Safety Tips for Noobs

when riding naked, use an old inner tube to strap your penis along the top tube so it doesn't get caught in the drivetrain.

this is especially important with a fixed wheel bike

looks like someone ought to have got out on their bike today rather than claiming 2am is too late to bed to make RP at 10.30 today.

well seeing as I made no such claim, you better go check your fridge, you nasty man.

Saw a transit van this week that had a nice printed sticker on the back saying "**Warning: Oooh! guess what! this vehicle may turn **left".
I know it's well meant but somehow it sounds wrong. Perhaps because it's almost trying to remove the responsibility from the driver.

I know what you meant Will :)

This is not true, not even as a piece of pre-emptive practical guidance. Very few motorists are actively aggressive towards you. They all know that hitting you--whether from the front, from the side, or from behind--will be a lot more trouble for them than it's worth.

Of course it can't be true ... wouldn't we all be dead for long otherwise?
Sorry, just forgot the 'as if'. And regarding the very few, well, that very few is still far too much. To be alarmist, certainly not, but very aware of your surroundings, definitely yes.

^ brakes are good for that shit.

What, getting married?

If I could only give you one piece of advice it would be this:
Be careful passing junctions where a road forks off to the left.
For TWO reasons, both of which I found out the hard way:
1: Cars (or indeed trucks) you're undertaking might decide to turn left without indicating and kill you
2: The slow traffic you're undertaking might let a car coming in the OTHER direction turn right into your left-hand junction. You don't see 'em til they're killing you.

What, getting married?

No, stopping!

I'm sure it's been said before, but taking a CBT (Compulsory Basic Test -required before you are allowed out on the road with L plates on for a motorbike) is good training, as is general road awareness that you would get just generally driving a car in busy streets. If you can drive a car you will know how drivers think.

(Spent a couple of my student years delivering pizzas on a 50cc moped -great fun despite the Robbie Jackson connotations, probably committed dozens of poor driving manouvres in my time but deffo increased road awareness.)

Did the first ride in today, was good and didnt take very long at all.

One question: Is it illegal to fliter down the right hand side, so much so you are on the other side of the road? This seems an effective and safe way to go down most of High Holborn.

Thoughts?

Oh yeah. I married her.

Good work!

:)

Be assertive and go through most junctions, turns etc. smack bang in the middle of your lane. You really don't want someone cutting past you when you're turning. Then pull back in - cars generally won't be going round corners any faster anyway.

I presume it's the same as if you were driving a car - solid white line in the middle of the road you shouldn't cross, broken white line or none, then it's ok to overtake/filter if it's clear ahead.

Middle is a no go, unless you can keep up at least 28mph.

I dont agree in the slightest. The middle of the road should be used to your advantage. It is the only place where a Car CANT get past you. If the road/lane your in narrows get to the center. Then the car cant overtake you, if the driver thinks there is even a little room they will squeeze past and potentially push you into the curb.

I would also recomend you look into motor bike techniques or even do a Cbt test, these both helped me a great deal it also boosts your confidence.

Guy

just go faster than everything around you

Did the first ride in today, was good and didnt take very long at all.

One question: Is it illegal to fliter down the right hand side, so much so you are on the other side of the road? This seems an effective and safe way to go down most of High Holborn.

Thoughts?

I'm thinking: I go UP high holborn every day, on the wrong side of the road if there's backed up stationary traffic. And you say you're going down High Holborn. Do you mean up (westbound) or down (eastbound), in the sense that its a slope going down eastbound? I have NEVER seen traffic backed up there eastbound except some at the lights with Grays Inn Road.

Anyway, I think you're probably travelling the same way as me, westbound.

I would suggest that you need to be aware that a lot of people 'jaywalk' (horrible amercian term) between stationary traffic up there, so if you're going to do the filtering thing, do it slowwwwly, unless there's no oncoming traffic so you can go really wide towards the middle of the oncoming lane. USE a bell if you have one, or whistle loudly or call (nicely) out to peds as they're generally looking the wrong way when they do this. Expect them to be there, basically. Also watch out for the really bad surafcing all along the section with a junction at Chancery Lane. And PLEASE complain about it here, I have many times but nothing seems to be done about it.

Also, on a general level, you've had some good advice here^^ I would add weight to the ones that say: OWN the road (but don't dawdle) when you feel you need to, right in the middle of your lane. THANK drivers, peds and other cyclists for any consideration shown to your existance. It's karmically good for all of us out there, and good for your everyday mental health. DON'T get wound up about idiotic road users, or try to intervene unless you're cool, calm and to the point. And last, but not least** ALWAYS** indicate well and **ALWAYS **look over your shoulder A LOT.

And Smile and have fun. It's not meant to be torture.

See you on High Holborn, burning past me whilst I gently, serenely glide in to Soho.

I'm thinking: I go UP high holborn every day, on the wrong side of the road if there's backed up stationary traffic. And you say you're going down High Holborn. Do you mean up (westbound) or down (eastbound), in the sense that its a slope going down eastbound? I have NEVER seen traffic backed up there eastbound except some at the lights with Grays Inn Road.

Anyway, I think you're probably travelling the same way as me, westbound.

I would suggest that you need to be aware that a lot of people 'jaywalk' (horrible amercian term) between stationary traffic up there, so if you're going to do the filtering thing, do it slowwwwly, unless there's no oncoming traffic so you can go really wide towards the middle of the oncoming lane. USE a bell if you have one, or whistle loudly or call (nicely) out to peds as they're generally looking the wrong way when they do this. Expect them to be there, basically. Also watch out for the really bad surafcing all along the section with a junction at Chancery Lane. And PLEASE complain about it here, I have many times but nothing seems to be done about it.

Also, on a general level, you've had some good advice here^^ I would add weight to the ones that say: OWN the road (but don't dawdle) when you feel you need to, right in the middle of your lane. THANK drivers, peds and other cyclists for any consideration shown to your existance. It's karmically good for all of us out there, and good for your everyday mental health. DON'T get wound up about idiotic road users, or try to intervene unless you're cool, calm and to the point. And last, but not least** ALWAYS** indicate well and **ALWAYS **look over your shoulder A LOT.

And Smile and have fun. It's not meant to be torture.

See you on High Holborn, burning past me whilst I gently, serenely glide in to Soho.

Hi There,

Thanks for your comments, Yes I do mean Westbound. And funnily enough Ive also noticed the ped problem too - but thanks for it. I actually really enjoyed the riding in heavy traffic; there is some satisfying about the amount of concentration it requires.

Ive been reading 'City Cycling' by Richard Ballantine, which is good too. Already I am learning the need to be assertive and treat yourself like a vehicle and psotion yourself correctly in lanes. To be honest, I fail to see how any can do it ay differently without shitting their pants. I feel safe there, stuck out on the side I feel anything can happen.

I also found bus and taxi drivers to be quite courteous, so I am trying to repay them when I can. The problems I faced in some of the drivers on the outskirts, in Peckham and paradoxicaly, on some of the quieter residential roads. I suppose everyone is so accustomed to bikes in central London and much less so outside. Even more so, they probably feel cyclists have no 'right' to be there.

Tip 1 - Don't get your knob caught in your drive train. People have learned the hard way.

just go faster than everything around you

+1

Assume that other road users are unaware of your presence.

Assume that other road users are indifferent to your presence.

Assume that other road users are resentful of your presence.

Assume that other road users are intent on ending your presence.

Not very inspiring. Quite sad really if you perceive other road users that way.

Also, on a general level, you've had some good advice here^^ I would add weight to the ones that say: OWN the road (but don't dawdle) when you feel you need to, right in the middle of your lane. THANK drivers, peds and other cyclists for any consideration shown to your existance. It's karmically good for all of us out there, and good for your everyday mental health. DON'T get wound up about idiotic road users, or try to intervene unless you're cool, calm and to the point. And last, but not least** ALWAYS** indicate well and **ALWAYS **look over your shoulder A LOT.

And Smile and have fun. It's not meant to be torture.

+1

Before anyone suggests it, I've booked a free two hour session courtesy of Lewsiham Council
Warning: My dictionary isnt working and Im dyslexic. Lewisham eh? Nice area to cycle in. Watch out for the infamous Old kent and New Kent roads. Especially watch out for bus drivers tail gating you. Basically be preemtive, focused and decisive. Be aware of blind spots, blind drivers and take ownership of lanes. Especially when your coming to a left hand corner and your going straight, get in the correct lane just like you would if you were driving a car. Cycle faster than traffic if you can do it safely. Always look over your shoulder, under your arm pit or whatever. Look through Van windows to see approaching peds. Look into cars/trucks mirrors to see if they are seeing you or opening their door. If the space is there cycle in the middle of the road. Indicate! Carve solid lines through traffic and be decisive, quick and obvious to other road users. Peace

Cycle training for noodies

I wasn't aware that we were meant to be banging the drum for bicycling. I'm not the Obama of fixed wheels you know.

Quite sad or healthily cynical. It's a judgment call.

[Edit]

Or just flippant and glib. Which is more my style. For which I apologise. Sort of.

As long as you are not choosing a career in cycling training ;)
I need confidence boost and inspiration from time to time so reading that other road users would happily run me over is the last thing I need to hear.

• when overtaking a bus, expect peds to walk out in front of you from behind (in front) of the bus.
  
  • when rolling through stopped traffic look for gaps in the line of cars and sidestreets - often cars will be letting each other out directly into your path
    
  • don't follow other cyclists closely - you can't see what they can see, and there's unlikely to be any hand signals
    
  • expect peds to walk out in front of you if they are anywhere near the kerb. they tend to cross using their ears rather than eyes
    

• ... they tend to cross using their ears rather than eyes
  
  

Yes! WTF!?! I am finding the one thing I have to call out about four times per mile is 'Have A Look! Have a Look! Have a Look!' as they blithely saunter into the road looking at their Crackberries.