Cycling Techniques

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.

Well, traffic signals, and to a lesser extent signing and lining and all that, were essentially introduced because users of motor vehicles were unable to interact properly. Result: carnage. Read Murder Most Foul by J.S. Dean if you want to get the 1947 perspective.

The process by which the opinion of the status quo was changed to the still current opinion that the primary things for motorists (and by extension other road users) to consider are all these artificial innovations was a slow and gradual one which started in the early years of the century and lasted at least into the 80s, although there are still new things being introduced that complicate normal interaction between people (ASLs and their reservoirs are a moderately recent example--early 90s, I think).

Within that status quo, changing the modal split of traffic more in favour of cycling ideally involves using the streets in the way in which they're currently configured. This will reduce the need for a lot of the sort of nonsense you see everywhere (zig zags, etc.), much of which screams 'motor vehicle zone'.

One of the main drivers of the need for cycle training is that the highway environment is currently so skewed against unskilled take-up that it robs many people of the confidence to do just what you say--do the normal and decent thing, according to common sense, of assuming that there are more or less reasonable people in cars with whom it's possible to interact in such a way that causes both parties the fewest problems.

So, yes, it's not an ideal situation, but cycle training is pretty much the best way of dealing with it.

The 'shared space' agenda is complex and has a couple of unexpected twists and turns that I can't go into without producing even more of a tl;dr post.

Default setting: wait for Oliver.

I can't take any more crap puns.

I really wouldn't stoop so low as to make stupid puns about Carbon Reduction Action Plans. These are serious subjects and they deserve to be treated this way.

Still in favour of signposting your puns with multiqotes though.

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.

On Tuesday Jaygee, myself and another cyclist went through a green light at a junction. We wanted to go right but had to wait behind a bus. It took a while for the bus to go through and the light phase changed. I looked to my left and saw the incoming traffic heading towards us (about 10 motorcylists). I raised my hand to signal we were there, one accelerated right at me and howled some abuse, the others just zoomed past very fast with not much regard to us. Jaygee caught up with them at the next light and asked them why they did that, basically they said we had gone through the red light and refused to believe that we didn't and had been waiting with the bus to turn right. So they had the green light and that gave them the right to mow us down.

Pretty scary experience!

One of the main drivers of the need for cycle training is that the highway environment is currently so skewed against unskilled take-up that it robs many people of the confidence to do just what you say--do the normal and decent thing, according to common sense, of assuming that there are more or less reasonable people in cars with whom it's possible to interact in such a way that causes both parties the fewest problems.

So, yes, it's not an ideal situation, but cycle training is pretty much the best way of dealing with it.

Nicely put Oliver

People have mentioned in this sub-forum that the core principle of road cycling taught by trainers as being communication. Especially by looking/eye-contact and road positioning, integrating in the traffic stream where possible or necessary by negotiating for space with drivers. The effect of riding like this is quite startling. Drivers respond so well on the whole by accepting the rider in the shared space and respecting their space. (Or sometimes hooting at the rider due to having their expectations disturbed)

It seems that drivers are not used to such open and clear communication from other human beings when driving and take some getting used to it (which will happen quicker as more people cycle). Even the language of driving ignors inter-human communication and we tend to anthropomorphise the vehicles. (The car didn't* see* me, the HGV* killed* him, the motorbike thought the car was turning).

As Will noted when the rules break down people revert to the natural order of human interaction so make eye contact and communicate/negotiate in such situations and even look out for the more vulnerable people

hans M rules !

Not sure to put this here or the media thread, so it's here. Move if needed.

A great example of what a journey is like if you're a gutter hugger...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtpFWj3fklQ

On a side note, this is the riders view of a section of Sustrans NCN route, so I'd guess they were expecting (rightly or wrongly) relatively quiet and "safe" roads.

Hans Monderman is a hero.

I had the pleasure of working with him in 2008. So sad that we lost him just as his message was getting through.

Now, we have his general principals being applied thoughtlessly and willy nilly. Just what happened with Corbusiers high rise living principals.

People forget, theory is all well and good, but spatial interventions such as these should always be a response to locality and context. There is no one size fits all.

Had a thought today whilst riding my high powered blue Scooter along the Uxbridge Road...

Those big red things, buses. at 30-40mph, on a bike on a dual carriageway, no issue at all...

Mirror signal man-over right..?

On my road bike I have no issue either.
BUT on my beloved fixed pug, clipped in, I fucking hate buses...

a) legally who has right of way, bus or fat man on bike. ???
(i know this has changed, and I have been living in Canada)

b) what do the pro trainers instruct their students about buses leaving bus stops.

http://www.lfgss.com/forum49.html

which bit..?

In to the most relevant bit. Just a tad surprised you missed the presence of a whole forum on the subject :)
It will be merged in to the cycling techniques thread, cheers.

sorry its late.... I counted about 505 posts in all those threads...

so whats the answer..? please or a direct link..?

I did UTFS to get this far, and the buses threads well full of the usual some cunt pulled out in me twaddle.

The answer is it is 12.50 am and when the merging takes place tomorrow people can respond to it. Unless you are planning to go for a ride now in which case the short answer is take primary position in a bus lane, anticipate bus stops and pull out even wider if necessary to stop them cutting in on you. If a bus is pulling out it is often better to wait behind it rather than over take. There is already some discussion of other ideas in the cycling techniques thread.
Now, go to bed before EdScoble arrives to tell us that bus drivers are role models.

Thank you... I have my Mark Cavendish bib jammies on now.

Oh now you WANT the merging...

Happy now?

As I will ever be; cheers Hippyster.

As you no doubt aware that motorcyclists are allowed on bus lane in Central London, I found that to be terrifying, especially when one is speeding between me and motorised vehicles waiting in traffic at 40mph, no matter how many time I've look back, it's simply not enough to clock an incoming missile heading in your direction.

The worse part is that the Smurfway somehow give them a 'guideline' to where they ride, no matter how many cyclists there is on the lane, they'll always sped past on the red section of the bus lane while the cyclists generally stay on the blue not realising how stupidly dangerous and scary it is to the cyclists who's on the recieving end.

Naturally riding in the primary position does work, but there are certain section of bus lane that's wider than an average lane, so no matter how primary your position is, they still think it's fine to overtake you at 30mph in close proximity, so it's time to rethink my road position.

Riding right on the middle of the red section work better, it forced motorcyclists to slow down and go onto the next lane in attempt to overtake me, sure there are some conflict that some motorcyclists feel I shouldn't take the whole lane, but frankly it's a lots better than being in close proximity of a speeding motorcyclist.

^Great advice Ed.

As you know cycle trainers recommend riding centrally an any bus lane and the fact that the CS divided the bus lane into 2 halves in some places actually reduces space for cyclists (in the eyes of other road users as well as some cyclists) despite tfL's claim in their publication 'cycling revolution London' where they state that the CS wil "give cyclists more space and security"

Where the bus lane becomes really wide i tend to treat it as 2 lanes for that section so I ride in the middle of the left hand lane (Or the middle of the right hand lane if planning to filter/turn right.

I find that motorcyclist (not scooter users) are generally good at commubnicating and passing wide and looking back works to keep them at bay.

I do agree, quite a lots of motorcyclists are very good at communicating, however I did notice a pattern of those who have an L-plate whom are lacking in communicating.

Good advice Ed, I always treat bus lanes as "my" lane to stop motorbikes passing close. Obviously looking behind and moving over to alow them to pass once it's safe to do so at the same time.
Also, you just know if you're not in primary position the busses will try to squeeze through too!

Okay may need to revised on my technique, everyday I get at least 3 or so motorcyclists a day who's not only honking but exceeded the speed limit to the point that one of them clipped my back wheel while trying to slow down dramatically, most of them weren't expecting me to be on the red instead of the blue.

30mph+ vehicles and bicycle in the same lane is insanity.

You could always use the intermittent wobble technique. Have we discussed that on here yet? Do the trainers consider it a valid 'trick', or is it inherently wrong to temporarily give the impression that you're an unstable* cyclist?

*not mentally. Erm…

I find bus drivers tend to go mental when we cycle in primary position in bus lanes. The other week Mccarthy and I were coming back from the pub and one started to continually beep at us. I proceeded to do the go slow and the twat drove about 2 inches from my wheel.

I've had a lot of drivers (taxi, white van, red van, bus) in the past few weeks lose the ability to perceive my speed (in primary position) due to being blinded by 'must-get-in-front-of-bike' syndrome. Even when I'm rapidly catching a slow moving queue a little way up the road.

They've not paid attention to me when I've communicated that they should back the fuck off (gesture, gaze, signal, etc). One of them actually swung violently onto the opposite side of the road, approaching a 'chicane', and ploughed through a zebra crossing, still on the wrong side of the road, sending peds scattering in panic. (Exmouth Market/Percival St)

Knobends.

I've had a lot of drivers in the past few weeks lose the ability to perceive my speed due to being blinded by 'must-get-in-front-of-bike' syndrome.

Why does somebody in a car weighing several tonns, think they can out accelerate 90Kgs of bike/rider. Physics people.

Had two drivers attempt to overtake me while we were pulling out from a T-junction last night. Kaos.