Fear of road riding

[paulw1969]

For what it is worth it sounds to me like you could do with a buddy to take you out on a quiet Sunday morning or later at night to give you some confidence and perhaps follow you then give you some tips as to how you are doing with your checks, primary door zones etc. You might feel a little more confident knowing/having someone behind you to start with.
I think it is quite normal to be a little wary almost frightened of riding on the roads when starting out, i know i was after a twenty plus years break from commuting by bike, its called self preservation, keep at it and i'm sure you will gain in confidence

 

[derrick]

Am going out with my other half in the morning, it's normally a lot quieter early sunday morning, she is new to road cycling and is quite worried about the amount of cars on the roads, have been doing quiet side roads for the last few weeks, got a 30 miler planned for the morning weather permitting, i always ride behind her and shout instructions, there will be a couple of busy roads we will have to go onto and i know she will be a bit weary of the them, but she is building up her confidence but i don't think she will ever ride alone. got her loads of hi viz gear so she will be fine.
Cycling with a buddy is a good idea, although i do like cycling on my own.

 

[summerdays]

I started off very nervous and on the pavements (about 5 yeas ago), and gradually built up my confidence by going on really quiet side roads etc. Ended up reading Cyclecraft and getting some training which both helped after I was overtaken by a car turning left.

I would add to the important things to know - to NOT cycle up the inside of a lorry at a junction, which was something I found out through here (well the old Cycling Plus site), even if they are stationary - just wait behind for them to turn.

I think part of the problem when you are new to cycling is speed. Cycle craft and road skills seem fine at reasonable speeds but if you are going really slow - which I was when I started (still not much faster now) then it is harder to feel confident and hold a good road position. I've noticed the effect even when I'm under the weather and my speed has dropped considerably.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I started off very nervous and on the pavements (about 5 yeas ago), and gradually built up my confidence by going on really quiet side roads etc. Ended up reading Cyclecraft and getting some training which both helped after I was overtaken by a car turning left.

I would add to the important things to know - to NOT cycle up the inside of a lorry at a junction, which was something I found out through here (well the old Cycling Plus site), even if they are stationary - just wait behind for them to turn.

I think part of the problem when you are new to cycling is speed. Cycle craft and road skills seem fine at reasonable speeds but if you are going really slow - which I was when I started (still not much faster now) then it is harder to feel confident and hold a good road position. I've noticed the effect even when I'm under the weather and my speed has dropped considerably.

The speed thing is something I've noticed, my normal pace is 18-22mph flat out and and 15-16mph average, coming back from illness recently and cycling a lot slower than that made dealing with traffic noticeably more difficult.

 

[Globalti]

Why do some cyclists wear black? Red, blue or flouro yes, but surely wearing black is asking for drivers to miss you?

 

[Suttzzs]

Wow that's a lot of very good advice I never expected - to sift through a few comments - I am an experienced car driver, motorcyclist of many years standing - I fly single engine aircraft albeit on a prov license and I tell you I would sooner fly through cloud and haze rather than the main "A" roads in my kneck of the woods - I have taken to doing two circuits of our local park for a total distance of 7 miles - I have to cycle to get to the park so I have varied the route to take in main and side roads but it's still a daunting task....With respect to roadcraft there is none - I'm afraid it's the "Me Me Me" brigade and whatever happens I just have to get in front mentality plus there is a total lack of any Police prescence on our roads (North Manchester) so no deterrent.

On a wide sweeping bend I actually had a car driver hang back until he could see the road ahead was clear - I wished I could have caught up with him as I would have shook his hand and congratulated him for giving such consideration to a cyclist......Riding on pavements is a no no for me - it's bad enough in the park with dogs on those extending leashes...A VERY EFFECTIVE BIKE TRAP as the dog can flirt out in any direction at any time.

I must thank you all for the excellent advice and YES I do need to build up my confidence and cycle riding ability + skills otherwise it's an afternoon with the undertaker and I am certainly not ready for that just yet!!!......Cheers Everyone - Great Forum....

 

[Red Light]

I must thank you all for the excellent advice and YES I do need to build up my confidence and cycle riding ability + skills otherwise it's an afternoon with the undertaker and I am certainly not ready for that just yet!!!......Cheers Everyone - Great Forum....

You could start by stopping over-dramatising it in your own head. If mainly novice riders can manage 9 million plus Boris Bike journeys in Central London without even a single serious injury then I am sure you can make it to the park alive. The current going rate for cyclist fatal accidents in London is approx. one for every 20 million journeys. Try working out how long it will take you to cycle 20 million trips.

 

[GSIGRoadCycling]

I've just pasted below the first of 23 tips (the most relevant ones for you I think) that I researched for my iPad app Road Cycling - hopefully some of the content will help. I'll get in touch with you privately in a minute to offer a free code for the App in case you have access to a iPad.

Matt


1. Observe, Anticipate and Negotiate

The starting point for safe cycling is Observe, Anticipate and Negotiate.

Observe: A good rider will know what’s going on around them.
Anticipate: Look at the road ahead and anticipate what other road users are going to do. For example cars slowing for turnings before they remember to indicate, people overtaking, traffic lights changing.
Negotiate: Just as good car driving involves being patient and occasionally letting other people go first so the same is true for good bike riding. It is a pain having to brake when you are happy cycling along but sometimes making the first move keeps you safe and the roads moving harmoniously.


2. Road Position

Our illustrations (sic) show left hand side of the road riding but the common sense suggestions are appropriate for all road systems.

Your road position is vital. First of all the area nearest the curb tends to be home to a vast collection of tyre shredding bits of debris and broken glass so often needs to be avoided for that reason alone. Then throw in drain covers and gutters and - well you get the picture.

The ideal road position is far enough from the curb to avoid these hazards and so that drivers will be able to see you clearly when they approach. There are two usual positions when cycling - the primary and secondary. The most visible position is the primary - just inside where the middle of a car would be - the idea being that you clearly occupy the moving traffic lane. This way drivers can see you as you are in a position closer to where they would be looking for other cars and would need to pull over significantly in order to overtake you. This is commonly called ‘taking the lane’. The most usual position on busy roads, however is the secondary position with a decent distance between the you and the curb.

Basically we are communicating our intention to other road users. In the secondary position, we are saying “I want to see and be seen and I don’t mind if you overtake me, but you need to do it safely”.

In the primary position, the cyclist is saying “I want to see and be seen and I don’t want to be overtaken right now” - (British Cycling Guidelines).

When passing a side road entrance it makes sense to move towards the primary position if possible. This might not be achievable on busy roads but a slight movement is still recommended. Glance behind as you approach the junction, making eye contact with any drivers and move slighty into the primary lane. This will protect you a little from any cars in the road junction and should make cars in your lane slow down and give you more space. When passing a parked car leave enough space to keep you safe if the drivers door
suddenly opens and start the passing manoeuvre early - don’t leave it late and swerve around the car.

Making this move should also deter any impatient drivers who may be following you and who want to turn into the side road from overtaking and then turning sharply into the corner in front of you causing you to brake suddenly.


3. Traffic

A cyclist needs to be especially careful in traffic but it is in urban situations that the bicycle has great
advantages as a form of transport. The bike is smaller and more manoeuvrable than other vehicles and the cyclist has the best overall visibility of anyone on the road. This all combines to allow us to negotiate our way quickly through slow or stationary traffic.

If the traffic is moving slowly then the first consideration would be to take the Primary Position thereby taking that lane. If the traffic speed allows you can ride along safely whilst holding your own space on the road. Experienced riders will be able to balance on their pedals at very low speeds but this takes some skill to do so remember to give yourself enough space to the car in front to allow you to brake and get your feet off the pedals.

If the traffic has stopped or is moving so slowly that you would have to stop then the safest thing is of course to stop as well but this defeats the advantages of manoeuvrability we’ve mentioned above. Anticipate and choose your filter point. Many cyclists will ride along the near-side of the traffic nearest the pavement. This is probably because this part of the road is the most familiar but the near side is where a cyclist is least visible. Many drivers don’t use their near side mirrors - especially so in countries where cars are not
permitted to overtake on the inside. This means that riders filtering along the inside of cars are less likely to be seen. The passenger’s side of cars is also the side where typically the door is flung open in traffic jams and people jump out. This is a frequent cause of injury to cyclists.

Riding along this filter should be done with great care and totally avoided when coming across high sided vehicles. You have to be certain that the vehicle is not going to move if you do decide to try this move. If you do get caught near side such a vehicle and it starts to move either stop and hop up onto the pavement and wait there or accelerate to get ahead and back into the driver’s line of sight.

If you wish to overtake cars then riding between lanes is one option. This methods gets you out of the gutter, away from blind spots and opening doors but does have its own hazards as drivers at low speed tend not to drive particularly straight and gaps between lanes can narrow suddenly. Remember - your brakes are not as effective as a car’s. Also beware that drivers regularly change lanes and direction without looking or indicating.

Filtering on the outside however is probably the most recommended option for overtaking. All the same hazards and precautions for between lanes still apply and the rider now has to be additionally aware of oncoming traffic but with constant reading of the road ahead and a high level of anticipation you can safely overtake in this way.

When overtaking always make sure that you follow the road rules for wherever you are riding.

If the traffic queue is only one or two cars long then it is probably best to wait behind the cars in a Primary Position. If another car pulls up behind you they will have to wait for you to move to the Secondary Position before overtaking. Be on the constant lookout for road junctions when riding through traffic. Cars may pull out suddenly. The best option is not to overtake in this situation.

When passing high sided vehicles take extra care and look for pedestrians who might be using the stopped traffic to cross the road. Wait behind large vehicles which are at the head of traffic queues.


4. Easing traffic

It can be quite scary when you’ve been riding in the scenarios above and the traffic starts to move again - and move again at a speed which is faster than you want to go. If you are in the near side lane it’s easy, simply move over into the secondary riding position and allow other traffic to overtake when it’s safe to do so. Be prepared to take the lane again if needed.

If you are between lanes or in the outside lane then you need to be constantly looking for gaps in the traffic. Ideally - as the traffic starts to spread out accelerate a bit and look ahead for a gap to slot into. Make your needs obvious with clear hand signals. Make good eye contact with the drivers to help reinforce your desire to move. The untrained rider in this situation often slows down in order to slot back into the traffic queue. It may sound counter-intuitive, but this is the opposite of what should ideally be done. Ride in the gap as the traffic starts moving again and make your way back to the Primary position when safe to do so.


5. Roundabouts (for those that have them - like me)

First of all always give way to traffic on the roundabout and only join when it is safe to do so. If you are taking the last exit - so for example in the UK you are turning right, you should signal right and, like you would if you were driving a car ideally be in the right hand lane.

Check your local road regulations for rules on staying in the near side lane. In the UK cyclists can stay in the left hand lane even if they want to turn right. If you do decide to do this make sure you signal right until just before the exit you wish to take at which point signal left.

Once again - make eye contact with drivers and make clear your intentions.

 

[Crankarm]

Cycling on the roads is dangerous. Period. It doesn't matter how many books or times you have read Cyclecraft, if you are in the way of a vehicle that is determined to pass you or a driver has NOT seen you and continues as if you are NOT there then you will be going down. It hurts believe me. It has happened to me twice and on both occasions I was lit up like the seafront at Blackpool and wearing the ubquitous hi-viz fluorescent yellow. Then there are the numerous brushes with death you have every time your pedals start turning - the exceedingly close passes, the left hooks, the cut ups, door opening and general abuse and threats to do you harm. All in all riding on UK roads can be a pretty unpleasant and terrifying experience. The best system would be a cycle network seperate from the road network as they have done in Holland and Denmark.

Black is the new hi-viz.

 

[Red Light]

Cycling on the roads is dangerous. Period. It doesn't matter how many books or times you have read Cyclecraft, if you are in the way of a vehicle that is determined to pass you or a driver has NOT seen you and continues as if you are NOT there then you will be going down. It hurts believe me. It has happened to me twice and on both occasions I was lit up like the seafront at Blackpool and wearing the ubquitous hi-viz fluorescent yellow. Then there are the numerous brushes with death you have every time your pedals start turning - the exceedingly close passes, the left hooks, the cut ups, door opening and general abuse and threats to do you harm. All in all riding on UK roads can be a pretty unpleasant and terrifying experience. The best system would be a cycle network seperate from the road network as they have done in Holland and Denmark.

Rubbish.

 

[Nearly there]

I stick to B roads If possible and always avoid roundabouts

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Cycling on the roads is dangerous. Period. It doesn't matter how many books or times you have read Cyclecraft, if you are in the way of a vehicle that is determined to pass you or a driver has NOT seen you and continues as if you are NOT there then you will be going down. It hurts believe me. It has happened to me twice and on both occasions I was lit up like the seafront at Blackpool and wearing the ubquitous hi-viz fluorescent yellow. Then there are the numerous brushes with death you have every time your pedals start turning - the exceedingly close passes, the left hooks, the cut ups, door opening and general abuse and threats to do you harm. All in all riding on UK roads can be a pretty unpleasant and terrifying experience. The best system would be a cycle network seperate from the road network as they have done in Holland and Denmark.

Black is the new hi-viz.

I've been riding on Britain's roads for over 40 years, normal annual mileage around 5000 miles, it ain't nowhere near that bad, if it was I would have stopped years ago.

 

[raindog]

Personally, if I was scared to be out on the roads I wouldn't ride a bike.

 

[MrJamie]

With all the cyclepaths and trails here, i was regularly doing 20 mile leisure routes without even using a non-residential road because i could and because i was rather scared of being hit. If i hadnt started cycling out on roads, id have got bored by now of cycling for fitness and would only cycle for transport. Ive got a lot more confident with road cycling, but im still riding very defensively, watching traffic around me and always trying to think worst case scenario so i dont get caught off guard. I still sometimes walk a junction im not confident to cycle accross, and frequently ill stop and pull over for a drink out of the way a few metres before a junction to let the traffic clear for example. Im still mainly only on quiet roads at quiet times and i absolutely hate big roads in cycle lanes compared to country lanes where riding primary almost always gets a wide berth. Im going out cycling in a minute and i dont want to regret saying this, but car drivers have really been pretty good round here, although giving me a wide overtake towards a blind right corner seems worryingly common.

Its genuinely down to reading the information from this forum thats helped me learn to cycle assertively in a defensive manner rather than trying to keep out of cars way, so im very thankful to people on here.

 

[marshmella]

Personally, if I was scared to be out on the roads I wouldn't ride a bike.

Personally, if i was scared to be out on the roads i wouldn't open my front door.