7 cycling mistakes YOU are making and how to correct them

will3

mudcovered wrote:

will3 wrote:

I don't signal left every time.
Reason is that if I do, too often a car behind which is also going left will left hook me and no leave enough room.
Sorry if it annoys a driver, but I'm looking after #1.

Take primary first and then signal. You end up with a better line through the corner as well.

Mike

Yes I can see that working well with traffic approaching from behind at 60mhp+

greg66_tri_v2.0

lost_in_thought wrote:

glauciaregina9 wrote:

I tend to believe that if we want the reputation and respect for cyclists on the roads to improve, then elements like these 7 'road sense' tips are the sort of thing that everybody should receive some kind of proper awareness training in.

I tend to believe that writing in large font makes you look like a bit of a plum. :P

I do think you have a point though.

Well look at me then. I'm really cool!

Jay dubbleU

I find a combination of road position and signals works for me - I usually ride about a metre out from the kerb - avoids all the rubbish, drain covers etc and puts you in a position where you are in the drivers eyeline.

supersonic

Yep, same here.

And if I am holding a line of traffic up on say a tight steep hill, I'll get off and let them pass. Better than some oik trying to overtake sometimes.

Porgy

pst88 wrote:

Not having an awareness of the road users behind you... Eye contact has a huge role to play in keeping safe on the roads therefore don’t stop glancing behind you.

Making eye contact with road users behind you? Wouldn't you need to be the girl form The Exorcist to do that?

You can call me Linda Blair

andreaslc

Very interesting to read your comments on my article. I think some people were shocked by some of the advice I am giving but I can assure you it all comes out of established principles like the Cyclecraft book and the course that have been developed by the guys at Cycle Training UK. I seriously recommend doing the course (its often subsidised by the local council so can cost as little as £7). It's a non for profit organisation and what they are doing is very cool.

Again, thanks for sharing my article and glad to see that overall everyone is pretty happy with it!

Porgy

antfly wrote:

I don`t agree with number 2 at all, it`s more important to look where you are going and you can`t do that if you`re looking behind every 8 seconds. If you want to see what`s behind you all the time you would be better off getting a mirror.

I have absolutely no problem looking behind and seeing what's in front. It probably takes practise - but well worth perservering with.

Many of the cyclists I see get into difficulty in London - it's becasue they clearly weren't aware of what was coming along behind them.

antfly

I am all in favour of looking behind before a manoeuvere , Linda, but every 8 seconds seems a bit much. I like to think the cars behind can see me anyway. When I first started cycling I used a tiny mirror stuck on the inside of my glasses which worked quite well but I don`t miss not knowing what`s behind me. I`m not in London though.

Porgy

antfly wrote:

I am all in favour of looking behind before a manoeuvere , Linda, but every 8 seconds seems a bit much. I like to think the cars behind can see me anyway. When I first started cycling I used a tiny mirror stuck on the inside of my glasses which worked quite well but I don`t miss not knowing what`s behind me. I`m not in London though.

LOl - you called me Linda

Well - I'd say every 8 seconds is really only in fast moving busy spots where things are changing extremely fast - I've never measured the time between turns of the head so I don;t know if I conform completely to the 8 second rule, but I can;t be far off. ...and I don;t see other cyclists looking behind as often as I do - so it's nice to have some affirmation that I'm doing the right thing.

and bear in mind this is advice from the London cycling campaign - it might be that traffic chaos in London is much worse than elsewhere so that looking behind quite so often is unnecesary in most other places.

antfly

Each to their own I say, whatever makes you feel safest, I just wish my neck was more flexible.

suzyb

Porgy wrote:

and bear in mind this is advice from the London cycling campaign - it might be that traffic chaos in London is much worse than elsewhere so that looking behind quite so often is unnecesary in most other places.

Completely. In many country roads you can hear the cars coming long before they are close enough for you to see.

Kieran_Burns

suzyb wrote:

Porgy wrote:

and bear in mind this is advice from the London cycling campaign - it might be that traffic chaos in London is much worse than elsewhere so that looking behind quite so often is unnecesary in most other places.

Completely. In many country roads you can hear the cars coming long before they are close enough for you to see.

and on some country roads - you never see a car when commuting.... 8)

Porgy

antfly wrote:

Each to their own I say, whatever makes you feel safest, I just wish my neck was more flexible.

well there's another benefit - I've been doing this since I was in my teens and my necks still very flexible.