Are you concerned about safety when you cycle. How alert are you to the dangers? In 2008 I spent the summer riding as a push bike messenger on London’s busy streets. In this article you will learn the survival skills I used to stay alive.
I didn’t begin with them, I learnt them the hard way. They didn’t stop me getting hit, nor from falling off. But maybe they will help you ride just a bit more wisely. At the end of the article is the COOLEST video made by some London messengers. Check it out!
This list is not definitive. It is not even comprehensive. It would not be sanctioned by any safety body. To put things in context. I don’t ride in helmet, I don’t have lights on my bike. But what I do have is eyes and ears and I never stop using them when I cycle.
Cycling Survival Skills
- Ride in a straight line – Sounds obvious right. It’s amazing how many cyclists don’t do it. I’m not saying ride near the curb or anything like that. just wherever you are, maybe in middle of road or 2 metres from the curb. Just make sure you stay in a straight line. this way traffic coming from behind can see where you are and what you are doing and will avoid you. In general traffic from the rear is not a big danger provided you stick to this one simple rule.
- Anticipate obstructions and take avoiding action EARLY and NOT SUDDENLY – This builds on point of riding in a straight line. look up and ahead if you see a parked car or a hole in the road then take avoiding action “SMOOTHLY”. Don’t surprise the traffic behind you and they wont surprise you be hitting you.
- Hit Pedestrians if you have to – They are a menace and a danger to you and themselves. Often they step straight into the road without looking. This is particularly common when the traffic is stationary and you are riding along freely through it. If you are in ANY doubt about YOUR safety HIT the Pedestrian rather than swerving to miss them and ending up head on with oncoming traffic.
- Make eye contact – and I’m not talking about the sexy young thing on the pavement. I mean with every other road user who you perceive as a potential danger. This is SO IMPORTANT. Keep looking at them until you are sure you have eye contact and they have seen you. If you are in any doubt about whether they have seen you then MOVE AWAY. see next point.
- Move away from danger – If you feel another road user who is a potential danger to you has not seen you then move away from them. You don’t necessarily have to slow down just give them space. Often by simply changing direction you make yourself more visible and they will then see you. Do this EVEN if it means you have to move out into the road. Do this even if you don’t have time to look behind you. Traffic coming from behind is geared up to avoiding danger in front of it. You may get hooted by the driver behind for changing direction and causing him to avoid you BUT you are very unlikely to get hit by this car. So I repeat again MOVE AWAY FROM DANGER
- Get out in front at traffic lights – Stop out in front at lights where all the cars can see you. I jump lights as I feel that it is safer. This is because when the lights go green the cars accelerate much faster than I do. However if you don’t want too or cant jump then stop in a position as far in front of the traffic as possible. This give you a few extra seconds to get moving before the traffic is level with you.
- At traffic lights start in road (maybe 1-2m) and pull away with you tyres angled towards the curb not the other way round. This means your initial movement is away from the line the car is taking so if you make a mistake like pedal slipping, or you wobble then you are going towards safety rather towards danger.
- At traffic lights – If you can’t get to the front before the lights go green be careful. Try not to stop hard against the curb as this encourages traffic to come right up alongside you giving you less space and making you invisible. The trick is to move out and imagine that you were a car. Position your bike 1-2 metres out into the lane. Now the car MUST stop behind you, they can see you clearly and they cannot pull away until you have done so and moved over.Which you only do once you are moving at a confortable speed in a straight line.
- NEVER, NERVER, EVER OVERTAKE on THe INSIDE AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS if there is any danger of them going Green – This tip is most important and the life saving one. The inside position at traffic lights is VERY, VERY DANGEROUS. vehicles just don’t see you. They will turn and squash you against the railings and you have nowhere to go. DONT PUT YOUR BIKE ON THE INSIDE POSITION AT JUNCTIONS. Big vehicles just wont see you and they will squash you like a fly.
- Don’t get distracted – cycling safely in busy traffic takes a lot of concentration. There are road users all over the place who can do you harm.
- Roid straight over manhole covers and painted road markings – they are slippery particularly in the wet. If you try and turn you may well end up on your arse
- Riding through stationary traffic it is safer in the middle of road not against curb – Although this position takes you closer to oncoming traffic. Both you and they can see clearly. You have more space and more time to react. It is also faster! BUT be aware that traffic might be turning and will NOT expect you to be coming on their outside. So your responsibility to anticipate their movement especially if you see a side road ahead. If in doubt proceed with caution.
- The most dangerous traffic is that which wants to turn across you. – This includes oncoming traffic wanting to turn into a side road on your side. Also traffic that wants to come out of a side street. When you see a vehicle is doing one of these 2 manoeuvres be VERY ALERT. Make sure you get eye contact. If these vehicles don’t see you they will KILL YOU.
- When approaching a side road on your side – Pause and listen to the traffic behind you. If a vehicle is close then just glance over your shoulder to check if isn’t going to suddenly turn and cut you up
- At roundabouts act like you are in a car – roundabouts are dangerous when you are cycling. Ride As fast as you can. Don’t dawdle under any circumstances. The best approach seams to be to take a position in the middle of a lane and ride the same line as a car would. Obviously you are slower but it stops people racing past you. Watch cars wanting to join the roundabout while you are on it very closely. Again get eye contact and if in doubt move away from them.
- Car and taxi doors hurt when opened into your path – Watch out for this, give parked vehicles space and look inside them as you approach. if someone is sitting in them then be aware that the door might fly open. It hurts like hell if they catch you. I have the scars to prove it!!
- Cycle lanes that are on the pavement can be very dangerous – when they cross a road. traffic is not expecting you to be there. I never use these type of cycle lanes. I stay on the road BUT if you do then when you come to a rod crossing you must treat it in the way a PEDESTARIAN would. You MUST STOP and look VERY carefully before crossing the road.
Conclusions
I hope that you have found this list useful. If you take anything away from it please remember that IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAY SAFE. Yes it may be the drivers fault but that doesn’t help you when you are in pieces on the road.
Stay alert and look, look and look some more. Train yourself to see danger BEFORE it happens. This is the key to riding safe. It’s not particularly about riding slowly it’s about being ULTRA ALERT to DANGER.
This is a new website and I would really appreciate your help in raising awareness. If you enjoyed this article please take a moment to comment or share it on Facebook or twitter. I would really appreciate it. Thanks and keep cycling.
Luke Bream
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