Seriously lacking confidence in ANY traffic

[trustysteed]

only if you take out point 1

 

[SavageHoutkop]

sorry, wvm

wmv sticks in the mind better - closer to wmd which they could be on occasion!

 

[Weegie]

only if you take out point 1

You don't like Cyclecraft - this thread and your poll makes that clear.

But please, could you explain WHY you think it's a bad book for beginners? Even if Cyclecraft only repeats what I already know, that will still give me confidence that I'm safe on the roads.

 

[HJ]

only if you take out point 1

Have you ever read it, or are you just the sort of to$$er who thinks he knows it all and has nothing to learn from anyone else??

 

[trustysteed]

At no point have I said it's a bad book for beginner's and I haven't resorted to personal insults either. I took exception to point 1 which says approx: 'Absolutely read Cyclecraft. It's invaluable.'

It's not invaluable as the poll shows and people who insist that other people read it are exactly the sort of people who think they know it all because they have read it.

Change the wording to 'Consider reading Cyclecraft, it may be useful when starting out as a cyclist' and you won't come across as someone who's opinion of their cycling prowess is up their own backside.

 

[Origamist]

Trustysteed, if you want to read a copy of "Cyclecraft" pm me with your address and I'll happily loan you the latest edition.

 

[trustysteed]

Trustysteed, if you want to read a copy of "Cyclecraft" pm me with your address and I'll happily loan you the latest edition.

that'd be great, thanks. i'll put it up in the Book exchange section when i'm done.

 

[Origamist]

that'd be great, thanks. i'll put it up in the Book exchange section when i'm done.

I'll await your pm, but I'd like the book back!

 

[Weegie]

At no point have I said it's a bad book for beginner's and I haven't resorted to personal insults either. I took exception to point 1 which says approx: 'Absolutely read Cyclecraft. It's invaluable.'

It's not invaluable as the poll shows and people who insist that other people read it are exactly the sort of people who think they know it all because they have read it.

Change the wording to 'Consider reading Cyclecraft, it may be useful when starting out as a cyclist' and you won't come across as someone who's opinion of their cycling prowess is up their own backside.

Hmm, dunno about any of that. I'm just a beginner who doesn't want to be pole-axed by a Tunnocks truck on my way to Tesco.

I was delighted to receive all the helpful advice above, including pointers to Cyclecraft. I didn't give a toss about how the advice was worded, and I wouldn't say anyone came across as being "up their own backside".

Thanks again for all the advice, everyone

 

[Arch]

My take on mirrors - don't use them.

A head turn means the vehilces behind you re aware that you may be about to make a manoevre. Mirrors don't give them that alert.

No, you've fallen into the either/or trap. Mirrors can be extremely useful - but you mustn't rely on them alone. You still make the backward glance - you may be completely aware what's there, but the head movement is for the benefit of the driver behind. I often make more looks back than I need purely for information, and often it makes the driver behind pause or pull back.

I don't have a mirror on my upright, because I'm pretty good at glancing and periferal vision, and taking a longer look when I have to. However for anyone less confident, or who has peripheral vision issues, they are a boon - and you don't have to give up practising the life saver looks.

I do have a mirror on the trike, because it's harder to look behind quickly on the move. I still do a full body twist lifesaver before pulling out though.

The same either/or trap applies to Cyclecraft/training/common sense. You use them all.

 

[trustysteed]

Hmm, dunno about any of that. I'm just a beginner who doesn't want to be pole-axed by a Tunnocks truck on my way to Tesco.

which you can make sure of by not putting yourself in a position where that might happen by just using common sense.

regardless, enjoy your riding!

 

[Origamist]

which you can make sure of by not putting yourself in a position where that might happen by just using common sense.

regardless, enjoy your riding!

Is counter-steering "common sense"? I think most people if they had to manoeuvre sharply to the left would find it counter-intuitive to move the handlebar slightly to the right, and then to the left, if they wanted to execute a tight/fast left turn.

 

[PK99]

Hi all,

So far, I've narrowly missed one dooring, two left-hooks (both times wvm on a mission) and have been squeezed into the gutter three or four times. I feel like I'm bloody invisible.

It sound to me like your positioning is wrong.

If you narrowly missed a dooring you were too close - you should always be outside the door zone. Being squeezed into the gutter seems to confirm that. You need to be further out, away from parked cars and where drivers see you as you are in their "cone of vision".

 

[Weegie]

Well, I've just read Cyclecraft, and it has helped enormously. I had no idea, for example, about the nature of cycle lanes and the associated dangers due to bad design. Common sense () would instead lead one to believe that the council planning experts knew what they were doing when they designed said lanes!

Bottom line - if I had read Cyclecraft before going out on my new bike, I would almost certainly have avoided most of the near-misses described in my initial post. A very useful read, IMO.

 

[HJ]

Have you ever meet a "council planning expert"?