Keep safe, visible and know your road rules advises champion cyclist
By Pip Read - Australian and World champion cyclist
I found this article on the web at www.cyclingtipsblog.com and thought you might like to keep some of them in mind for the future. I have mentioned in the past that this site is great information source.
1. Design a cycling route that is as safe as possible using back streets, bike lanes, and low traffic areas. All too often I see people cycling on highways that simply aren't made for cyclists. Just because you have the "right" to be on any road you like, doesn't mean it's always a good idea.
2. Watch for taxis, delivery vehicles and couriers. They'll brake and turn in front of you without any warning. These guys are just doing their jobs and looking for addresses they've been called to. The only thing that's certain is that they're unpredictable. This isn't going to change, so it's up to you to watch out for them.
3. When riding beside parked cars, watch out for brake lights, reverse lights or a head in the driver's seat. These are indications that a car door might be opening unexpectedly. Also, ride about a meter away from the cars so you don't have as far to manoeuvre if a car door swings open. As a driver I've almost opened my door on a cyclist when I thought it was clear. We're not always easy to see and are travelling much faster that people think.
4. Don't ride on Friday afternoons at rush hour. If you need to ride, try to get to the bike paths as quickly as possible. In my experience, Friday rush hour traffic is the worst, drivers are the most careless, and everyone wants to get home. These are my own personal observations however. I've read research (in the MUARC report - download here) that states the highest number of motor vehicle / cyclist crashes happen on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It also says that crashes involving motor vehicles are highest between 2pm and 6pm.
5. The law says that it's your right to ride two abreast. However, just because it's your right doesn't mean that common courtesy should be thrown out the window. If you're taking up a whole lane and creating a backlog in traffic, then single-up. As a driver I've been caught behind cyclists who are not showing any courtesy and I have to admit, it's frustrating. At some point you'll probably get in an altercation with a fed-up driver. If there's this much traffic on the road, you should probably pick a different route or a different time to ride.
6. Show some presence on the road. Ride a meter out from the curb. If you ride as close to the side of the road as you can, vehicles will think they can squeeze by you without moving over in the lane. That's when close calls happen and you get side-swiped. Show some confidence, ride predictably, and you shouldn't have many problems.
7. If you don't know what to look for, dedicated bike lanes can be more dangerous than if they weren't there at all. Watch out for drivers who cross the bike lane trying to turn left. Watch for brake lights and tyres turning. These moves are often done erratically when traffic is slow and the driver is trying to take a back route.
8. Do hook turns instead of waiting in the middle of intersections to turn right. Intersections are where many accidents happen and you don't want to be sitting in the middle of one if two cars collide. (this is actually part of the road rules, Pip)
9. When approaching an intersection, watch the driver carefully and make sure he sees you. Again, it doesn't matter that you have right of way. You're the one who is going to end up in hospital if he pulls out in front of you.
10. Engage with motorists. Make eye contact, use hand gestures to let them know what you're doing, and wave to thank them if they've held up for you. This is just common courtesy and manners that many cyclists seem to forget. There's a good chance you'll be seeing the same motorists multiple times if the traffic is heavy and it's in your best interest to be liked rather than hated.
11. If the heavens open up and it's bucketing down with rain, it's wise to get off the roads. Perhaps find the bike path, a back street, or take shelter until it passes. I don't know what it is, but a little bit of water seems to cause havoc with the traffic and you don't want get caught in the middle of it.
After reading these tips I realised that it's common sense but we all need to keep them in the back of our minds. When was the last time you had a read of the Australian road rules pertaining to cyclists? I usually have a bit of a chuckle when I hear someone saying 'I wouldn't get a licence if I had to sit a test' but that also a bit scary isn't it? My last word on this is please be visible to all who use the roads.
I joined the local veterans cycling club a few weeks ago and while I haven't had a chance to compete at another race with them, I did have fun. It's always the same when you join a new club. They are unsure of which grade to put you in, and I was first allocated C grade. As luck would have it I knew one of the girls that I was racing with. I found the going a bit slow and the pack not very well organized. After covering the first half lap I decided to attack, which was good move but the first corner after my attack was not marked. I did have some course knowledge, as it was similar to the Australian time trial championships, and luckily I chose the right corner to continue the race.
I finished a fair bit in front of the rest of C grade and I guess I have blown my chances of racing C grade again. It seems that I kept the group on their toes at least.
In the near future I am heading up to Bright for another Bright Boot Camp and have my fingers crossed for some decent weather. After that I will be training like mad for the2011 Oceania Road Championships in late March. I may even turn some of the climbing at the boot camp into time trial specific, just to get some extra training in.
I have, after all these years of cycling, started using a cycling cap. Check out the styles on the SheSpoke site. I have to say I'm hooked; the caps are great, very comfortable, your helmet stays fresher. If you need to get down and aero on the bike you just flick the peak up. Best of all is the positive effect in the rain, the peak keeps the water out of you eyes, but above all they look super kool.
Please stay safe and enjoy.
Talk soon,
Pip