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with looks, In traffic I use them like operating the brake of the vehicle behind me, example
approaching a road narrowing, Im moving position towards the centre of the lane (dont want to be squashed) a swift turn of the head just at the point before moving usually makes the driver see my intention and they back off, do this whenever moving position.It's become such a force of habit for me that I've now noticed I regularly do something similar in busy situations when on foot. Supermarkets are a good example. I usually stick to my 'lane' when on foot and am concious about making manoeuvres.
Probably look like a right weirdo (even more so than usual).
I think I remember Ed once saying that he forgot he was on his bike when in a tube station and stuck his arm out to 'indicate' when making a turn. I'm sure he said something along those lines...
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Ha! signalling out of habit is something we shouldn't do (especially when in a station!).
For instance, if we got into the habit of signalling every time we need to make a turn, we may end up doing it without looking back not realising our mistake, sticking hand out without looking could lean to some consequence, says smacking a passing cyclists without realising.
The best solution is to signal (after looking) when there's vehicles behind us to let them know where we're going, if there's nothing behind you,*** don't signal.***
The more we do that, the less we'll signal out of habit.
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Here's a scenario, a cyclist is going to undertake you, how do you know if he's going to make that attempt?
Has happened to me mostly by moped riders. Right combination of speed, narrowness and idiocy, I guess. But also cyclists if they can catch me. Sometimes even cars.
But I don't sweat it. There sometimes is an idiot-usable line of travel between my line of travel and the curb. Idiots use it to undertake me. I don't care, cause I got my own line of travel. If I were to change my line of travel nearer the curb, I would check over my curbside shoulder that it can be safely done. Turning at intersections have to also check back (same thing driving car) because cyclists undertaking using the idiot shared footpaths.
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I'm a long, long way from being a properly experienced cycle trainer and I am reluctant to speak on behalf od cycle training as a whole but....
Cycle training is something you do, rather than just read about. Knowing the theory and listening to other people's stories are useful but they are not, in themselves, cycle training.
Every trainee is different and although the principals of training are always the same every lesson is different. Some people are very new to riding on road and, to an extent, you have to get them to over compensate for their lack of experience so that, for example, the idea of looking behind enough is knocked firmly in to their head. As they gain experience they will adjust and refine their technique, become better at adapting it to circumstance.
Other trainees are very experienced and will only tweak their style a little after a lesson. For example, they already know to look behind but during the lesson they realise that some of the problems they have encountered have been because they have not been looking behind as much as they might. That was the case for me when I did my instructor course.
So there is only so far you can go with description and theory. Cycle training is about on road experiences and learning through doing. It is adaptable and flexible. In discussions maybe it comes across as you should do X so often or you should approach this situation in this fashion. In practice it is not that proscriptive. -
Just had cycle training from wiganwill this a.m. He was lovely enough to ride 10 miles to my home, pick me up, and ride 6.5 miles over two hills to work with me. He gave me really good information and my goals are: look more often, look and signal sooner when coming to a narrowing of the road, and not filtering down the left side. Also, having more confidence in my skillz as apparently I ride 17-20 mph! [/boast]
A comment here will get you a burn that will set what little hair you have on fire, Ed.
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Some boroughs make helmets compulsory. (TH)
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Only 60 mins to go till my cycle training session...... I'm all excited.
Predicted areas for improvement include:
- more assertive overtaking of traffic Q's on the right hand side, rather than holding back as if I was a car
- less moving to secondary to let faster vehicles overtake, so holding my line longer, as aforementioned vehicles will only be caught up with at next traffic lights
more courage that drivers have seen me when I indicate (I assume they haven't on the grounds that every motorist could kill me) and finally......
less smiling at other road users (it makes me look like a nutter).....
A full report, uncensored, to follow.
- more assertive overtaking of traffic Q's on the right hand side, rather than holding back as if I was a car
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That was totally brilliant. I haven't had anyone look at the quality of my cycling since I helped teach cycling proficiency when I was 16; and I loved every minute of it.
The instructor (with thanks to Westminster Council who'll pay for 4 hours free cycling instruction, I've just had 2) arrived at 2 mins to the appointed hour. He made it very clear it was 'my' two hours to do with as I pleased. I said I was looking for advice on difficult/vicious road junctions, heavy London traffic, and some of my favourite (worst) roads where we could discuss afterwards specific techniques - in particular the cycle lane vs. overtaking on the RHS per, posts elsewhere; my road positioning at nightmare junctions (we did the Elephant & Castle a couple of times at 5.30 in the evening for example); and anything at all else he thought was good or rubbish.
So, we did a big loop, from Parliament Square to Elephant and Castle, some backroads, then back to the E&C, Camberwell, Oval, Vauxhall, Waterloo and the West End. Stopping frequently to talk about junctions, primary vs. secondary positioning etc.
The session was very relaxed, informative, and worthwhile. My instructor was kind enough to say some very complimentary things about my cycling.... which was more than can be said for the (possibly) drug hucked rude individual of a cyclist in Camberwell who was highly offensive about amongst other things our joint road positioning just coming down from the Elephant and Castle as we were preventing him from RLJ'ing. Neither my instructor, or I, felt said individual's life expectancy was going to be significant, so we chose not let that man's behaviour bother us.... but the readers of this forum can rest assured that Kings College Hospital will at some point in the near future be trying to stick him back together very soon, at all ours expense.
An interesting debate was held about road positioning when you have a cycle lane within a bus lane... how far in should you be, or out... (also considering road conditions)... and a debate too about how as a cyclist you can help dictate the road behaviour of other cyclists... not just other drivers.
We debated fixed vs. ss vs. geared: the different techniques of clipped vs. free and so on.
I was complimented on my observation, my road positioning and eye contact with drivers. What I need to improve is being 'seen' to double check junctions as I pass them, and consider moving from primary to secondary when you have a bus lane with a cycle lane. Apparently if you follow me when cycling, it's like following a car.
My confidence as a result of this ride has improved, my understanding of my riding technique too. The skills of my instructor with his very pragmatic approach to London's toughest road conditions was to be applauded.
What I simply don't get is why.... every, single, cyclist on London's road's doesn't take cycle training.... if you don't you're a Muppet. In the words of the young people.... 'simples'.
What I would like really like to do however....is see cycle training advance one more stage.... I want to do the same ride, with an instructor, and certainly any of the instructor's on here who are voluble, is a ride where I call-out what I see around me.
The comparitor is if I was on an advanced driving course I'd be shouting out the hazards, my positioning etc.
Shirley, the next stage for 'advanced' cycling must be the use of technology to make that happen....
For example.... "road conditions good, visibility good, approaching bus lane, expect greasy road surface, road dips away to the left, assume slight right hand road positioning to see through the curve, on coming vehicle, return to primary position..." etc.
All in all, a very very good couple of hours, thank you to the instructor, thank you to Westminster City Council.
If you've not taken your free hours cycle training.....
Sort it.
p.s. one final bit of 'self-learning' applicable everyday... is that whilst checking the bike to make sure it is good to go before go out on the road.... also worth checking you have the required number of screws holding your cleats.... to your shoes. Otherwise it can become quite, er, disconcerting.
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Lovely post, Bagheera, but this ...
Neither my instructor, or I, felt said individual's life expectancy was going to be significant, so we chose not let that man's behaviour bother us...
... sounds as if it's logically the wrong conclusion. Not that I would have managed to get any sense into someone like that, but it just doesn't read right, if you know what I mean.
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nice write up bagheera and so glad you got a lot out of it. I suspect you'll find that some of the principles take a week or so to embed and become instinctive. so be good to get an update in a month about your riding experience.
not sure i like the technologically supported on going commentry (like motor cycle training) since it's always possible to pull over for a chat and feedback while training and instructors can communicate with people while on the move (unlike noisy motorbikes).
Also one principle of cycle training which i love is the simplicity of 2 poeple, 2 bikes and the tarmac, nothing else.many people don't take training because they think cycling is as easy...
as falling off a bike! -
My comparison is with advanced driver training where the 'calling out' of the hazards by the pupil, to the instructor, as the hazards appear is a crucial part of the instructor understanding what the pupil has seen and is responsive to. With an instructor behind you though they can give a view on the messages you are sending, road positioning etc... they don't know what you're thinking unless they can hear your live commentary.... to be clear here I am talking 'seriously advanced' cycling.... compared to the way the vast vast majority think... for those who don't get it... check out... YouTube - Police FJR1300 motorcycle & Kawasaki ZZR1400 ZX14 - 1
:-))
Maybe you and I should go out for a parallel ride Skydancer, and we could do it without the technology!
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Hi all
Saying as it was this thread that inspired me to give it a shot, I thought I'd share my experience of cycle training, as delivered last night by Toby, an instructor assigned to me by Camden council. Toby clearly had a lot of expertise: a good communicator, and very capable of tailoring the session to my experience level and riding style. Moreso was a really nice guy. He was a bit puzzled about why a relatively experienced rider such as I would want training, but I figured that you're never so good you can't pick up bad habits. I've also got a couple of friends new to riding in London, and figured I should be showing them good habits when I take them out.
We met at Marble Arch at rushhour, and after a modicum of paperwork, he set me off around the roundabout and up Edgeware Road, telling me to ride as I normally would.
Heh heh heh.
We eventually turned off, where he told me in fairly good humour that while I obviously knew what I was doing in terms of bike handling, I was far too fast for the traffic, a bit "lairy", and that my signalling and positioning needed some work - pretty much what I expected. He then went through primary / secondary position, setting it out in a way that was extremely clear (essentially 'don't pass me' vs 'it's safe to pass me') and then looked at ways to improve my signalling (earlier, clearer, longer). All fair, and all well delivered. We then spent another 90 minutes dealing with a couple of junctions at a time, finetuning the basics, working through various hypotheticals, and generally stating the kind of obvious-once-its-said advice that we all need every now and again.
Long story short: really enjoyed it, got a lot out of it, and felt quite a bit more conscious of my decisions and thus my safety on the ride in to work today... though he didn't quite get me to slow down... :)
skydancer
pifko
edscoble
chainwhip
Balki
jayloo
Multi_Grooves
mmccarthy
Bagheera
Oliver Schick
troutio-
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Experiences of Cycle Training
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L'etat, c'est moi.