Something else that I remember reading when beginning to ride a strange new bike was that if you're used to commuting on a regular bike, make yourself do your commute on the recumbent, maybe once a week to start with, and build up from there.
I'm not suggesting that someone hurls themselves into rush hour traffic on something they can barely ride in a straight line, but the principle is that if you've got to do something for a purpose, you're more likely to make progress, and find ways round difficulties.
Starting a bit early, giving yourself a bit more time, maybe plan a route to avoid tricky junctions to begin with. It was a bit late for me as I'd already retired by the time I discovered the wonders of recumbent riding, but using it for utility trips is a good way of getting used to it too. If it's something so special that you've got to psyche yourself up to even sit on it, or feel that a fanfare of trumpets is needed before you turn a pedal, it's a long way to being able to say to gawping passers by, "Oh yes, that's just my bike. It took a while to get the hang of it. It's great!"
Although I concede that for some it might be not great, terrible even, and they will never come to feel at ease on something like that, it's only too easy to build up a wall of negativity that will be self defeating. Even when I'd been riding for a while, there were times when I wanted to turn round, on a decently wide road, but I couldn't move if there was another vehicle nearby, or the traffic noise was intimidating.
I came to realise that I was probably the scariest object on that stretch of road, and having had a good scan and given a clear signal, I had to Just Do It, and it was just amazing how other road users would give you unbelievable amounts of room. Similarly when starting off on an awkward slope. Sometimes it was easier to push to a place with a better view or more space. Once confidence increased, it was only the thinking about it that made it difficult. As long as you follow it through, it's hard not to be able to start and get going.
What's the worst that can happen? Maybe you're not fully in gear and your chain falls off. Maybe you stall and have to try again. Maybe some twit beeps at you. Ho hum. Worse things happen at sea. I'd often felt that I might fall off in the early days, but the answer to just about any situation seems to be Keep Pedalling, once you're actually moving. The only times I actually fell over (and they were rare) were when I inadvertently came to a stop. Mostly blame my short legs for that!
