Cycling Techniques

Absolutely true about the watching the wheels turn, but if you can see the steering wheel turn you get an even quicker fix on where the car might go! Absolutely right about the looking over the shoulder. Good idea to "sit up" and make that positive gesture that you are going to do something. Makes you look taller and a tad more intimidating too! Of course you need to check the road infront too. Don't want to look a complete pranny as you go AOT in one of our magnifico pot holes. Personally I ride as if I am driving - but loads more aware. Never seen the hand signal used ever! so I can't believe our average comatose morning commuter has a clue! Love buses! on my commute my plan is to get past the bus and hold it at about 200 yards behind. Nothing gets past and I have nothing riding my rear wheel. Doesn't stop the numpties infront, but one thing less to worry about!

also when turning to look it can help if you take the hand off the bar for the shoulder you intend to look over

1+ you can see a million time better than having both hand on the handlebar, which restrict your angle of view as well as your shoulder being in the way.

also when turning to look it can help if you take the hand off the bar for the shoulder you intend to look over

I quoted you already in this thread, James.

Or you can do some stretching, and stop yourself from becoming a calcified cycling bot with fuck all spinal torsion capability.

Or you can do some stretching, and stop yourself from becoming a calcified cycling bot with fuck all spinal torsion capability.

:D

I try and avoid waving people anywhere at all... if they got hit by someone/something else (undertaking cyclist?) it'd feel totally my fault, cos I'd been like "you're safe yo!"

I never wave people on for this very reason. if you wave them on and theres an incident they will blame you, you'll probably feel bad.
If you leave them to make their own decision it's their fault if it goes wrong. expect the worst and hope for the best.
Ride defensively and with confidence, motorists and pedestrians can spot a nervous rider a mile off.

I often wave people on, surely its still their own judgment whether or not to cross? Bit of niceness never hurt noone, er, well maybe in this case.

I rarely see the need to wave. Make a decision and be assertive, people usually get what you are doing pretty quickly, unless they're extremely unobservant.

Worth noting I've kept myself out of trouble a couple of times by disregarding waves and gestures from other people, as a driver, cyclist and ped. A wave doesn't mean their judgement is sound.

One more thing which DJ brought up after his cycling training - if you let go of the handlebar on the side you want to scan, it will give you more room to turn your head around, which is important when joining in the moving traffic or making a rapid turn/u-turn.

definitely.

I fail to do this alot and actually it was james feedback that drew to my attention that I tend to veer out to the right a bit whenever I look over my shoulder.

Have my cycle training with Will tomorrow. Looking forward to it and hope I don't turn out to be London's Worst Cyclist!

Anybody managed to let go with one hand, look around and hit a pothole? I did it the other night, as I couldn't see too far in front of me. Luckily I stayed on!

I had to go through a busy junction recently where the traffic lights weren't working and it occurred to me how well people negotiate these situations. Essentially by doing what they should be doing anyway; paying attention, slowing down where appropriate, communicating with other road users and, by and large, giving way to the more vulnerable.
I mentioned this situation to a couple of trainees, asking what they would do in that situation, because the answers are so relevant to what they should do all the time.
And it made me wonder to what extent being made to be 'good', that is, obey signals, stick to the rules, removes people's ability just to be good, to be considerate and cautious and aware. I know there are discussions about this, about signal-free junctions and so on.

I think there are junctions where this approach would work as the norm, but there are others that need clearly demarcated boundaries/priorities.

Has anyone sat and watched these 'voluntary' scenarios, and gathered statistical evidence of user behaviour over a significant timeframe?

Agreed^. I would like to see some evidence. And projecting from an unusual, even an emergency, situation to one where it is the norm is risky.
Mainly it just struck me as a useful tool for getting some cyclists to think about how they can interact with other road users.

^ There's whole case studies in this area I think... (although I'm usually wrong)

lets get finding them then, because I dont have any. Agree though, putting the responsibility in peoples hands has a remarkable effect. Many of the local journeys you watch people make are habituated, we switch off.

Default setting: wait for Oliver.

I can't take any more crap puns.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,448747,00.html

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.12/traffic.html

youre really luring Oliver here now,
Matthias Shultz writing in Der Speigel...........

that reminds me I need to see how they are getting on with nekkid streets in Ashford...

Say Hi to DR from me if you head over there J.

its SA Im in contact with personally.

I can't take any more crap puns.

that's not default of Oliver surely?