Now that we’ve had a few days of spectacular weather, I’m thinking about buying a bicycle. I have a stationary bike for exercise, but I feel silly using it when the weather is nice. Now, it’s a cliche that you never forget how to ride a bike, and it’s been literally decades since I’ve been on one. But I’ve never ridden anywhere with a lot of traffic . . . and around here, I can’t go far without having to go onto a major road.
Since I’ve never done it, I have a great fear of riding in traffic. Even when I’m driving my car, I get a little anxious around bicycles and motorcycles, and this anxiety would be exacerbated if I’m the one on the bike.
So does anyone have any tips on how to overcome these fears . . . short of taking drugs?
(One additional factor: I once witnessed a bicyclist lose his balance and fall under the tires of a semi. Instant gory death. It’s hard to get that image out of my head.)
Get a bike that handles well and can take some bumps. There are plenty of flat-bar “urban” bikes which are sort of ruggedized road bikes with slightly bigger tires, or a lightweight mountain bike (I ride my front suspension mountain bike everywhere, although I put slicks on it instead of the big knobby tires).
Get a good helmet, some high-visibility gear (screaming neon yellow jacket, flashing LED light set, etc) and then look for an “urban riding” class at your local bike shop; the place you buy your cycling gear may teach such a thing, if you’ve got an REI nearby they run classes like that, or just look up local cycling groups (Facebook or Meetup are good places to start). Experienced riders can show you what to do and not do and take you on rides to build your confidence. Start with quieter streets, not the main thoroughfares.
You just have to work up to it. Obey the traffic laws religiously (you’re less likely to get hurt and the more drivers see cyclists obeying the laws the safer we’ll all be) and assume that every other person out there (driver, rider, pedestrian, etc) will always do the stupidest possible thing at the worst possible moment as you go by. You’ll develop good instincts and eyes in the back of your head that way.
Now that I’m typing this it makes me think that this is pretty much how I got over my nerves as a teenager when I started driving.
FYI, your fears are somewhat justified. Car density has increased tremendously in my lifetime and I would not ride on the roads I did as a teenager in the 70’s. I don’t know if it’s a sign of the times or the availability of bike trails but I rarely see bikes on the roads I use to ride on. IMO drivers are not used to bicycles and don’t give them the berth they use to. The last time I wandered off a bike path on to a country road I was amazed/appalled at how close cars came to me. Cell phone use in cars doesn’t add to my feeling of safety.
Valgard and Magiver give good tips. Especially the one about obeying all traffic regulations all the time. Including stop signs. I noticed this Web site http://www.noaca.org/ which might give you ideas on where to bicycle.
One thing I had to relearn when I started bicycling more is this: the best route for a bicycle is often not the way you’d drive. I’m not fond of bicycling on major arterials, but there are often other, much more pleasant ways of getting there. A good map is a real necessity.
Very true. And the benefits of a bike is that the side streets that would be super slow for cars are often awesome for bikes. I usually find that I get around town faster on my bike than in a car. Main arterial roads are bogged down by cars, and are slow. The side streets, for cars, are even slower. Driving, it takes me almost a half hour to get to work (longer if you factor in the time it takes to find parking). Only ten on a bike.
Don’t be afraid to make your presence well known to other road users (eye contact if necessary). Always be prepared to give cars right of way, even if it isn’t theirs.
While you’re adjusting to life on a bike, always be ready to slow-down and pull over if there’s a situation you’re not comfortable with (going around a parked car, crossing a busy intersection etc.) and take stock of what’s going on and what your safest options are. If it means getting off and pushing to somewhere you feel safe, don’t be afraid to do that either.
Ride predictably.
Don’t be cautious when it comes to brake-checking your speed on downhills.
Stay off roads with heavy traffic like buses and lorries.
What Valgard said about assuming the worst from fellow road users. Ride hoping that you’re visible, but assuming that you’re not.
But at the same time, don’t be afraid to take your position in the centre of the lane if necessary, and don’t get bullied to the side of the road.
I ride on the roads every day, more or less, and at least in town, you can usually maintain the same speed as the general flow of traffic. I feel much safer riding at 20mph in the centre of the lane as part of the traffic flow than I do riding at the side of the road with traffic having to overtake me.
The vast majority of cyclist deaths, at least here in London, seem to involve (a) large lorries and (b) junctions. Specifically, lorries turning left with cyclists getting trapped in the blind spot and squished. (Right turns for countries that drive on the right, obviously).
So if ever I’m waiting at a red light or approaching a junction, if there are lorries around, I make sure I am waiting in front of or well behind the lorry, never alongside it. I also try to make eye contact with the drivers as we wait at the lights so I know they are aware of me.
Seriously, though, cycling in traffic is MUCH less scary than you would think. Bikes are manoeuvrable, you can find gaps and get through traffic. Just keep a keen eye on your surroundings and never assume a driver has necessarily seen you.
Added to that, wearing a bright (preferably fluorescent) jacket makes you much more visible. Having a flashing light on the back of your bike, even in daylight, isn’t a bad idea either.
I do it. I never ride at night, but i just sucked it up and started riding in traffic one day. It’s hard, and scary, but not so bad once you get used to it.
Well, sometimes. But back roads with moderate traffic are horrible for bikes; car drivers get frustrated at you because they have to wait for a break in oncoming traffic to pass you. It’s often better to choose the main road, where you can take the whole lane and cars can still pass you by changing lanes.
Go to a good bike shop. Do you have any friends who ride? Ask them if they know of a good shop. If not, REI tends to be good, but also check for local independent shops. You know you’ve found a good shop when they ask you lots of questions before starting to show you bicycles. A good shop will also insist you try riding the bike, even just some wobbly circles in the parking lot, before letting you buy one.
1a. Ask them at the bike shop about local riding clubs. Chances are there is one, and group rides are a great way to start, because they’ll know local bike-friendly roads.
1b. You buy a bicycle. Here is what you need: A helmet, front and rear lights (don’t plan on riding at night? You still need the lights, because you can use them during the day and someday you may find yourself riding after dark for any of a million reasons), a pump for the tires, a bottle of chain lube. Things you might want: Padded shorts or underwear, clipless pedals and biking shoes, a tool/repair kit, a waterbottle and cage or a hydration pack, any of a million different reflective options (stickers to put on your helmet or frame, belts, vests, jackets, jerseys, wrist and leg bands…)
Get to know your bicycle. If you haven’t ridden in a long time, start out in a nice flat parking lot. Ride in circles. Ride in a straight line. Just give yourself some time to get used to it.
2a. Learn how to steer. By and large you rarely want to turn your handlebars more than a couple degrees; you steer by leaning. I’m not sure I can explain, but you’ll figure it out.
2b. Learn how to use your brakes. Start doing this not on your bike but walking alongside it, hands on the handlebars. Gently squeeze the rear brake. Feel how the bike reacts. Do the same with the front brake. Now try it on the bike. Figure out how much sudden pressure you can put on the rear brake before you might start to skid (you should probably wear a helmet while doing this). When you use the front brake, shift your weight back. You never want to be leaning forward doing a fast stop. You definitely don’t want to do it on a steep downhill (I have a friend who learned that one with a broken collarbone). The point is, you want to learn how to use your brakes in a sticky situation long before you’re ever in that sticky situation.
2c. Learn about the things you need to be aware of on a bike but ignore in a car, including but not limited to: puddles, very small potholes, sticks, gravel, sand, dirt, storm drains, litter in the road. Is there a poorly-maintained parking lot anywhere around? Go there. Ride around, slowly. Note that you feel those cracks in the pavement a lot more. Again: you want to learn how your bike handles before going public, so to speak. Something you’d cruise right over on foot or in a car can send you flying off a bicycle. Find some high-cut curbs in your neighborhood. Go down from the sidewalk to the road, and then try to get back up onto the sidewalk. See how it feels, see where it makes the bike want to go and how you keep it aimed where you want it to go.
Ride safely. Now you know you can ride, and you know how to react to a pothole or a slight skid, so you can turn more of your nervousness to the cars around you. Don’t assume they don’t see you. Don’t assume they do see you. Don’t assume anything; ride to ensure that they do see you.
3a. Ride confidently. You know what you’re doing and you have every right to be on the road. People will say otherwise. Ignore them. You have the law on your side. Try not to get nervous, because someone who’s nervous will ride like it, and that makes you less predictable.
3b. Obey traffic laws. Stop at stop signs. Never ever try to run traffic lights. Signal your turns. When you can, ride in a bike lane or shoulder. If you can’t safely ride side-by-side with a car, take the lane. If that goes on for more than a couple minutes, let the cars pass you, then take the lane again. Be courteous.
3c. Google wants to help. Between their new (and still a work-in-progress) cycling directions, satellite view, and street view, you can get an idea of what the road where you’re going is like.
3d. Especially at first, there’ll probably be times when you feel you can’t handle a situation. That’s fine. Can’t figure out how to safely make that left turn, or are just getting freaked out by that stretch of road? It’s perfectly acceptable to hop off, walk down the sidewalk, and just use the crosswalk. I’ve been getting around this town for five years by bicycle, and there’s still times I do that (two busy roads, meeting at an odd angle, with railroad tracks running through the intersection? I’ll walk my bike, thanks).
Other general safety tips: Wear a helmet. If you’re riding in regular pants, use something to keep the fabric of the right leg from getting grabbed by the chain. Pay attention when you ride. Never ride at night without functional lights, front and back. Again, if a situation freaks you out - don’t go into it. Be aware of your surroundings and your limitations. Be careful at intersections where you’re going straight or turning right; if you’re right next to a car they may not see you.
4a. You mentioned trucks. Big trucks are very scary to a bicyclist, because they’re big and unwieldy and have huge blind spots. The only time you want to be on the right side of a truck is when they are passing you. Never come up behind a truck on the right, because the driver will not know you’re there, and never ride along the right side of a big truck if there’s even a chance that they might turn right. For the most part, you’re unlikely to encounter that many trucks, and when you do - put five to ten feet between you and them, and you should be fine. But just keep in mind that the bigger the vehicle, the bigger the blindspot and the more likely they are to win in a fight.
Have fun! If you’re not having fun, something’s wrong. My dad realized that he was really tired of battling traffic; now he puts his bike on the car and drives to the park, where he does a couple loops with no cars to deal with, and he loves riding again. If something hurts, go to the bike shop and ask if they can help readjust your bike. If you feel like you’ve ridden everywhere safe in your town a million times, go to the next town over. Try doing long rides if you’re tired of short rides. If you feel it’s pointless, try using it to run errands (return the library books, pick up a carton of milk, etc).
You don’t need all of those things, though they would help. Helmet is required, though. Don’t be a fool. Just wear it. Look dumb, at least you’ll still be alive. The lube and chain oil - it depends on how long your bike ride is. Mine is short so I don’t carry any of that stuff.
I also bought:
A padded bike seat
A basket that easily clips on/off so I can bring it into the office
A bike rack in the back to put more things on with bungee cords if I should ever need to
A bell
A bike lock and chain so I can lock it up at the bike rack at work.
Water bottles.
I will not wear clipless pedals and shoes, btw, because of the lights - I have several lights on my way to work, and have to stop every time, and I can’t balance the bike enough. I thought about it for a long time.
I am a casual biker and pretty much buy things as I need them.
As for traffic, people are surprisingly nice. Oh, sure, you get the occasional asshole, but generally people are very respectful, especially if you are following all of the laws.
More: I also have a sideview mirror attached to my handlebars. It shoudn’t take the place of actually looking, but it helps. And lastly, the best thing NinjaChick said: BE AWARE. It is YOUR job to be aware of your surroundings; that’s just the way it is.
They spent a ton of money building a couple of these bridges on the Cuyahoga Valley Trail so people don’t have to fight car with bike. Seems like a good place to start.
One word about helmets. Make sure you are wearing it correctly. It does not perch on the back of your head. It should sit level and cover your forehead. If you do a face plant you want the helmet to hit, not your forehead.
Also adjust the straps so they are snug. If you get thrown off the bike you don’t want the helmet to shift.
Let me tell you problems with riding on the sidewalk. It’s not just about the pedestrians.
Here is how it affects you. I have tried it and it sucks. First of all, any sidewalk has umpteen breaks for traffic to enter. These breaks are extremely bumpy and annoying. Also, cars will not be expecting you to shoot across these breaks and will turn without even noticing you. So instead of constant awareness as you should have, you have to be aware at every intersection instead and I find it is much more difficult.
Whereas if you are on the road people know from the get-go that there you are, and they have to watch out for you.
Even if not for the pedestrians, use the road. It’s not just about them, it’s what makes the most sense.
And as for going slow? I am NOT a fast biker by any means - but I don’t want to go slow either! I want to go as fast as my legs can pump.
It really does make the most sense to ride in the road. It may seem counter-intuitive at first but there is no comparison, really.
Here’s my question. Does anyone have any issues with being first in line at a light with sensors? I try to pull up as far as I can so the car behind me can trigger the sensor, but I admit I hate being first because I am always afraid me and my bike won’t trigger it and we’ll be here forever. My SO says he used to lay the bike flat, but I am not doing that. Does it make a difference?
