New rider -what would you say?

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GrahamG

Guru
Location
Bristol
Not at all - you've just posted a similar theme thread to mine! At the end of the day he's being courteous and we have to just accept that there are some very timid road users for whom avoidance is always the default mode of preservation. Just make sure he keeps his speed down and watches out for emerging cars past the driveways.
 

bonj2

Guest
I would have probably advised him to stop being a big girls blouse and get out there on the road, but then again that might have scared him off.
Pavement cycling's fine imho if done carefully, and if it's going to give him confidence and he's careful of peds then it's probably the way to go.
Why not set up a few mock scenarios on an industrial estate to toughen him up? Could stick a few mattresses down on the verge just in case.
 

bonj2

Guest
GrahamG said:
Not at all - you've just posted a similar theme thread to mine! At the end of the day he's being courteous and we have to just accept that there are some very timid road users for whom avoidance is always the default mode of preservation. Just make sure he keeps his speed down and watches out for emerging cars past the driveways.

NO, that's what NOT to do - then he'll be more wobbly. He needs to keep his speed up!
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
That all seems very sensible to me Mr P. Apart from the illegality, I don't see anything wrong with considerate pavement cycling.

Unfortunately this is the UK, and we can't seem to do anything in moderation or with consideration.
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
If his pride wouldn't be hurt by it, suggest going for a pootle out on the road with him at lunchtime. Might do his confidence the world of good.
 

buggi

Bird Saviour
Location
Solihull
buy him that cyclecraft book.
 

barq

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, UK
Would anyone have advised him differently?

Probably not. I'm anti pavement cycling mainly because it muddies the water over whether cyclists are legitimate road users (in the eyes of some drivers). But I think in this instance there is probably no real harm in getting someone started this way. Just make sure he eventually graduates to road use.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
That is how I started when I came back to cycling two years ago ... cycled only on the really really quiet roads, then pavements everywhere else, then gradually as my confidence improved started using bigger and bigger roads. The main mistake I made was that I should of read Cyclecraft much earlier, rather than 8 months after returning to cycle.
Why not help him to plan a route that is just near the edge of his cycling confidence on the road, to the shops or something that he can repeat and gradually gain some confidence on.
 

bonj2

Guest
There's nowt wrong with it. It's brand new, and the hub dynamo and lights alone are worth paying what he did for the bike.

There's a little Center Parcs sticker on the seat tube, but he's not bothered about taking it off.

Sorry, I must be mistaken - did I just hear the words 'nowt wrong with' and 'dynamo' in the same paragraph?
 
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