Cycling UK Forum

I was watching some kids playing in our street the other day (there are swarms of them) and car came round the corner, slowed, tooted to get out the way, and drove on.

It was strange because a parent came out scold her child for getting in the way of 'the car' and 'watch out for cars'. We seem to 'sanitize' driver's behaviour by excluding the from the bahaviour. You never here anyone saying tochildren ' watch out for the inconsiderate driver tooting the horn'?

tee ell,
You mean she had a water bottle in her other ear? That is amazing! Are you sure there is not a local circus there?

Still if she had an axxhole there must have been a spectacle of some sort!

Disgraceful

Can't type and can't spell.

sorry folks.

Is it just me but has roadrunner got a rubber fetish (checked it in "dairy"!!!??!!) or is there a hidden agenda here??

Surely the one thing that cyclists should know, and all to often don't, is where to ride on the roadway. All that stuff about primary position and secondary, and wide lanes and narrow is crucially important. It's pretty much guaranteed that when beginners get in trouble it's from being too close to the edge of the road, not too far away.

More experienced cyclists tend to dislike bike lanes. If you don't know why, you are ignorant of facts that you might need to save your life.

Jeremy Parker

It's these four walls they are closing in on me.
Let me out!!!

I agree thattyres are important. Knobblies are rubbish in the wet.

I am keen on being seen, but dislike designated Hi-Vis products. They are fantastic for being seen but I am concerned about yobs thinking "teenager in sad safety stuff: Hit/ intimidate him." Instead I tend to just go for bright coloured cycling clothes, except at night.

I also avoid cycle lanes for the following reasons:
-Dogs and pedestrians on the cyclist half of spit use tracks
-Often poorly constructed (one near my house has grass growing through it after lss than a month since construction.)
-On road ones are generally too narrow (why build a 1m wide lane along a kerb the highway code says to ride 1m out from?)
-I have the right to use the road anyway

My contention that the distinction between pedestrian and cyclist is a far more occluded than it was 30 years ago, is surely proper looking at cycle lanes. If the cycle lane were part of the sidewalk rather than part of the road then it would be perfectly obvious where the motorists could park without damaging his vehicle.

I don't think anybody can agree with me about the relevant parts of the law, road traffic and highways.

It is local governemnt policy confusion about
cycling/pedestrians/roads/pavements which are responsible, and the application of the law
surrounding them, but if CTC members can't agree either about pavment permissiveness, hope is lost.
g

Hi there

As a highly experienced driving instructor, and now driving school owner of 50 instructors - and daily training new people to be driving instructors I have loads of esperience of keeping safe on the road.

Most driving techniques and planning serve you well on a bike - as many other members suggest - to eyeball the driver of a vehicle in possible danger is good practice and you can then decide whether they have seen you - obviously if not -take action yourself

Futther advice would be to simply look as far ahead (as well as scan the closer for glass, potholes etc) to read what the road and other road users are doing or possibly doing.

Ride positively - and one big thing i would highly recommend is to regularly glance behind - when clear ahead, ocassionally check whats coming up behind - so you are aware

more importantly, whenever you move out to to the right - passing parked cars, turning right etc - definitely check at least twice behind and that the driver has reacted to you needing to turn or pull out - as motorcyclists call it - the 'life saver'

When you approach a side road, try and know whats behind you (quick glance) - then if you know its clear and your not convinced the tunnel vision driver, approaching the junction, may not have seen you you could drift out (if safe) and give yourself some extra room

Check early and make your move early and dont forget to let other road users actually know what you are going to do

Make your own decisions early and always ride at a speed that you can stop if you need to

I also hate the driver, or rider even, that isnt looking both ways when approaching junctions, roundabouts, traffic lights etc etc

Other little hints - dont ride too close to the kerb, as well as not too wide - you need a bit of space to move left if you really need it

Also, dont forget the so called professional drivers - they can be the worst - i find bus drivers the least considerate to cyclists (sorry to any bus drivers who do drive safely round and near bikes)

Dont forget to thank, or nod and smile at the drivers who have clearly seen you and thought about you - it makes them feel better - the fact that you acknowledge their effort to keep you safe

Enjoy your cycling and be positive and stay safe

If anyone has any suggestions to myself, i am in the process of working with road safety in general ie educating and training - and since ive become a cyclist again - the bike and the rider will be a prominent factor

Cheers everyone

Stan

Hi there

As a highly experienced driving instructor, and now driving school owner of 50 instructors - and daily training new people to be driving instructors I have loads of esperience of keeping safe on the road.

Most driving techniques and planning serve you well on a bike - as many other members suggest - to eyeball the driver of a vehicle in possible danger is good practice and you can then decide whether they have seen you - obviously if not -take action yourself

Futther advice would be to simply look as far ahead (as well as scan the closer for glass, potholes etc) to read what the road and other road users are doing or possibly doing.

Ride positively - and one big thing i would highly recommend is to regularly glance behind - when clear ahead, ocassionally check whats coming up behind - so you are aware

more importantly, whenever you move out to to the right - passing parked cars, turning right etc - definitely check at least twice behind and that the driver has reacted to you needing to turn or pull out - as motorcyclists call it - the 'life saver'

When you approach a side road, try and know whats behind you (quick glance) - then if you know its clear and your not convinced the tunnel vision driver, approaching the junction, may not have seen you you could drift out (if safe) and give yourself some extra room

Check early and make your move early and dont forget to let other road users actually know what you are going to do

Make your own decisions early and always ride at a speed that you can stop if you need to

I also hate the driver, or rider even, that isnt looking both ways when approaching junctions, roundabouts, traffic lights etc etc

Other little hints - dont ride too close to the kerb, as well as not too wide - you need a bit of space to move left if you really need it

Also, dont forget the so called professional drivers - they can be the worst - i find bus drivers the least considerate to cyclists (sorry to any bus drivers who do drive safely round and near bikes)

Dont forget to thank, or nod and smile at the drivers who have clearly seen you and thought about you - it makes them feel better - the fact that you acknowledge their effort to keep you safe

Enjoy your cycling and be positive and stay safe

If anyone has any suggestions to myself, i am in the process of working with road safety in general ie educating and training - and since ive become a cyclist again - the bike and the rider will be a prominent factor

Cheers everyone

Stan

Hi guys

Ooops, sorry for sending twice the above long reply

If anyone does have any suggestions, or would like to work with us on driver training and road safety issues, or anything linked you are welcome to email me direct at:

mstanhope@aol.com

'Safe cycling for life'

Stan

Roadrunner
My cycling shoes do have reflective pannels, which compensates for the fact my clipless pedals don't. I also applied discreet but effective reflective tape to my helmet and mudgaurds, and use good lights when necessary. "Back off bozo" does sound quite cool but I find the problems with high vis clothes go beyond that. Sam Browne belts don't seem to work on drop bars (dlip forwards) and waistcoats get blown up so that I can't look over my shoulder. Hence I tend to use bright cycling jerseys and jackets instead except at night (none have enough reflective trim) and for the small fraction of my cycling when I wear normal clothes.

How do you keep safe?

What a silly question.

Everyone knows you just need to strap a lump of polystyrene to your head.
It will protect you from anything.

Do try and keep up

John B

How do you keep safe?

What a silly question.


and pay a lot for the superstition

I've done lots of UK touring and have found that when fully laden, strapping my helmet to the top of my rear right pannier made cars overtake slower and wider than when it was on my head.

a sturdy thump on the car

I have done that before now and got thumped back on my person.
I can't do it any more as I use a recumbent. Pity