questions after cycling for about a month

[terry_gardener]

i recently taken up cycling to become more fit and get exercise.

just have couple observations and questions.

when i first started i cycled at about 8pm when the roads are quieter but it was dark and drivers give me plenty of room and even waited behind at pinch points and seemed very patient.

i went out today for the first time during the day thinking it would still be quiet, it was abit busier than i am use to but not that many cars really but i was given less room then normal and people even overtaken me at pinch points also when one done it they all seemed to do it.

my question is: is this because it is busier and day time, people take more risks than when it is dark and quieter.

i ride in secondary position at the moment at all times as the route i take has only left turns in it and not confident enough to take primary position and right turns yet, building up experience and confidence gradually.

according to my garmin my average speed is about 11mph on about 3.2 mile route.

my other question is: is it worth getting a helmet as i have read mixed views with regard to the effectiveness of them.

 

[catalan chris]

just a couple of questions! More will follow I'm sure.
You've raised a couple of corking good issues to start with:-

a) cycling in daylight vs nightime and the way drivers treat cyclists in differing visability; and,
helmet or not.

I'll keep it short - there might be a tidal wave of comments coming behind me:-

a) yeah, drivers do seem to give more space when you're well lit up in the dark;
matter of personal choice - they scientific evidence is not categoric. Anecdotally speaking, I've come off a number of times and in most of them the head impact or grazing would have been worse.

Oh, by the way, congrats and getting going on the bike. Your confidence will grow (wrt primary position etc.) Perhaps you might wish to consider joining a group like the CTC who organise local sunday rides for all abilities, many on quiet foads/lanes where you get some great advice and the opportunity to copy what others do.

 

[Mark_Robson]

As a motorist and a cyclist I think that people are more careful when it's dark because of the impaired visibility. I also believe that for whatever reason you have bad days when cycling or driving. I have had rides when it seemed that cars pulled out on me at nearly every junction or roundabout, even though I was clad in a high viz jacket. Mind you I have had days like that in the car as well though.
As for buying a helmet, my advice would be to do some research, talk to other cyclists and then make your own mind up about what is best for you.

 

[Arch]

Yes, I think drivers do take more chances in the light. Also, you're possibly dealing with different sets of drivers, with those out in the dark being the more confident/better ones (I have a friend who drives perfectly well, but doesn't like driving in the dark). Also the ones in the day might be in more of a hurry, getting to work etc... And they think because they can see you clearly, they can judge the right distance to pass etc.

Have you looked at the book Cyclecraft? It's a good guide to how to behave to make others drive how you want them too - as much as you can. So when you approach a pinch point, you move outward (having checked behind you etc), to prevent all but the stupidest drivers even trying to get by.

Helmet, up to you. The main thing is, if you wear one to make sure it fits properly and you wear it at the right angle (ie, level, not pushed to the back of your head), or it's worse than useless. And don't let it make you feel invincible.

 

[snorri]

So when you approach a pinch point, you move outward (having checked behind you etc), to prevent all but the stupidest drivers even trying to get by.

It takes a bit of assertiveness to do as Arch recommends, you may not yet feel up to it, but this will come as your confidence on the road increases.

 

[terry_gardener]

i am a motorist of 6yrs and just taken up cycling, i have cyclecraft and read it.

it is easy to read what to do, but you need the confidence and assertiveness to carry out the instructions. i'm sure it will come as my experience increases on a bike

 

[marinyork]

Although I think driving is worse during daylight, Bank Holidays are a bit weird. All the nutters come out of the woodwork. A lot of people are put off cycling too much at night though, so you're doing good .

 

[slowmotion]

my other question is: is it worth getting a helmet as i have read mixed views with regard to the effectiveness of them.

I really do not know, but I tend to wear one. I was on holiday with a pathologist last week, and the matter came up. She said that she had conducted post mortems on a couple of cyclists in the last twelve months. Judging by her speed on skis, she did not seem entirely risk averse.

She said that she wore a helmet when on her bike. I think that I may continue to do likewise.

Just my two cents in an on-going and sometimes angry debate

 

[summerdays]

You can use the primary position for left turns as well - to prevent cars trying to overtake and turn across the front of you... as Arch says look behind before moving out a bit.

You do get different sub-sets of motorists and behaviours depending on the time of day, if you can arrange your time on the bike so you avoid the worst time so much the better.

 

[cyberknight]

I think everyone has covered most of the bases.

With the helmet its up to you, one thing to bear in mind though is i read of a case where the judge used the fact that the cyclist was not wearing a helmet to reduce the culpability of the driver.

here we go links below

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/not-wearing-a-helmet-could-be-contributory-negligence

http://www.cyclistsdefencefund.org.uk/cycle-helmets-and-contributory-negligence/recent-cases

http://www.singletrackworld.com/200...rison-because-cyclist-wasnt-wearing-a-helmet/

 

[BrumJim]

I really do not know, but I tend to wear one. I was on holiday with a pathologist last week, and the matter came up. She said that she had conducted post mortems on a couple of cyclists in the last twelve months. Judging by her speed on skis, she did not seem entirely risk averse.

She said that she wore a helmet when on her bike. I think that I may continue to do likewise.

Just my two cents in an on-going and sometimes angry debate

But did she wear a helmet when ski-ing?

 

[slowmotion]

But did she wear a helmet when ski-ing?

Yep.

 

[Arch]

i am a motorist of 6yrs and just taken up cycling, i have cyclecraft and read it.

it is easy to read what to do, but you need the confidence and assertiveness to carry out the instructions. i'm sure it will come as my experience increases on a bike

It will come. There are times when I'm not as assertive as others - it comes down sometimes to whether I'm feeling fast or not, and the individual pinch point. Some, I know that although it's not ideal, there is room for a car to pass (but not a lorry perhaps), and if I'm feeling knackered, I let them (but I might block a wider vehicle). As with everything, individual judgement comes into it as well. The trick is to know that you have the tactic up your sleeve when you need it.