Cyclecraft

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
J

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
marmalade400 said:
I don't understand why you had so much trouble overtaking someone doing 12mph, and why you seem to think it was their fault that you couldn't deal with it very well.

Try to spot slow moving cyclists in the distance instead of waiting until you are right behind them.
Check the flow of traffic on your right, try and spot a gap coming up and adjust your speed to time the arrival of this gap with the time you will reach the slow moving cyclist.
Signal and move out into the main flow of traffic, putting on a good burst of speed to get past the slow cyclist quickly.
You have the whole lane so you can leave the slow cyclist plenty of room in case they need to avoid potholes etc.
Move back to your usual road position once you are safely past the slow cyclist.
No-one is held up much, no-one feels threatened, no-one gets angry and there is no shouting involved.
It is so much easier that way.
Click to expand...


Well hush my mouth. Is it that simple?
 
M

marmalade400

New Member
jimboalee said:
Well hush my mouth. Is it that simple?
Click to expand...

Yes, less stressful too!
 
brokenbetty

brokenbetty

Über Member
Location
London
jimboalee said:
Well hush my mouth. Is it that simple?
Click to expand...

Yes Jim, it's what most of us do as a matter of course all the time, and it certainly fits in with what Cyclecraft advises (that's "advises", not "prescribes" by the way).

Some of the advice you are giving seems to me to be downright dangerous. Earlier in the thread you recommended hanging left til the last minute before crossing the road to take a right turn. Cycling like that would be literally suicidal where I live, hand signals notwithstanding.
 
Origamist

Origamist

Legendary Member
jimboalee said:
Oh I give up. The Cyclecraft police are out.

If any more Cyclecraft threads start, mark me down as a "Doesn't float my boat".
Click to expand...

Why you are so preoccupied with this book and the primary position is beyond me - let it go and accept that you have your own MO and be happy with that...
 
N

Norm

Guest
Origamist said:
Why you are so preoccupied with this book and the primary position is beyond me - let it go and accept that you have your own MO and be happy with that...
Click to expand...
If I may offer a response to that, it's because so many advocates of Cyclecraft don't accept that it is just one MO and that there are alternatives. It is almost always put forward as something which has to be read by beginners and followed religiously.

For me, read it when you are already confident and competent on the road. I reckon that a beginner who tries to try to mix it with the cars in primary would be put off cycling for life.
 
M

magnatom

Guest
Humful, mummmful, whoosma, mushma.....oh, sorry about that, I really shouldn't try talking with my mouth full of popcorn. :whistle:
 
Origamist

Origamist

Legendary Member
Norm said:
If I may offer a response to that, it's because so many advocates of Cyclecraft don't accept that it is just one MO and that there are alternatives. It is almost always put forward as something which has to be read by beginners and followed religiously.

For me, read it when you are already confident and competent on the road. I reckon that a beginner who tries to try to mix it with the cars in primary would be put off cycling for life.
Click to expand...

I agree, some best practice advocates like to quote chapter and verse and bash others around the head with their dog-eared 2nd edition Franklin like it's the way, the truth, and the life. Then again, a number of posters seem to deliberately misrepresent what is written or in Jim's case not comprehend or even read what is written.

On the second point, much cycle training is predicated on Cyclecraft and they deal with absolute beginners. From reading testimonials by cycling newbies, many found it an empowering experience when they are taught not to be shackled to the gutter when their safety is at stake. However, if you were a novice and foolish enough to ride around in the centre of the lane without a care in the world - you would certainly learn the hard way...
 
HJ

HJ

Cycling in Scotland
Location
Auld Reekie
jimboalee said:
If you hadn't noticed, the cyclist is stopped at the curb and looking round to watch the the 40 ton truck roll past.

In Franklin's book, does he suggest that if you have 40 tons of Artic following you, it would be sensible to pull over and let the truck pass, or move to 'Primary' and 'take the road' at a miserable 15 mph?

We all know humans make mistakes. The truck driver, in his anguish of having a 15 mph cyclist in front of him, unintentionally treads on the accellerator instead of the brake.

Now I shall sit here and wait for someone to respond with another "What if".
Click to expand...

Hey, why not just get off and walk, if that works for you...

Your attitude seems to be that cyclist don't belong on the road and should keep out of the way of people in motor vehicle who are far more important, cyclist should know their place, in the gutter... :rolleyes:
 
H

henshaw11

Well-Known Member
Location
Walton-On-Thames
jimboalee said:
RT.jpg


Knock me over. I dare you....
Click to expand...


Since I don't think anyone's picked up on this - that works if you're got a driver with some degree of decent road manners/consideration behind you.
I've had a few cases where I've been in secondary rather than primary, with about 20 ft or so the roundabout giveway line or rear of the vehicle in front *and* travelling at the same speed as the traffic, yet you still get the occasional prat trying to overtake or drift over into you - the only way to deal help prevent it *is* to be in primary - or possibly further over to help discourage a late overtake (last time it was on a miniroundabout approach, I was turning right and signalling well before and I still got a bunch of verbal for my trouble :ohmy: )
 
J

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
I once rode past ( back in the late seventies ) a young lady stood in the road sobbing her eyes out because she'd trod on the throttle instead of the brake and ploughed into the back of the car waiting at the red lamp.

In that year, Cyclecraft didn't exist, it wouldn't be on the shelves for another ten years, so I couldn't make a comment.

All I could think at the time was "**** me, if I'd have been behind that car, I'd be a deadun."

NOTHING, repeat NOTHING will intice me to perch myself in the middle of the lane at a junction. FULL STOP.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom