- Location
- Glasgow
Stressed in my cycling, I am .... by a Bikability course! 
This is what happened:
yesterday I finished a 4 day cycle instructor course, at Bikability level 3.
Apart from the expected difficulties in learning how to prepare lessons for school children ( teaching kids was not my aim in taking the course, but they are the main recipient of the delivered learning ) I have discovered that I have zero road skills and minus zero bike handling skills
Had to learn how to safely start on the bike, can't do a proper a u-turn, was even braking wrong!
What I thought was proper road position is actually not - my primary not primary enough, my secondary too secondary, did not know that you should be in primary on turning left ... after cycling daily for almost two years, I realized I've been doing it all wrong.
The only subject I knew all about was bike cleaning and maintenance, thank you CC
The programme was split, with gap of a week between the first 2 days and the last 2.
So of course I practiced my newly acquired skills on my commute, actively seeking traffic when previously actively avoiding it: got beeped like there's no tomorrow, for my own safety I guess
Making myself visible to traffic in the dark while avoiding the door zone solicited such a blast of the horn from the car behind that I felt like dismounting and cry!
It all culminated yesterday, when the instructor asked us to lead the crossing of a busy 3 lane roundabout: I almost fainted when he said that swiftness was the key, no use going 5mph ...
Conclusion: don't know the results yet, If I only passed level 1 I'll be happy enough, can try a second time for the rest.
I have learned many useful cycling strategies on this course - don't have the guts to implement them all, but the theory is sound.
Think that I can now give a bash at teaching my best friend how to ride a bike so she can ride to town with me: if I manage this it was worth the beepings I got for cycling "by the book".
In my opinion, all new adult riders should do bikability to level 3, it really helps, especially if you don't drive.
I am left with the slightly sad vision of a future filled with fast skilled road riders, no place for the likes of Pat 5mph.
In the meantime ... back on the bike tomorrow
This is what happened:
yesterday I finished a 4 day cycle instructor course, at Bikability level 3.
Apart from the expected difficulties in learning how to prepare lessons for school children ( teaching kids was not my aim in taking the course, but they are the main recipient of the delivered learning ) I have discovered that I have zero road skills and minus zero bike handling skills
Had to learn how to safely start on the bike, can't do a proper a u-turn, was even braking wrong!
What I thought was proper road position is actually not - my primary not primary enough, my secondary too secondary, did not know that you should be in primary on turning left ... after cycling daily for almost two years, I realized I've been doing it all wrong.
The only subject I knew all about was bike cleaning and maintenance, thank you CC
The programme was split, with gap of a week between the first 2 days and the last 2.
So of course I practiced my newly acquired skills on my commute, actively seeking traffic when previously actively avoiding it: got beeped like there's no tomorrow, for my own safety I guess
Making myself visible to traffic in the dark while avoiding the door zone solicited such a blast of the horn from the car behind that I felt like dismounting and cry!
It all culminated yesterday, when the instructor asked us to lead the crossing of a busy 3 lane roundabout: I almost fainted when he said that swiftness was the key, no use going 5mph ...
Conclusion: don't know the results yet, If I only passed level 1 I'll be happy enough, can try a second time for the rest.
I have learned many useful cycling strategies on this course - don't have the guts to implement them all, but the theory is sound.
Think that I can now give a bash at teaching my best friend how to ride a bike so she can ride to town with me: if I manage this it was worth the beepings I got for cycling "by the book".
In my opinion, all new adult riders should do bikability to level 3, it really helps, especially if you don't drive.
I am left with the slightly sad vision of a future filled with fast skilled road riders, no place for the likes of Pat 5mph.
In the meantime ... back on the bike tomorrow
Well done Pat. 
