Being in possession of basic bike handling skills
This includes being able to start and stop without faltering, to maintain a line of travel without weaving, to reduce speed when appropriate, and to safely maneuver around obstacles. It helps to ride the type of bike one is comfortable with and in a way they are comfortable with, depending on skill level and personal preference. Those who do not yet possess adequate handling skills should practice on trails and quiet side streets before mixing with traffic.
This includes being able to start and stop without faltering, to maintain a line of travel without weaving, to reduce speed when appropriate, and to safely maneuver around obstacles. It helps to ride the type of bike one is comfortable with and in a way they are comfortable with, depending on skill level and personal preference. Those who do not yet possess adequate handling skills should practice on trails and quiet side streets before mixing with traffic.
This got me thinking about my own skill level. My first thought was " Yes! I do many alternative things to VC riding because of my skill level". My second thought was, "hmm, my personal skill level isn't really improving in that starting and stopping still feel wonky, and yet I must integrate into traffic to get everywhere I want to go. How do I balance this? Should I balance this? Or should I not even be on the road?"
I know that some of you reading ( Hey Steve) will suggest that everyone who gets on a bike should take a cycling skills class. I certainly agree that this is a good idea. However I haven't taken one yet. Why? When I last looked at classes, they were held in locations that I didn't feel safe biking to. Also the timing is never right for me. Let's suffice it to say, I would like to take a class, but it looks like I'll have many miles of biking under my belt before I get the chance to take one. I think for a lot of people, this is true.
Therefore what's a newbie, nervous rider to do?
For me personally, I weigh my comfort level and if it means walking a block or taking to a quiet underused sidewalk verses freaking out in traffic intersections I tend to white knuckle behind a steering wheel, I do. While I respect VC riding and actually do think it would be the ultimate goal and ideal, it isn't something I can take on in every route I make.
A few nervous nilly rider thoughts of mine.
1. As mentioned, I take to the sidewalk if the road is very narrow or overly busy and fast. Roads like Washington Street in Newton are not roads I ride on for very long. I will ride on them with a group but not alone. I do turn left onto Washington from Chestnut st. when going to Harris Cyclery but that is a T intersection and I obviously wait for the green light. I only travel on Washington for about half a block before the next light comes and I veer off to the crosswalk and walk my bike across and down the sidewalk to the bike store.
2.When on sidewalks I always slow to a near stop/coast when passing pedestrians. I often ring a bell lightly but then call out " Oh hello, excuse me please... Thanks so much". a bit wordy but I feel that most peds think a bell ring is rude and get more kinder looks and comments when I add my salutation. Oftentimes I hop off and walk the bike around people.
3. I will often make judgment calls about left turns in the moment. For example when going down Walnut toward Homer street in Newton, I often choose to veer to the sidewalk at the driveway before the intersection. There I press the ped button and wait for all walk lights and then bike a box turn into Homer street giving myself a head start before the cars begin again. I almost always do this with the cargo bike and often times on a two wheeler. If I see I have room to get into the left turn lane I will take that. Although I prefer to take that lane behind a car. It's unclear to me if the left turn green arrow light is automatic or on a sensor. I think automatic as I have been in a car and have it not go off as well. However being in a bike -esp box bike- when this happens makes me feel the pressure in a not good way.
(Walnut /Homer intersection. Left turn ln. Driveway on right is my usual exit)
4. I tend to move slowly and while I respect and understand the idea of taking the lane, I don't feel comfortable or that it's right to take the lane when moving 10/12 miles an hour so I do tend to stay more right than you all think I should. When in the box bike because stopping and starting can be easier ( with a trike there is no foot down, stability issue) I will slow down and pull behind a parked car to let a big truck or car pass behind me a la pulling over for an emergency vehicle. I will only do this if I am on a downhill or flat land as starting on an uphill can be a pain in the rear and not worth it for me to be "nice". Having the motor has helped a lot as when I feel the heat of cars behind me I now turn on and pump hard to move fast. I kind of feel like putting in the effort shows the cars behind me that I do want to move along and I don't want to be in their way- not sure if that comes off the way I want or not, but I feel better about it...
5. I am practicing holding my own on a two wheeler though. I've noticed a spot in my route to Waban, Newton down Beacon street and the road narrows and cars really pass me closely. I do not like this at all and I am hoping to take the lane in that spot. It is right after a light ( which I am nearly always stopped at) and I do stop myself squarely behind cars putting myself in equal line, however I need to stop moving to the right once traffic starts and staying nicely in the middle until that narrow section is passed. It's not very long. It's often "late rush hour" ( ie rush hour for people running late- 9am) so I feel certain I'll get some feedback on this tactic but I will feel safer doing it this way.
(Beacon/ Chestnut intersection. )
6. My starts and stops. I really would like my seat just a tad higher. I just can't do it though. At each light I promise myself to hop off and practice starting and stopping out of the saddle, and each time I am stopped but try to slip off the saddle to start correctly- I feel unstable and stay firmly in the seat. I can start well enough, but I seem to continue to have clumsy moments when my foot slips on the pedal, or I turn the cargo bike just too fast and one wheel pops up and my feet touch the ground ( bike was empty and I was cruising!). these moments always make me feel silly and embarrassed and I need to get over it. At Harris a while ago one of the bike mechanics whose name I don't know, mentioned just falling over while stopped. One minute he was up and one minute he was down. Skill had nothing to do with it. So that made me feel better and I am working on laughing at these moments. I did laugh and smile when I popped that wheelie earlier this week so I am improving.
7. I am wobbly. I just am. B does this weird sound track for me when imitating me on bike. It sounds all rickshaw and bouncy sounding if that makes sense. No matter what I do I can't seem to hold a good straight line. Especially when starting as I push that pedal my wheel turns and then I wobble until I pick up speed. Sometimes I'm smooth, lots of times I am not. I know that speed helps me stay smooth ( just not overspeed) and this is why I like electric bikes so much, it's when I am struggling and tired and moving slowly that I wobble the most and get myself in the most danger. The faster and in control I am- the smoother I am. Also the more I think about holding the line- the more I start to swerve, like a sick self fulfilling prophecy. Add a truck barreling down and I am a cutting a curvy line at best, which also makes me veer to the right. I work hard and going to the middle of the lane when I am feeling most nervous ( with light traffic flow) and this does help me as I know the cars will have to cross the yellow line to pass me.
Things that freak me out. Multiple entry intersections ( five or more). Trucks passing me, and cars passing me fast. Since I don't take the lane and feel ok with a car passing me, I would really prefer they pass me slowly. Of course it's best if they just cross the yellow line. I hate left turns with a passion and I don't like long lines of cars before a red light.
I want to keep pushing boundaries and riding farther and into Boston proper. I want to achieve that goal of VC riding at least more than I can now. Until I can, I muddle through and remain a nervous nilly rider on the roads. I think I belong there. I wish that things were set up more for people like me.
Hi SBM,
ReplyDeleteI always start and stop off the saddle. However, after many consecutive stops, i get really tired. I feel that sometimes, it's the hopping on and off the saddle that tires me out more than the pedaling.
You are doing the most important thing - critical self assessment. It is unfortunate that you do not live in the UK because Cyclecraft is the best "how to ride" book I have ever read. In the US, "Street Smarts" is also good and is FREE.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel better, they laughed at my starts in cycle instructor school. And put photos on Facebook with embarrassing bubbles above my head.
Sometimes a little fear keeps you safe. I agree with you that there are some places in my town too where I can't even imagine how a bike would fit on the six or eight lane wide road. I hate it, but I will take the sidewalk because there isn't always an alternative routine.
ReplyDeleteHard to know what to say for advice. It's useful to have VC skills, but I use them sparingly. I have better things to do with my time than engage in unpaid driver education.
ReplyDeleteI do hold a pretty straight line, but I am not 100% sure how teachable this is. When I was young, I learned to slalom water-ski, and I learned to ride rollers, eventually no-hands. If you try rollers, expect to spend a lot of time riding off them at first. I still practice no-hands, lots.
It doesn't hurt to wobble sometimes; if drivers are too comfortable with how you are riding, they may just consume that space if it will let them pass a few seconds earlier.
thanks everyone. I wanted to say that I do think I have a straighter line than I portrayed. I'm not all over the place. But I do have a wobble. I guess of course I notice my wobble more when being passed closely- so this really just confirms the importance of giving a cyclist 3 feet of space when passing them. I often wish I could ride with a thing sticking out to the left of my rack with sharp edges that will "key" the cars that pass too closely.
ReplyDeleteErin, and Steve, I agree that self assessment and fear keeps me improving and being careful. No matter what I do- I am always mindful of the action and it's possible outcomes. When I am feeling like I can't be mindful or things are becoming out of my control- passed too closely etc I tag out of the road.
ReplyDeleteThe degree of skill I consider adequate is if you don't put yourself and other cyclists in danger every time you're on the road. I don't think formal classes should be pushed, because (1) some people don't do well in them, (2) I would say that some skills are not teachable, but develop naturally as a result of experience, and (3) it may give the impression that people shouldn't be riding unless they take a class. So the way I see it, it's a personal judgment call.
ReplyDeleteI did not mean to be militant about the skills thing in my post; I was only suggesting that a lot fewer people seem to be worried about skills than those who are worried about helmets - which seems like a reversal of priorities to me.
Velouria- I completely knew where you were coming from and did not want you to think this was a critique of your post. I agree with you actually. I just also know that my skill level isn't very technically great and while I don't think I put myself or others in danger- it begged the question of how those with my skill level should begin biking. Esp in light of the VC idea of riding which will likely never be a good fit for me.
ReplyDeleteThe skill thing is interesting these days here b/c we are just starting to have S & C ride on the street with us at times-- only, however, on the weekends when the traffic is less insane. They are doing really well and it is super exciting. Keeping in a straight line without too much weaving, and judging how far into the lane one should be not to get doored but to the right enough that you are sharing the road are the big things we have been working on. Today C rode from our house in Edgewood down to NMS. It was awesome. Coming back, he did have to go up on some sidewalks given the route, but he rode on the street really well. It gives me hope that we can continue using bikes as transportation, even though they won't be riding to and from school any time soon :(
ReplyDeleteSince I've been riding and have grown pretty confident in my skills, I do immediately spot other cyclists who are doing dangerous, stupid, or clueless things and it makes me cringe. Yes, I do worry about their safety at times, but I cannot help but think, "Damn, you are making it bad for ALL of us cyclists out here."
it's funny I was riding on the cape this weekend and I let my Mother in law borrow my public and I rode behind her on the xtra and she was riding like the third graders I ride with for bike safety. front wheel going left and right and left and right. When I got on it again it was in 1st gear even though her house is at the bottom of a hill so it should have been in at least 5 and I bet she kept it at 1 the whole time and had no friction whatsoever and therefore really no control over the bike. I was thinking- huh- yeah- I'm in no way like that! Although I am VERY wobbly onthe xtra and only enjoy it on the cape during parade/festival days where cars are the outlaws b/c I have to ride straight down the middle of the lane so that I don't get passed b/c I'm so weave-y. Tuber loves to dance back there making me a fishtailing fiend.
ReplyDelete