No Lights !!

[CopperBrompton]

It seems a no-brainer to me that training will help. When I was a kid, my parents told me I had to get 100% in the Cycling Proficiency Test before I was allowed to ride my bike on the road. I duly did so and was undoubtedly safer for it.

 

[tdr1nka]

You really need to read 'Cyclecraft'(which is already the Govt. approved cycling instruction book)Mr. Pig, a sixteen year old is in more danger and as dangerous on the pavement as an adult.

I wish there were more made of learning to cycle safely, to back up my words I'm training to become a cycling instructor in September and intend to specialise in tutoring adult commuters as well as training kids at my daughters school.

If you were to licence 'trained' cyclists you would have to demand they carry the licence which ever bike they are riding, number plates for bikes is simply unworkable.
Imagine some tinker nicks your bike and causes a hit & run accident, it will be you that gets the visit from the Police if your number plate is noted.

I would like to see a free condensed version of Cyclecraft given away with every cycle sold in the UK.

 

[marinyork]

Let me see ... on the one hand we have some stats from an organisation who certainly would not be expected to exaggerate this issue, and on the other hand we have your highly articulate and erudite argument ...

We'll get back to you on that.

Ben

I'm not going into detail about it as it's been done to death many times before, usually by someone saying that it's perfectly safe driving at 150mph. If you're not convinced I suggest you do some basic mechanics. Just like on the climate change threads where people are quite open to read some of the physical theories behind them and people like say wah it's all rubbish I can't be arsed.

Cycling is a very safe activity and although lights, pavement cycling and rljing are problems they are vastly overhyped relative to cars doing exactly the same things and it's not comparing like with like in any set of circumstances.

 

[marinyork]

When I was at middle school they'd scrapped cycling profiency but only a few years older than us had done it as I'd seen them cycling round the school yard. I think the adult training some places do where they take you on your future common routes is a very good idea as as well as skills and exposure to traffic gets people thinking in terms of planning routes and spotting hazards on their routes.

 

[tdr1nka]

To get an idea of what a Cycling Instructor does, I took a 2hr lesson with the company I will be doing my training with.

Now I've had nearly 20 years accident free cycling in London and felt I was a reasonably safe cyclist. In fact I learnt a lot about how to be more confident in my road and junction positioning which could be a grey area for me at times.

The London roads are not the same as they were when I started cycling as a kid, they are busier and as far as motorists are concerned, very competative. Most modern training is to arm the cyclist against the perils presented by the motorist as much as to avoid being a danger to others.

 

[marinyork]

The London roads are not the same as they were when I started cycling as a kid, they are busier and as far as motorists are concerned, very competative. Most modern training is to arm the cyclist against the perils presented by the motorist as much as to avoid being a danger to others.

I'm sure you'll be a great instructor tdr1nka but do you not think some of the cycling training is encouragement, thinking and destroying some myths, route planning? We get some of these thoughts so often on the forum it all reminds me a bit of some of the other threads.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I suspect the 'encouragement' bit is part-and-parcel of any training. Improving skill and judgement tends to increase confidence, which in turn leads to people doing more of it.

Ben

 

[tdr1nka]

A lot of my riding has been using skills I gained when riding motorbikes, until I read Cyclecraft I was blissfully unaware that the way I rode my bicycle is pretty close to the prescribed way.

But that is not to say that every cyclist will automatically have this level of awareness, experience or common sense, which is where tuition is, IMO, invaluable.

Just about anyone can ride a bicycle but considering the amount of 'new' commuters who I see hugging the kerb and concentrating more on their riding than the road around them I feel some basic tuition would always prove useful.

As with motorists there will always be cyclists who say they ride perfectly well without further help but from my experience I'd beg to differ.

 

[ufkacbln]

There will also unfortunately be those that justify bad behaviour because they were "trained" and therefore "qualified" to make the judgement - i.e. that despite being illegal the action was safe......

 

[CopperBrompton]

Nothing in life is perfect, but it's still a no-brainer that training will increase both safety and enjoyment.

 

[Baggy]

As far as cyclists are concerned, I'd make it legal for children up to the age of sixteen to cycle on the pavement, which seems to be accepted as common sense by everyone already.

What about those who live in areas where there aren't pavements?

 

[wafflycat]

What about those who live in areas where there aren't pavements?

Such as Chez Wafflycat, where when Wafflycat Minor was cycling to school, the vast majority of the 11 mile trip was on roads with no adjacent footpaths. And when he went up to sixth form, the 26 mile trip was similarly on roads mostly without adjacent footpaths...

 

[wafflycat]

Quite right, tdr1nka.

It's just not the ohmygodtheworld'sabouttoend problem that some people think it is.

Exactly.

 

[Baggy]

Like where I grew up, as well...

Cycle training/proficiency is a great idea, but if there was a test aged 17, honestly, how many kids do you really think would bother to take it? The majority are going to think "ah well, I can learn to drive a car now so it doesn't matter".

It might stop adults from pavement cycling, but it might stop cycling full stop. To me it also reinforces the notion that being on the pavement is safe, and being on the road is dangerous.

 

[Mr Pig]

I would like to see Cyclecraft given away with every cycle sold

That's a good idea. The problem for me is that without any kind of regulation there is little incentive for people to take cycle training.

I regularly see people riding horses where I live, passed two this morning, and I get the impression that people receive good training on how to handle their animals on the road. Even teenagers on horses seem to be able to control them very well.

Cycling is different as I think most people just learn what to do as they go along. Bicycles are so commonplace that few parents seem to see the need to train their kids. After all they probably didn't get any training and they're still alive. With such a haphazard approach to cycling instruction it's little wonder that there are so many rubbish cyclists on the roads.