i want to be a roadie

john74

hi everyone im an avid mtber but i really want to road ride and churn out some big milage on sportives and audax rides the problem is cars they scare the living sh1t out of me when im on the road. do you ever get used to them because for me they are the only down side to riding the black top. any suggestions on over coming my automobile phobia?

Jez mon

I think you do get used to it somewhat. You also get more confident about being on the road. however, they still scare the sh1t out of me sometimes. Riding in a group can help overcome it though.

Denny69

You'll get used to it after a while, don't be intimidated, focus on what you're doing and be aware of what is going on around you. If you have any cycle paths that run parallel with roads use them and build your confidence slowly.

You'll know when you're ready to tackle traffic full on.....perseverence

Bronzie

You do get used to it.........................until the next time a wing mirror grazes your arm

blorg

You definately get used to it. A bit of commuting on a bike would be a big help to get you used to them; in my experience cars on sportives are generally a lot friendlier than in the cities. If you are in a bunch a car behind will generally be called and opportunity given for it to overtake on a straight bit. Most cars are perfectly OK with this and will wait until safe.

General rule would be to try to be considerate to drivers and hope that the karma comes back your way (this mindset generally will work but there is always the exception...)

Stewie Griffin

As Denny69 says, dont be intimidated. Learn where to position yourself on the road without peeing everyone else off but keeping yourself safe and take the primary position when you need to, then get back out of it when you can. Try to always leave enough space for a car door to open with no warning whenever you can is also another good one :shock: . Keep the eyes in the back of your head open and dont worry about people shouting all sorts at you from cars for no apparent reason whatsoever :roll: .

Hope for blue skies and learn how to breath through your nose without looking spent when you see a pretty girl out jogging 8)

Rich Hcp

You get used to it

As said above work on the positioning, I try to make a exagerated move out of the way, if I can and always wave 'thanks' when plenty of room is given

I ride around quiet lanes when I can, too.

Right hand turns scare me!

I sometimes go a longer route to make it easier, or pull over and run across.

It's not pretty, but it is safer!

clu

You get used to all the traffic, the more you ride on the road the more confident you feel. Although it's important not to get complacent and over confident, if you see what I mean. Just respect other road users and try to stick to the highway code, a lot of car drivers say they get p***ed off with cyclists who jump red lights.

I'm always aware of my positioning on the road as I'm more vulnerable as a cyclist, I also try to predict what other road users will do. It's not easy but I find it does work, I find being a car driver as well helps as I can see it from both sides. I've noticed more people cycling (In bristol) these days (higher fuel prices perhaps?) and I think other road users are becoming more accepting and considerate (slowly over time) of people who choose to cycle.

Like Denny69 says, use a cycle lane at first if possible and quiet roads if you know some and then progress to busier roads, just don't take risks. In short the only way to overcome a fear or phobia is just to face it and overcome it, and then it's not a fear anymore.

Have fun on the open road.

CrookedCucumber

Jez mon wrote:

I think you do get used to it somewhat. You also get more confident about being on the road. however, they still scare the sh1t out of me sometimes. Riding in a group can help overcome it though.

I think `somewhat' is the key word here. I've been cycling on the roads for nearly forty years, and I would say I am `somewhat' used to traffic And (I suspect like most people) there are certain roads that terrify me, and they aren't necessarily the ones where everyone does 90mph. I regularly cycle on fast-moving dual carriageways and, for the most part, they don't bother me, because there's plenty of room for everybody. It's urban roads that worry me more.

I don't think I will ever ride alongside cars without a measure of apprehension. On the whole, I think that is a good thing. Complacency about the dangers posed by motor vehicles is a good way for a cyclist to get killed, in my view.

john74

thanks for all the replies. i went out yesterday for a 30 miler only had one idiot overtake me on a blind bend. im definitley hooked on road riding its so smoooooth 8) time for a new bike i think. also im borrowing a friends trek 1000 triple at the moment but i notice that when im clipped in to the pedals if i turn the front wheel at a too tight an angle the tyre hits my toes is this normal?

giant_man

Don't be intimidated by the traffic, just bear in mind you have a right to be on the same roads as they have, just cycle responsibly and make sure you are seen clearly when manouvering on the road. You should be safe enough if you're sensible. Crooked Cucumber's advice is gold.

ChrisLS

...get yourself on a Bikeability course it will increase your skill and confidance. On the Level 3 part of the course I turned right on a four lane roundabout. After that I can handle anything!

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4135

blorg

john74 wrote:

thanks for all the replies. i went out yesterday for a 30 miler only had one idiot overtake me on a blind bend. im definitley hooked on road riding its so smoooooth 8) time for a new bike i think. also im borrowing a friends trek 1000 triple at the moment but i notice that when im clipped in to the pedals if i turn the front wheel at a too tight an angle the tyre hits my toes is this normal?

Yes, pretty much. It's called toe overlap. You don't get it on all bikes but it is pretty common. Only really occurs at low speeds as you wouldn't be turning the wheel so much at high speeds. You sort of learn to avoid it, by not having your foot there if turning tightly.

Jez mon

Just be carful with the toe overlap when going around town or during tight slow turns. I have huge toe overlap on one of my bikes and it's nearly caused me to fall off, as my front wheel seemed to be stuck pointing right. I then realised my foot was just causing an obstruction and moved it out of the way :roll:

Audiolathe

It may be worth while taking a leaf out of the book of guys on motorbikes (the sensible ones!) Road positioning is key - don't be in the gutter or people try squeezing past you even if its impossible (don't give them any ideas), but give yourself about 1-1.5 m from the edge of the road and always at least 1m between you and parked cars. (to avoid getting doored!)

Also when you are pulling up past a line of cars to the traffic lights, be careful and if possible try getting past them in the middle of the road (like motorbikes do) as opposed to overtaking them on the inside - they are more likely to see you this way.. and resist the temptation to jump the lights, because you can really do without any roadrage and this topic seems to bring it out in drivers more than anything else..

Also, nod and smile thanks to people who are nice to you, be patient and above all avoid overtaking long goods vehicles, trucks, lorries, buses because they invariably can't see you - also be vary of the same at junctions as you don't want to be on their inside if they suddenly decide to turn left.

Last but not least, boss people around (politely) if you are coming to a junction and people are waiting wondering whether to let you pass or to pull out it always helps if you pedal fast rather than coast, because this makes motorists think you are going faster and are less inclined to pull out than if you are just coasting... Expect the worst and be positively surprised when you are wrong :P

CrookedCucumber

I agree about the road position thing. I think you need to own the road, and I'm very keen that anybody overtakes me actually has to make a manoeuvre, rather than simply driving past me. If drivers have to make a deliberate effort to overtake, I think it's more likely they'll give you adequate clearance.

At the same time, I feel a bit uncomfortable about allowing a half-mile tailback to develop behind me. So sometimes I think it's only polite to move over and let people get past, even if it means stopping. I don't think there's any straightforward solution to this problem, but riding in the gutter is a no-no, in my view.

I agree about the junction thing to. If I'm coming up to a junction and there are people waiting, I grit my teeth and speed up. The last thing you need is some dozy driver thinking you're letting him out.

And I would suggest keeping your face up in traffic, if you can. Cycling instructors say that you should try to make eye contact with other road users who might present a hazard, but I think (this is just my opinion) that keeping your face visible to as many other people as possible is the really key point. Human beings are exceptionally sensitive to recognizing other faces. That's why there's a man in the moon. But if all people can see of you is your shades and the top of your helmet, there's nothing for the pattern recognition system to lock onto.

Steve_F

Jez mon wrote:

Just be carful with the toe overlap when going around town or during tight slow turns. I have huge toe overlap on one of my bikes and it's nearly caused me to fall off, as my front wheel seemed to be stuck pointing right. I then realised my foot was just causing an obstruction and moved it out of the way :roll:

It did cause me to fall off!!

Luckily just at traffic lights trying to balance but it has made me really wary of it.