewhere where there are no paths.
If your commute allows you to switch at will between road and path, that gives you an easy way to get into roads (strategic switching between road and path can also get you there faster than car traffic - without jumping red lights or breaking laws).
I now hardly ever use paths, unless they happen to offer a shortcut.
So I'd say, start out on paths and take the road whenever you want to.
- AS

When you start commuting every day, it's surprising how quickly you gain confidence.

2Tubs wrote:Get some training.

Contact your local Primary Care Trust, they should have details of free or very cheap training courses (£3 per hour at my PCT).

Do all PCT's do this?
Maybe something to do with promoting healthy lifestyles?
Better than making grandiose schemes for closing everything down, which seems to be their main activity round here!

And - if we're talking about road training - better than promoting cycling as (just) a leisure/sports activity.

AS

archy sturmer wrote:

2Tubs wrote:Get some training.

Contact your local Primary Care Trust, they should have details of free or very cheap training courses (£3 per hour at my PCT).

Do all PCT's do this?
Maybe something to do with promoting healthy lifestyles?
Better than making grandiose schemes for closing everything down, which seems to be their main activity round here!

And - if we're talking about road training - better than promoting cycling as (just) a leisure/sports activity.

AS

I believe there is an obligation to provide road training for cycles, whether they all do is another matter!

The idea is indeed to promote cycling as a mode of transport as well as keeping people out of the weight clinics.

Gazza

Hi All, Thanks for advice.

Looking at the cycle paths, i think it would be more dangerous to cross where these intersect the roads. (traffic at 50-60 mph and on downslope).

I do have another question, if someone could answer. On some of the roads there will be speed bumps. If i'm riding a road /touring bike how do I traverse these?

Do I try and avoid ie get closer to gutter or just drive over slowly?