How to cycle safely on the roads
Following a few links from the London 2012 site I came across this link to an official government site, promoting cycling as being quicker during the Olympic traffic chaos.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Cycling/DG_10026401
How to cycle safely on the road
Stay alert!
Don't listen to music or use a mobile phone while cycling – distractions cause accidents
When you're cycling on busy roads you need to show drivers what you plan to do. Motorists usually travel faster than cyclists and may have less time react to hazards.
Try to anticipate what a driver will do and:
- ride positively and decisively
- look and signal before you start, stop or turn
- ride well clear of the kerb - 1 metre away or in the centre of the left lane
- make eye contact with drivers to let them know you have seen them
- acknowledge any courtesy from drivers
- ride a car-door width away from parked cars
To learn how to handle busy roads and ride more confidently, get some cycle training.
The bold italics are mine, how would Adelaide drivers react to being told cyclists should ride in the middle of the left lane.? AdelaideNow would go into meltdown. If it can work in London it can and should work in Adelaide.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Murray on -
I hope this guy killed by an Olympic bus wasn't cycling because that website told him to
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/aug/01/cyclist-killed-collision-bus
That would be pretty bloody ironic.
Michael
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Crick on -
I think those are a great list of things that we all should do and drivers should be aware of but alas the people that need to know that aren't reading it here. Phil said today some guy drove past the ride today and was rude sticking fingers up when you were all off the road and causing no hazard...
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Permalink Reply by rossmg on -
I think the 2 bolded and in italics are sensibly highlighted from that list, steering clear of parked cars as well but then the second point kind of covers that.
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Permalink Reply by Not an electronic mouse on -
I think the "Don't listen to music or use a mobile phone" and "show drivers what you plan to do" rate a highlight.
I think Adelaide drivers only take exception to cyclists riding in the middle of the left lane when there is a bike lane provided and they don't use it.
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Permalink Reply by Phil Crick on -
Riding down the middle of the left lane will probably get me killed by an irate motorist, even though I'm legally entitled to do it.
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Permalink Reply by rossmg on
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Riding down the middle of the left lane on the Norwood Parade shopping precinct last week and an irate guy in a 4wd passes me in a swerving motion shaking his arm. 200 metres later he has to stop as the traffic is all bunched up - he's not going anywhere. All that stress for ~200m @ about 10km/hr faster, what goes through people's heads at times??
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Permalink Reply by David Southern on -
Unfortunately, reason is useless with unreasonable people.
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Permalink Reply by Simon Lownsborough on -
not b#$%^y much, apparently
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Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on -
I love such moments. I was motoring between Stirling and Bridgewater recently when I notice a tradie in a van up my a*e. After much monstoring and tail gating the idiot swerved around me.......and straight away had to jam on his anchors to avoid hitting the workman holding the stop sign at the road works.
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Permalink Reply by john mills on
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I had a close one coming home from the GS4 last night. After dark, riding down Main North Road from Gawler to Elizabeth. That road has a nice wide paved verge all the way from Gawler to Elizabeth, albeit spoilt with regular layers of grit, sand and other smallish debris. I made the decision to ride well to the left of the white lane marker, on this verge. And I think it could have saved my life.
About 5km south of Gawler a vehicle went past with his two left wheels about 10cm on my side of the white line. If I had been riding on the nice smooth bitumen, just to the right of the white line, or on the line itself as I sometimes do, I would have been killed for sure. The car was doing over 80km/hr. The speed limit is 100km/hr along there. He was quite close to the car in front if I remember correctly - tailgating. And who knows how much alcohol may have been involved, or drugs, or how many hours he/she might have been driving for. Might have been half asleep to be hanging his vehicle over the white line like that.
Luckily I was about 2 metres further to the left, risking a puncture on the rough surface. But a calculated risk. It certainly paid off big time - a 'puncture or your life'. I'll go the puncture any day.
So I think I am trying to say that we can whinge about cars and drivers all we like. We just need to remember that 'who's right and who's wrong?' in how we share the roads with cars and trucks is all theoretical when it comes to surviving a ride. If your'e on a bike - no seat belt, no crumple zones, no intrusion barriers in your doors, no doors for that matter, no airbags, ... stay away from the cars and trucks!
Or if you like to gamble, take a risk. Like I was doing for much of the 200km I rode through the Adelaide HIlls yesterday - riding on narrow, winding, high speed roads in lousy weather. Bikes are at the mercy of the one in a thousand drivers who do the sort of thing that I saw yesterday. Its really up to the rider to remember that we partake in a high risk activity and to act accordingly to minimize the risk. And accept that we may not be coming home in one piece. Or alive for that matter.
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
John, you could decrease times cyclists make decision on where to ride on Main North Road by reporting this cycling hazard.
Contact Traffic Hazards, Transport, by email DPTI.EnquiriesAdministrator@sa.gov.au
If an urgent hazard (includes broken glass), phone 1800 018 313 (24-hr).
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on -
Having ridden on Main Nth Road between Modbury and Gawler several times over the last year or so, I now avoid it like the plague by by passing it and using various routes including Philip Highway, Coventry Road etc.
Although the road surface is a little rough (not rutted or pot holed) in places I find the worst aspect is the attitude of the drivers. For far too many the hard shoulder is an extra lane built exclusively for them and cyclists should be at least tooted at, screamed at or preferably forced off by clipping them with the wing mirror.
© 2013 Created by Gus K.
