Point number 1 - The SAFEST place to ride is not in the gutter. You should be riding at least 1m out from the kerb to allow you somewhere to go if someone passes too close to you. The gutter is full of detritus which gives you punctures. If you are in the gutter there is a risk of clipping pedestrians who are not paying attention or walking close to the edge of the pavement..... Everyone who rides in the gutter makes it more dangerous for those people who are trying to ride properly and safely.
Feel free to add some more points.
Cars are all out to kill you, and have not seen you.
Every car that appears at a side road [b]will[/b] pull out, every driver turning across your path will not have looked properly and drivers to your left on roundabouts will not stop.
Working on this assumption will stop you dying as fast.
Look behind you every 20 - 30 seconds in town and always before pulling out. Its important to know whats behind you as well.
Look in every parked car you pass to see if there is someone in the driving seat.
When you see a car in a side turning on the left look at the top of the front wheel - you can see it start to move first there
Blindly follow any set of "safe riding" rules and you will die: horribly, painfully and without dignity.
Your family will be distraught and your friends will argue endlessly on the internet about how if you were in the primary position, wore a helmet or had more reflectives you would now still be alive.......
Remember: every other road user is a complete (expletive deleted). Treat them as such and you'll do just fine 😀
When a junction's coming up, move towards the center of the lane - this will reduce the temptation/possibility for people to overtake/pull out in front of you.
Everybody in a car is an idiot and will do something stupid
When a junction's coming up, move towards the center of the lane
Look behind you every 20 - 30 seconds
Do combine those two
soobalias will like this one...
When some idiot in a car knocks you off and drives away seemingly ignorant of what he's just done, get up and off the road so that the next two cars don't have to mount the verge to drive around you all sprawled out on the road without stopping.
Always assume the worst.
Always assume that you have not been seen (regardless of lights/hi-viz)
Always assume that every other road user is at best an incompetent retard and at worst a psychopathic killer.
If they're not, then that's a pleasant bonus. 😉
The amount of traffic laws that apply to cyclists is proportional to how many drivers have tried to kill you that week. 😈
Bus drivers and HGV drivers have absolutely no idea how long or wide they are, they will move left too soon.
People towing trailers have forgotten about it, especially if they are wider than the vehicle they are in.
Indicators are an expensive extra or PAYG in most vehicles so don't assume anything.
They haven't seen you.
Don't get involved in arguements, take the moral high ground, you are more vulnerable than the driver.
Always assume the worst.
Always assume that you have not been seen (regardless of lights/hi-viz)
Always assume that every other road user is at best an incompetent retard and at worst a psychopathic killer.If they're not, then that's a pleasant bonus.
^^^
This
Don't get involved in arguements, take the moral high ground, you are more vulnerable than the driver.
Once they are out of a car you have a helmet on and they dont so they are more vulnerable than you. Headbutt them and insert the heated wing mirror where the sun dont shine then steal their carFTFY
never were headphones.
never were headphones.
What never were headphones? Cyclists never were? You're right there.
Why shouldn't you wear headphones though? I can't tell the difference between the sound of a car that'll mow me down, and one that'll safely pass!
njee - hearing cars is useful IMO. Just another bit of information to process to help you make good decisions
never were headphones
think that one is an historical fact from an alternative future
njee - hearing cars is useful IMO
I can't hear them anyway to be totally honest, not in a useful way!
I don't listen to music when riding into London - for the sole reasons that it's nice to chat to people at the lights and if I get knocked off I don't want some ignorant cock in a car to say "he had headphones in, he wasn't paying attention".
I don't find my ability to hear cars any better whatsoever, what with wind noise and what not. Particularly in the winter months when cars have lights on more often than not they're a far superior indicator than their engine.
Once they are out of a car you have a helmet on
a helmet isn't much good for your chin, nose, throat, ribs or kidneys, which is where I'd be punching if I got in a fight. The chances of some nutter taking swings at the top and sides of your head is quite small .
also you'll probably be wearing cleats. good luck in staying upright when the fight gets close and personal, which is almost definitely will.
What never were headphones? Cyclists never were? You're right there.Why shouldn't you wear headphones though? I can't tell the difference between the sound of a car that'll mow me down, and one that'll safely pass!
sorry - Never wear headphones..
Why? daft to remove one of your senses.. the other day near waterloo a girl on a bike in front switched lanes and turned right and nearly took me out - she never looked and didn't hear my bell or shout..
I swerved to miss her and she just carried on - doubt she even knew..
Other day RLJ on headphones nearly taken out by blue and twos police car......
suppose it would be ok for off-roading though...
Ride like you're invisible (i.e. assume nobody has seen you).
Hearing is under-rated. Don't impede your senses by wearing headphones. It's not just about looking out for what's happening ahead of you.
Good point warton.
Road cleats are sh^t for fighting in. mtb spd for urban commutes people.
If you are wearing road cleats, a swift punch to the troat, then remove keys from ignition and lob over nearest fence*/down nearest stormdrain as you exit stage right sharpish.
*I've only done this once, and no punches were thrown at anyones throat. I'm much more zen these days too ...
Lights, retro-reflectives and high vis all make you more visible to observant drivers.
Don't assume all drivers are observant.
Other day RLJ on headphones nearly taken out by blue and twos police car......
Happened to me once, I was bombing down a hill in newcastle city centre, lights were on green, so I shot past a big queue of cars on the outside, guy in a car on the other side of the Junction started waving his arms at me and shaking his head. I hit the brakes just as a fire engine steamed past. that was probably 17 years ago. Never worn headphones on the bike since. That guy almost certainly saved my life.
the other day near waterloo a girl on a bike in front switched lanes and turned right and nearly took me out - she never looked and didn't hear my bell or shout
So she was stupid - how would that have been different if she'd not had headphones on? I assume you rang your bell as she cut you up, ie too late to do anything. Or do you ring your bell in advance of overtaking every cyclist? I'd be a liability as I'd never have 2 hands on the bars.
Music at such a volume you can't hear sirens is pretty daft, but I certainly can't hear other cyclists even without headphones.
How about saying hi/nodding head/tipping hat/positively acknowledging other cyclists, pedestrians and courteous road users... never know who will be scooping you up off the road/calling ambulance/providing assistance if things go wrong. I find it pays to make friends rather than enemies...
Headphones is a concentration issue aswell as an extra sense.
Also, car headlights are a good thing to be aware of but it would be wreckless to assume no headlights behind, therefore no car.
Get eye contact with the car drivers at junctions.
They cant pretend they haven't seen you then and it discourages them to 'just squeeze out' in front of you.
The MOST important rule of the road is, if you see another cyclist in front you have to catch and pass no matter how fast they are or how knackered you are. 😈
Oh, and if there's a junction at the bottom of a hill, always be ready to brake hard as you can guarantee that if a car is about to pull out they will not have a good perception of what speed you are going.
Remember that you have every right to be on the road. Don't be timid.
the other day near waterloo a girl on a bike in front switched lanes and turned right and nearly took me out - she never looked and didn't hear my bell or shout
So she was stupid - how would that have been different if she'd not had headphones on? I assume you rang your bell as she cut you up, ie too late to do anything. Or do you ring your bell in advance of overtaking every cyclist? I'd be a liability as I'd never have 2 hands on the bars.Music at such a volume you can't hear sirens is pretty daft, but I certainly can't hear other cyclists even without headphones.
Hi Njee
Don't think she was stupid, just unaware... adding headphones just makes this worse.
Because I sensed she was going to do the move I shouted.. If she had heard me she might have not continued with the move.
I understand you point, and assume you do as well as you mentioned that you do not use headphones when riding into london.
as for the blues and twos, same as people with loud car stereo or headphones not hearing blues and twos are just as bad.
+ Cav says not to so it must be true 😉
Si
How about saying hi/nodding head/tipping hat/positively acknowledging other cyclists, pedestrians and courteous road users... never know who will be scooping you up off the road/calling ambulance/providing assistance if things go wrong. I find it pays to make friends rather than enemies...
+1
That's why I tend to drum up conversation at traffic lights!
a helmet isn't much good for your chin, nose, throat, ribs or kidneys, which is where I'd be punching if I got in a fight. The chances of some nutter taking swings at the top and sides of your head is quite small .
amateur I would go straight in with some eye gouging.
also you'll probably be wearing cleats. good luck in staying upright when the fight gets close and personal, which is almost definitely will.
have you seen my floor grappling/brawling skills i am not worried.
I may just have been being silly and continuing to do so ❓
Dial it down a couple of notches on the commute. Defensive cycling is not compatible with beasting it.
Put your back into it, yes, make progress, certainly, but tear-arsing it into work, no thanks. I see folk belting it up the inside of slow moving traffic every morning - that way of cycling has an expiration date.
When approaching a pinch point, check for traffic behind. Speed up or slow down as appropriate to make sure there is no chance of sharing the limited road width. Anything else just ain't worth the fear/aggro/pain. Come to think of it, road riding in anything other than B-road sparsely populated countryside isn't worth the aggro. Love riding in France and Spain, puts the joy back into it.
Mulletus Maximus - Member
The MOST important rule of the road is, if you see another cyclist in front you have to catch and pass no matter how fast they are or how knackered you are.
the law also says you have to pass them sat upright, one hand on the bars, preferably freewheeling
with headcam on shouting things like "A657 LPW blue astra cheers you f%^king w&^%$r"??I see folk belting it up the inside of slow moving traffic every morning
the law also says you have to pass them sat upright, one hand on the bars, preferably freewheeling
Whilst lighting your new fag from the last 1/4" of the last one, and texting.
I understand you point, and assume you do as well as you mentioned that you do not use headphones when riding into london.
Read the rest of my post - I do it for social reasons and to avoid potential fodder for idiots in metal boxes!
Two lights on the back if you're riding at night, if you only have one and it fails then it's unlikley you would know.
I managed to ride a distance (no idea how far, but possibly 20 miles) with no rear lights after both of mine went out a few months back, noticed no difference in car attitudes strangely! Several years ago someone did draw alongside me and (politely) tell me that mine had gone out, not a lot I could do about it (it had just broken), but nice to know!
One of my rules is not to filter at lights if I wouldn't be happy with that amount of room if the cars/buses/lorries/whatever were moving (unless I know the timing of the lights and know I can get to the front and visible before the lights go green). Basically, assuming that the traffic *will* start to move while I'm filtering, and acting accordingly.
It doesn't mean that I never filter - just that I use common sense when deciding whether to!
And I'd like to thank the cyclist on the way to work yesterday who let me know my main rear light had gone - all the more so as the backup light died on the way home but only after I'd changed the batteries in the main one.
Read the rest of my post - I do it for social reasons and to avoid potential fodder for idiots in metal boxes!
Yes saw that. I pas 54 sets of lights on my in from Woking to London - not sure I would what to be that social 😉
useful for the anti fodder reason alone.
as a matter or interest where do you ride into London from?
Si
Move out for left hand bends. Increases the time an approaching car has to see you.
Ride [u]behind [/u] and further out than your children.
Obey the Highway Code - want to be treated like a road user -act like one!
Pay attention to what you are doing.
