The golden rules of my cycle commute

[GrumpyGregry]

I recently came across this blog when looking for stats to confound my FD and my CEO (my boss and my boss's boss) who are very agitated at my using a bike for work purposes - fair enough cycling to Oxford to a course is a litte excessicve.

After a crap interaction with a moron in a VW Polo this morning I decided, by way of therapy, to write up my own list of do's and don't for my commute. (20km cross country with first and last few km in traffic bound market towns. Maybe 1km in total of cycle lane of which I judge only about 200m, which is on road at the home end, to be usuable by a commuting cyclist. Home end is a decent enough place to cycle. Work end.... welll let's just say it is hostile. journey starts on an A road and ends on one with some B and lots of C in between)

• Own my own space on the road, taking primary or secondary position as I think I need it
• Communicate intent via clear signals and 'body English' and losts of looking over the shoulder
• Ignore the hoots and close overtakes - no more gestures, polite or otherwise - just smile and keep pedaling
• Avoid large busy roundabouts even if doing so increases the distance/time (provided this doesn't expose me to other risks on the alternative route)
• Avoid turning right on or off busy roads if possible
• Move out well before passing cars parked on the left, signalling if need be beforehand
• Never cycle in the door zone and watch the actual doors
• When approached from rear at high speed on country roads, abandon primary/secondary and let them pass
• When approached from rear at low speed on country roads, abandon primary/secondary if it is safe to do so and let them pass as soon as you can.
• Fit multiple rear lights and use them, even in daylight, along with a rear facing helmet light
• When riding alone keep my speed down on the downhills
• Assume car entering from left is going to pull out on me
• Assume car in front that just overtook me is going to turn left without indicating
• Assume car overtaking me with left hand indicator on is going to turn left regardless of my presence
• Assume oncoming car will turn right across my path
• Assume no car driver can correctly judge my speed relative to theirs.
• Undertake very slowly and only when traffic is actually stopped
• Overtake long queues of slow moving traffic with care and only when there is no 'meat in the sandwich' potential
• Check bike is 100% functional before each trip
• Wear a cycling helmet and cycling gloves
• Start getting in for 08:00 and leaving at 17:00 when the roads are much quieter anyway

What do we think?

 

[2Loose]

Perfect - you should survive!

How far is your ride to Oxford anyway (my geography is rubbish) ?

 

[Bman]

• Ignore the hoots and close overtakes - no more gestures, polite or otherwise - just smile and keep pedaling
• When approached from rear at low speed on country roads, abandon primary/secondary if it is safe to do so and let them pass as soon as you can.

What do we think?

Although I think I know what you are going to say, can you explain your reasons behind the two quoted above?

 

[TheBoyBilly]

It's point number 3 (no gestures etc) that I have problems with - one day someone is going to seriously lamp me! though I am mellowing with age
All the others on your list I pretty much keep to although I generally commute in very quiet times (early morning and late evening)
Can I add one more for London commuters? Treat ALL Addison Lee drivers as eedjits!

Bill

 

[MontyVeda]

...

• Assume car entering from left is going to pull out on me
• Assume car in front that just overtook me is going to turn left without indicating
• Assume car overtaking me with left hand indicator on is going to turn left regardless of my presence
• Assume oncoming car will turn right across my path
• Assume no car driver can correctly judge my speed relative to theirs.

...

What do we think?

good list, I recall one of my teachers telling us that when we start driving, assume every otehr road user is a complete novice/nutter

 

[BlackPanther]

You missed.

• Never, ever ever assume that just 'cos your traffic light is on green, that the cross traffic will stop. At least once a week I could get knocked off my bike by a red light jumper.

 

[400bhp]

Although I think I know what you are going to say, can you explain your reasons behind the two quoted above?

Same here.

 

[400bhp]

I think it's a pretty comprehensive list.

Although I guess for most of us it's a list to aspire to. We're all human and so make mistakes/lapse in concentration/lose ones rag.

 

[cyberknight]

I

• Start getting in for 6.30 am when the roads are much quieter anyway

Corrected for accuracy ! hardly anyone on the roads nice and early

Very good although you need to add ..
"Regard glass on the cyclepath as artwork and try to avoid so i do not spoil the stunning modern art piece ! "

 

[400bhp]

Time of day is so important.

I usually am on the roads between 7am to 7:45am. Today it was more like 7-8:30am. Massive difference and much more people taking chances later in the morning.

 

[subaqua]

i like the list.

can agree on the staggering of journeys making a difference. I have been on afternights shifts so have been leaving home at 3pm , missing the school run and evening rush. such a difference.

coming home at 2am is a little more fraught as i wonderr how many drivers are pissed and won't see me

 

[I like Skol]

• Avoid large busy roundabouts even if doing so increases the distance/time (provided this doesn't expose me to other risks on the alternative route)
• Check bike is 100% functional before each trip
• Wear a cycling helmet and cycling gloves

Cannot possibly agree with your view of roundabouts! I encounter a big one at Bredbury which is fed from a nearby industrial estate as well as traffic leaving the motorway. To be honest roundabouts hold no fear for me but I decided to take the seemingly sensible option as it does get exceedingly busy at rush hour and for the first few months I deferred onto the cycle lane along side. What a nightmare that was. In one directon not too bad but you had to be careful when rejoining the traffic flow after the roundabout, but coming in the other direction you have to cross both directions traffic flow which is effectively 4 lanes at this point then when past the roundabout cross back to the correct side through one queue of standing/crawling traffic waiting to enter the RAB and the other lane of cars whizzing off the RAB around a bend. I reverted back to my natural instinct which was to join the traffic flow on the RAB and it was fine as I expected. The trick is to behave exactly as I would in a car, assert your position, push, shove, stare, change lanes, minimal signalling and get the job done. As if by magic you end up with a big car shaped space around you and everyone seems to mentally accept you as 'one of them'. I am not one of those people that gets tooted and shouted at but I have ridden with people that do and it is mostly down to road sense and confidence.

Not much point in checking your bike before a trip as it is too late then and besides, bikes don't typically brake while they are parked in the garage/shed/hallway. Bike checking is something that should be happening throughout your ride and at the end of the trip. This gives you time to sort any problems before you have to venture out onto the roads again.

Helmet? It is as much a personal choice as the gloves and there are enough helmet discussion threads on this forum without me adding further comment here.

Otherwise a good list. Keep on cycling

 

[400bhp]

bikes don't typically brake while they are parked in the garage/shed/hallway.
[/quote]

No, but they can break.

 

[I like Skol]

"bikes don't typically brake while they are parked in the garage/shed/hallway."

No, but they can break.

DOH! Schoolboy error. It seems like the polite thing to do would have been not to draw attention to it?

 

[Twizit]

The trick is to behave exactly as I would in a car, assert your position, push, shove, stare, change lanes, minimal signalling and get the job done. As if by magic you end up with a big car shaped space around you and everyone seems to mentally accept you as 'one of them'.

Agree a lot with that sentiment - I do think a lot of how you get treated on the road is down to how you present yourself - clear positive (without being aggressive) road attitude goes a long way.


Otherwise I think the OP list is pretty damn comprehensive. That said I usually boil it down to:

1. What's the worst thing each road user could do..... expect them to do it and position self accordingly
2. Assume they're all out to get me

Serves me pretty well whether as a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist or driver