How does being a cyclist affect your driving?

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Drago

Legendary Member
From what ive seen of them recently a lot of them aren't fit to teach the basics, like indicating before manoeuvring, applying a handbrake when stationary, etc, never mind advanced stuff like actually passing another road user.

Remember, as drivers the typical ADI is no better or more qualified to drive than the average Joe. Not all, but thats true for the largest chunk of their numbers. Its in essence a teaching qualification, not a driving one.
 

grldtnr

Senior Member
From what ive seen of them recently a lot of them aren't fit to teach the basics, like indicating before manoeuvring, applying a handbrake when stationary, etc, never mind advanced stuff like actually passing another road user.

Remember, as drivers the typical ADI is no better or more qualified to drive than the average Joe. Not all, but thats true for the largest chunk of their numbers. Its in essence a teaching qualification, not a driving one.
I have 2 basic rules , I am always learning to drive, and drive as if everyone else is going to do something absolutely stupid, never wrong on that one.
I have been a cyclist far longer than an a motorist, and more qualified as one, I took my ROSPA Proficiency for Cycling, and have only a standard driving licence.
Being an active cyclist , is by far the best teaching aid, than anything else, I have managed to live to 60by being a cyclist for 50 of those!
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
Remember, as drivers the typical ADI is no better or more qualified to drive than the average Joe.

Wanna bet? Prospective ADIs have to take a 1. 1/2 hour driving teat set at a very high standard. Ok, not up to police Class 1 but considerably harder than the IAM or RoSPA advanced tests.

And because a pupil isn't doing something correctly doesn't mean they haven't been repeatedly instructed to do it. Remember that fly on the wall driving school program twenty or so years back, and the infamous Maureen? Any full time Instructor will have at least four of those at any one time. It ain't an easy job.
 

grldtnr

Senior Member
One hopes that instructers are trained to a much higher standard, perhaps to Police standard, then that would filter through to pupils ,thence to driving public.
It's my opinion that it is a very low standard drivers are passing, it shows in the street ,with road rage, speeding, bad parking , running lights, I need not go on,.
The same can be said of bicycle users, but not Cyclist', I make the distinction, Cyclist will take a little more care,it's self preservation.
I will point out ,if there is any altercation, when I cycle, I can be pretty sure that I would not be the cause of the problem , apart from being on a bike in the first place, I have to balance, power , position and keep a good look out to make it safe to ride.
In a comfy tin box the driver only had to push pedals, pull levers, twiddle switches, some even park automatically!
It's no effort to drive, motorist should take head of that.
 

grldtnr

Senior Member
I would say that being a (former) motorcyclist informs my driving more than being a cyclist.
Conversely, I am thinking of taking up motorcycling, never ever sat on one, I am now 60!
I have been watching CBT training vids, police training ones,, the over arching message is , don't skimp on observation, don't speed, road position is everything,if the slightest risk ,don't do it, that's overtake or manoeuvre.
I subconsciously drive as the advise.
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
It's my opinion that it is a very low standard drivers are passing, it shows in the street ,with road rage, speeding, bad parking , running lights, I need not go on,.

A higher standard than it has ever been. Driver training and testing is only to show that a person is capable of driving in a safe manner, once the test has been passed character takes over and an A-Hole will always be an A-Hole no matter how well they have been trained.
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Having driven vans without rear windows for a while, I have always looked in the door mirrors a lot. Being a cyclist has probably increased that because I know how easy it is to be missed if you ride up the inside.
 

oldandslow

Über Member
I think as a cyclist I can let the bike roll to maintain momentum, where as a driver, with more momentum to think about, I ought to brake. I have to watch out for that. But generally I think it helps to have seen both views.

I learned to drive late, after some years of cycling, and before the days of ABS. When it came to the emergency stop, I asked my instructor whether, as a driver, you could do what I had learned to do as a cyclist, and "feel" for the point at which the wheels began to lock, pumping the brakes slightly as you found it. He said yes, but it took years of practice. When I did it first time out of sheer habit, he called me a show-off :laugh:
 
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