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Who can go round a corner one handed ?

doog442doog442 Posts: 370
edited May 2009 in Commuting chat
with arm outstretched :|

not me ?

exiting a major road one obviously signals....but dear motorist there does come a time when one has to pull ones arm in and grab hold of ones handlebars to negotiate the corner

this is the not the time for sullen stares, strange gestures, surly looks.....just because you didnt see me signal doesnt mean i didnt ..now does it, it means you werent paying attention :evil:

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  • BassjunkieukBassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    Indeed navigating a corner one-handed is tricky. I tend to have both hands on the bars because of the SMIDSY factor. 2 brakes are better then 1! Turning left isn't to much of an issue and when turning right it should be fairly obvious from your road position what you intend to do - now roundabouts are interesting when trying to signal!
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  • Nick6891Nick6891 Posts: 274
    i use both hands but i can do it with one hand if i slow down alot
  • whyamiherewhyamihere Posts: 7,512
    I can, but I don't.
  • itboffinitboffin Posts: 19,964
    That's one of the things I noticed when I was in London this week, in town I signal out of town no point there really is no one around most of my routes and in most cases I slow right down for corners anyway.

    I will have to make an effort to start signalling again.
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  • neil_sheehan2000neil_sheehan2000 Posts: 529
    I can.
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  • defdazdefdaz Posts: 37
    Those bicycle indicator things might be useful to some maybe? I wouldn't be seen dead with them on my bike, mind! :lol:
  • woodyonthebeachwoodyonthebeach Posts: 583
    Tried - failed - it hurt
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  • always_tyredalways_tyred Posts: 4,965
    What's the problem exactly? If you are turning into, or out of a junction (i.e. approx 90 degrees) you cycle up to it indicating and put hands on the bars as you are turning in and you don't need to be indicating any more.

    Mini roundabouts are pretty much the same and larger roundabouts have wide enough turns that really, it should be possible (maybe not ideal, say in wet conditions) to inidicate if you have to.

    Now, really big roundabouts where you have to sprint between lights - yeah, that's hard.
  • tiny_penstiny_pens Posts: 293
    Out-stretched arms are only one form of indication. Road positioning is another one that is equally revealing. Road positioning can sometimes seem counter intuitive though...

    e.g. If you see a car move (right) to the middle of the road they are probably going to turn left at the junction they are approaching on the left. Look out for it and you'll be suprised how often you can spot this pattern.

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  • lost_in_thoughtlost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Always Tyred wrote:
    What's the problem exactly? If you are turning into, or out of a junction (i.e. approx 90 degrees) you cycle up to it indicating and put hands on the bars as you are turning in and you don't need to be indicating any more.

    Mini roundabouts are pretty much the same and larger roundabouts have wide enough turns that really, it should be possible (maybe not ideal, say in wet conditions) to inidicate if you have to.

    Now, really big roundabouts where you have to sprint between lights - yeah, that's hard.

    +1

    Also, yes, I can go round a corner and signal. As for the really big sprinting between lights thing, it's not that bad, you have to assert yourself, take a lane and indicate!

    I have to say drivers in London, much as they get a bad press, must be getting more used to dealing with cyclists because the vast majority treat me with consideration.

    However, if they don't know where you're going it's harder for them to help.
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  • Stuey01Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    Totally agree on London drivers, you get the odd muppet, but as a general rule they seem to expect cyclists and are used to dealing with them.
    I very rarely have so much as a hint of a near miss.
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  • ceecee Posts: 4,553
    lost_in_thought wrote:

    However, if they don't know where you're going it's harder for them to help.

    +1....

    As stated in a previos thread, I am a signalling maniac, but I think I have both hands on the bars when I make a major manouvre..like turning right....

    overtaking, or lane changing, I may keep my signal arm out.
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  • woodyonthebeachwoodyonthebeach Posts: 583
    When I was younger and it looked good in front of your mates to ride with no hands, well I didnt I feel when trying to go down a curb and very rarely take both hands off now.

    But is there any body out there who goes round longer corners without any hands using the your weight to steer the bike
    The doctor said I needed to start drinking more whiskey. Also, I’m calling myself ‘the doctor’ now
  • ceecee Posts: 4,553
    woodyonthebeach wrote:
    When I was younger and it looked good in front of your mates to ride with no hands, well I didnt I feel when trying to go down a curb and very rarely take both hands off now.

    But is there any body out there who goes round longer corners without any hands using the your weight to steer the bike

    I ride a mountain bike, and offroad.....yes.

    on the road, with traffic.....surely that would put one in contention for a darwin award?
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • redddraggonredddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Simple bike handling. If you can't take a corner one handed, I suggest some bike handling practice.
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  • gtvlussogtvlusso Posts: 5,112
    Yes, I can corner 1 handed and do long corners no handed! I am trying to learn to track stand no handed at the moment, not going so good...my knee hurts and I keep falling off......
  • always_tyredalways_tyred Posts: 4,965
    redddraggon wrote:
    Simple bike handling. If you can't take a corner one handed, I suggest some bike handling practice.
    It clearly takes more than 20 years of extensive cycling experience to perfect.
  • doog442doog442 Posts: 370
    edited cant be arsed 8)
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