How do you ride a bike...

[Dinkleberry]

...on the road in the UK?

Today I went on a bike ride for the first time in aaages after losing confidence after falling off a couple of times. It was really great, but the roads were pretty quiet, and a lot of the way was on cycle paths. I was wondering if anyone could point out either the answer, or a good place where I can find the answer to a few questions:
On a busy road, what's the best way to make a right turn?
On a busy road, how do you signal that you want to move from the road to the adjacent path?
On a busy road, how do you indicate that you're going to overtake a parked car?

(There may be more questions later)

Thank you in advance for the straight up and helpful replies I'm to receive.

 

[repiV]

It's tricky because you have to be dominant and assertive, but also know when to give up your position for safety due to your vulnerability. Personally I was a total liability on a bicycle and I only realise this in hindsight after being taught professionally how to ride a motorcycle, a luxury not afforded to most cyclists!

Do you drive? Good road sense is essential really and to be fair I think you should get some cycling tuition if you haven't already learned to drive or ride a motorbike.

 

[Dinkleberry]

It's tricky because you have to be dominant and assertive, but also know when to give up your position for safety due to your vulnerability. Personally I was a total liability on a bicycle and I only realise this in hindsight after being taught professionally how to ride a motorcycle, a luxury not afforded to most cyclists!

Do you drive? Good road sense is essential really and to be fair I think you should get some cycling tuition if you haven't already learned to drive or ride a motorbike.

I don't drive, and have a little roadsense but not much (hence leading to one times I came off my bike). Cycling tuition sounds like a good idea. I think I can get away without that for a while though, as I can just go on the cycle paths to get to work.

 

[repiV]

I don't drive, and have a little roadsense but not much (hence leading to one times I came off my bike). Cycling tuition sounds like a good idea. I think I can get away without that for a while though, as I can just go on the cycle paths to get to work.

Oh yeah definitely, if you've got cycle paths then it's a good idea to use them.

With regards to riding on the road, the road sense is something you probably won't really understand until you have it and then it will all become clear in hindsight. When I lived in London, I would see cyclists do utterly insane things on a daily basis - like pass moving lorries on the inside (a maneuver that accounts for half of all cyclist deaths in London). HGVs have humungous blind spots and you really don't want to be anywhere near them - on a bicycle, they will simply have no idea you are even there.

It comes from a combination of training and experience and to be fair I'm not sure Q+A on a forum is going to be a great benefit until you already have a good understanding of survival on the road from which to build on.

I have no idea what's offered in the way of cycling tuition tbh, but if that's not looking too promising then if you're serious about it you might want to consider taking a motorcycle CBT. Much of what is taught there will apply equally well to riding a bicycle, and it will give you a good basic grounding in using the road safely.

 

[MiccyNarc]

Why don't you just buy one of these:
http://media.motortopia.com/files/10925/vehicle/47bf7a59c26e2/tn_large_Pictures_002.jpg

I get 45+ mpg, costs $10 to fill my tank, and it actually increases my sex appeal.

:-\

 

[Kula Meenur]

Passive aggressively.

And at 300kph.

edit: Well done on the ZZR250 Miccy Narc... or is it a GPX... ....who can tell such things...

 

[lePobz]

Stay off the roads, you're a liability to all us road-tax-paying ignorant maniac drivers. If you want to ride a bike, use the pavements. Hardly anyone dies from being hit by a cyclist.

 

[Raziaar]

You have to treat it like a proper lady or gentleman.

A Bike deserves just as much respect as the next.

 

[Dog--]

Go on the sidewalk, no one will fine you or anything, shit.

 

[xcellerate]

I have a mtn bike and I just ride it where ever there's the least resistance, whether it's on the road, the sidewalk, or the grass. Generally nobody cares where you're riding so long as you aren't in their way.

In other news, yesterday I did a 15 mile trail and it started to rain about 3/4 of the way into it, and there's no shortcut back to the trail head either. So when I finished I had to give my bike a bath in the lake and drive home in my boxers. Yea, it was totally hot.

 

[Eejit]

So was a-bike Pesh or who?

 

[Minister]

Definitely try to do what repiV said, but to answer some of the questions you asked.

You have to put a lot of faith into other drivers actually paying attention to what you're doing. As you are, relatively speaking, moving at such a slower speed than the cars if you want to turn right on a main road you should signal way in advance and start to move across into the centre of the lane. If you've left it too late, best thing you can do is get off the road and cross like any other pedestrian. For this picture you should be signalling well in advance before you start to position yourself.

Red is bad, blue is good.

If you're going onto a cycle path from the road, you should just signal, worst that can happen is the car behind you slows down.

For getting around parked cars, leave yourself plenty of time, don't zigzag. If you can see there are parked cars ahead slowly get into a better position. Just be aware of what is coming up, and give drivers plenty of time to react. Don't signal (unless dual lane), it'll make the drivers think you're turning.

All in all, do things well in advance and no sudden movements.


PS: Don't worry if you're holding people up, they're not in a rush.

 

[Raziaar]

I ride on the sidewalks. I find anything else to be stupidity... considering all the stories I've read of bicyclists who have been hit from behind by careless or otherwise irresponsible and reckless drivers.

I not only like to ride on the sidewalks, I like to ride against traffic so I can see what kind of ****ing shit is coming my way.

I always give way to pedestrians. And I don't care what the **** the law says about this.

 

[Minister]

Well on a road bike you can reach speeds of over 20mph on a flat, 40mph going downhill.

 

[Krynn72]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPfR_VjVcZ8&NR=1

 

[Raziaar]

Oh god...

 

[Reginald]

Go on the sidewalk, no one will fine you or anything, shit.

Riding on the pavement is illegal. A cyclist went into me once and I was in plaster for 6 months with a horrific broken leg. Bone through the skin and everything. The police tried to track the guy down as he was in line for a hefty fine, but sadly no dice.

Cyclists should have to take a test before being allowed to cycle on the roads as they're a danger to car drivers and pedestrians alike.

 

[jimbo118]

I found this page quite helpful as I bought my first road bike last week:

http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Safe_Cycling

I got a Giant Defy 4 btw.

 

[repiV]

Riding on the pavement is illegal. A cyclist went into me once and I was in plaster for 6 months with a horrific broken leg. Bone through the skin and everything. The police tried to track the guy down as he was in line for a hefty fine, but sadly no dice.

Cyclists should have to take a test before being allowed to cycle on the roads as they're a danger to car drivers and pedestrians alike.

While I empathise with your situation, not only for having suffered a similar and similarly severe injury myself, I don't think your suggestion would make much sense. Are you just going to stop kids riding bicycles? Also there are plenty of people that go out very occasionally for a recreational cycle ride, they're not going to bother to take lessons and pass a test just for that.

People have to take a test to drive a car or ride a motorcycle because the potential for causing damage, injury or death is immense if not properly trained. The level of risk is minimal when you're talking bicycles.

That being said, my experience of commuting in London was that cyclists were the worst, most reckless, least observant, least courteous group of road users by far and as a generalisation they could do with some proper training and that big ol' chip taking off their shoulder. I was utterly abysmal too when I cycled, but I never realised it until I learned to ride motorbikes.

Out here, I see nothing wrong with the quality of the cycling but I feel that the presence of bicycles on fast rural main roads is an inherent danger and I question whether it should be allowed. On one occassion I came round a blind corner to find a cyclist doing 10mph (happens now and then, I'm narrow so it's not usually a problem) but also a big ****off Range Rover overtaking another cyclist coming the other way, leading to a possible head-on collision situation. Yes, the Range Rover was at fault for overtaking in a stupid place, but the fact remains that the presence of cyclists on these roads in rush hour traffic causes danger.

At the end of the day, we've all got to be responsible for our own safety, regardless of who does what wrong. Kneejerk legislation never solves anything, and if we had laws and restrictions governing every activity which carried a risk equivalent to cycling, we would live in a very dull world.

On another note, I met a guy last week who was on his way to cycle up Hardknott Pass in the Lake District. That seemed mad enough and then I went up it myself, it's terrifying. Single-track, 33% hills with off-camber hairpin bends and loose gravel. I actually had to walk the bike down one of the corners because it was just too tight and too steep to get round. Guy was a total loony but fair play to him!

 

[jondy]

repiV nailed it, it's only when you start driving that you realise just how stupid you've been; passing a driving test or equivalent is probably the best thing you can do for your cycling. As it is, wearing a helmet, getting a decent pair of lights and reading up on your highway code is a good start. General road awareness is about experience, but be sure to be aware of cars and their intentions when you're on the road.

Do be careful

 

[DEATH eVADER]

...on the road in the UK?

(There may be more questions later)

Thank you in advance for the straight up and helpful replies I'm to receive.

You know there is a little understood book called the Highway Code which covers what you are asking

 

[repiV]

repiV nailed it, it's only when you start driving that you realise just how stupid you've been; passing a driving test or equivalent is probably the best thing you can do for your cycling. As it is, wearing a helmet, getting a decent pair of lights and reading up on your highway code is a good start. General road awareness is about experience, but be sure to be aware of cars and their intentions when you're on the road.

Do be careful

I think it comes down to the amount of respect afforded to each mode of transport too. I never rode a bike when I was young, I got one for the first time when I was 18 because I couldn't afford a motorbike (a spin on the back got me hooked for life!) and that was the next best thing. But I was like, you know, it's a bicycle. Kids ride them. What the hell would I need training for?

I just got on it and took it straight on the main road from day one. And wobbled into the kerb and fell off. And again. And again. Went over the handlebars a couple of times. Lost balance and slid down the road at painful enough speeds once. But, you know, it's just a bicycle. It never really clicked that I was doing anything wrong or dangerous. I wore my helmet and as far as I was concerned that meant I was safe.

Motorbiking seemed much more of a serious business, I spent £1000 on riding gear before I even got on one at all - because as everyone says motorbikes are dangerous - unlike bicycles?

Two accidents in 25 months on motorbikes, versus dozens in less than a year on the bicycle (and I ride the motorbike a lot more than I rode the bicycle). Mostly because I didn't take the bicycle seriously enough, or treat it with the respect it deserved.

 

[Murray_H]

You know there is a little understood book called the Highway Code which covers what you are asking

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/Cyclists/index.htm

I even went to the right section. I am so helpful.

 

[Dinkleberry]

I'd forgotten about this thread. Thanks for the second round of replies, very helpful!

 

[Kula Meenur]

Minister's cornering problems.

Pic1: Sit in the left tyre track and accellerate into the corner at 80kph in third gear. Just before you tip in, pull in the clutch and change down to first and release the clutch. Hold the throttle open so the revs stay around 6-8000rpm. Counter-steer with the handlebars so that no matter where the back end goes, the head will always point towards your exit. Gently powerslide the bike around the corner, adjusting the throttle to correct the angle of the back end. If there is a car in front of you, tell them to hurry up by opening the throttle so your rear tyre makes contact with their rear bumper. Fuck. Yes.

OR

Pic1: Sit in the left tyre track, downshift and brake appropriately so you approach the corner at 130kph. Shift your left cheek over to the right side of the seat, so your boot is tipping on the far edge of the right hand foot peg. Gently lean the bike into the corner and cut across the right tyre track so the head is in line with the right hand tyre track in your target road. Whilst tipping in, extend your knee down to rest on the asphalt being careful to scrape the pegs if need be to blind any passing children/motorists and/or women carrying babies. Accellerate to 200kph whilst lifting your leg up and straightening the bike up, carrying the bike into the left hand tyre track. Shift up where needed. Shift your wieght back to the centre the bike.

Pic2: Start to decellerate from 110kph and down shift where appropriate. Put the bike into second, hold in the clutch and rev the bike to about 7000rpm. Snap the clutch out and wheelie around the obstacles to the side, gradually increasing speed and changing up through the gears. Then, to make sure the following traffic see you, pull in the clutch and jump on the front brake. Do a stoppie and land the back end on the bonnet of the car behind you. Then do a burnout on their hood and ride away giving them two middle fingers. Bad. Ass.

 

[mechanicallizard]

**** THE SHIT MAN JUST RIDE ON THE PAVEMENT.

sure, a few people will say "HEY WTF GODDAMN YOUTH OF TODAY ASSHOLES"

but you just smile politely, give them the finger, and say "go **** yourself"

PROBLEM SOLVED. ive only been in england for a few months now,
but i have already learned the lost art of pavement cycling.

 

[Robbo]

In Australia cyclists are allowed to turn right by joining with the traffic that is going across the intersection

 

[Eejit]

**** THE SHIT MAN JUST RIDE ON THE PAVEMENT.

sure, a few people will say "HEY WTF GODDAMN YOUTH OF TODAY ASSHOLES"

but you just smile politely, give them the finger, and say "go **** yourself"

PROBLEM SOLVED. ive only been in england for a few months now,
but i have already learned the lost art of pavement cycling.

I wonder if that has been addressed yet?

Riding on the pavement is illegal. A cyclist went into me once and I was in plaster for 6 months with a horrific broken leg. Bone through the skin and everything. The police tried to track the guy down as he was in line for a hefty fine, but sadly no dice.

Cyclists should have to take a test before being allowed to cycle on the roads as they're a danger to car drivers and pedestrians alike.

Looks like it has.

 

[mechanicallizard]

i'll say one thing, regardless of my shitty cycling and the fact that i would never pass such a
thing, the test idea is a good one.

 

[jondy]

I think it comes down to the amount of respect afforded to each mode of transport too ...

Two accidents in 25 months on motorbikes, versus dozens in less than a year on the bicycle (and I ride the motorbike a lot more than I rode the bicycle). Mostly because I didn't take the bicycle seriously enough, or treat it with the respect it deserved.

Absolutely - it's a problem for both sides. Cyclists don't treat the road with enough respect, and other road users often don't respect cyclist's R.O.W enough; this is especially galling when as a cyclist you are, without a doubt, the hardest working person on the road. Unless, however, you've driven a car or a motorcycle and had the appropriate training, it's difficult to read the road properly.

Brr, problems. I used to ride home, in the dark, on an old mountain bike along a country road back to my house with no helmet and no lights when I was fifteen or so. Scares the shit out of me thinking about that now

 

[Minister]

My cornering problems

I just didn't want to admit it

 

[repiV]

Absolutely - it's a problem for both sides. Cyclists don't treat the road with enough respect, and other road users often don't respect cyclist's R.O.W enough; this is especially galling when as a cyclist you are, without a doubt, the hardest working person on the road. Unless, however, you've driven a car or a motorcycle and had the appropriate training, it's difficult to read the road properly.

Brr, problems. I used to ride home, in the dark, on an old mountain bike along a country road back to my house with no helmet and no lights when I was fifteen or so. Scares the shit out of me thinking about that now

No doubt. People absolutely fly along the lanes at night round here too, assuming they'll be able to see the headlights of oncoming traffic (which they will...unless it's a bicycle, or a pedestrian...).

I don't like using the lanes in Devon. There is absolutely nothing you can do to avoid a collision if the other guy is driving like a dick. I beep my horn approaching blind corners and crests but that's about all you can do really. I had a guy fly over a blind summit coming towards me at about 50mph once, if I was in a car there's no way I'd have been able to avoid him and would probably be dead (on the lane from Crediton to Thoverton). They all have high hedges too which really, really doesn't help.

I went up to NW Scotland last week (thread to come, when my friend gets the pics and videos online...grr) and they have a lot of single-track roads but the sightlines and the surface are leagues ahead.