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@Kips
+2, there are a lot of qualified cycle instructors on here - I'm not saying the info isn't already out there on tinternet for anyone who goes looking, but a thread here that had good advice, diagrams, links to cycling specific safety videos, etc, would be good.
We should try to foster a view that if someone pulls up next to you at some lights and politely tells you that you did something dangerous, they should be thanked (so long as they're right) as opposed to the current state of things where they might well be told to f**k off. I often see people doing stupid shit but I don't really want to say hey, going up the inside of that bus was a suicide move or whatever, because I don't want to appear snooty or "i'm a better cyclist than you" etc. But we should aim to get rid of this, because it'd result in less accidents, and that means more cyclists on the road, a safer perception of cycling, basically it's all good without any negatives.
btw not saying i'm a perfectly safe cyclist, I make mistakes like anyone does and sometimes I take calculated risks deliberatley. But that's different from just not knowing any better. And as this thread sadly shows, a lot of folk seem to find themselves in really bad situations just because nobody told them to be extra careful of the door zone during the school run / watch out for left turny things / etc.
My brakes were severely tested today by a late left turner from the going straight on lane who didn't indicate - just mashed the anchors on instinct without really knowing why and was surprised and alarmed when some lady in a skoda missed me by inches. She properley came from behind, over my right shoulder but just inside my peripiheral vision, across the front of me. Scary to think what'd have happened if my subconcious hadn't taken over and made me hit the brakes. Crazy bitch.
Anyway bit of a ramble but yes lets please have a "how to cycle safely" thread, and lets keep it organised..