Advocacy & Safety - New Rider Training - Where and How

I just read the entire thread on a bike accident caused by an inattentive driver and the discussion became about poor riders. I am one of those poor riders. Not that I want to be a bad rider, but how do you learn to be a good rider? I hit something in the road this weekend and in an attempt not to fall cut across three lanes of traffic on a very busy street. It was pure luck that my young life didn't end at 64.

I am a new rider. I have been riding about six months. I ride only on roads and look for bike lanes. Unfortunately, bike lanes and heavy traffic go together in Southern California. So, how do I learn other than just experience.

I am going to join the local biking club so that I can ride with a group. I am hoping that I can learn from others as well as enjoy the ride.

Any ideas on how to improve and be safer?

Here's a good start, and it's free to boot: http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

My city put out a bicycle commuter's guide this spring. It's full of general info about how to ride safely. Check it out:

www.unca.edu/transportation/Final_ash_bike_guide.pdf

My LBS (local bike shop) also has group rides and a weekly leasure ride at the local velodrome. You may want to check with a (good) LBS in your area to see if rides like this are available.

Someone on another thread recently pointed out this site (http://www.bicyclinglife.com/), which I'm really liking. They look to have a large section on safety. The other links suggested above are good, too.

In addition to reading information on the Internet, you would probably benefit from actually taking a bike safety course. In addition to obvious traffic guidelines, these courses often include other beginning level instruction to simply make you a better rider, such as using your gears and brakes more effectively, which will in turn make you a safer and more confident rider. I don't know what's available in your area, but in many cases, occasional classes are for offered free or low cost by advocacy groups; search the Internet or ask around in your area. Bike stores are likely to know about them. The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) offers a nationally standardized Road I course, for the nationally standardized cost of $50, but it's probably worth it. (Depending on how much of it you know or not already.)

Good luck, have fun, and be safe! :)

The League of American Cyclists offers classes. There might be one near you. You probably want the Road I course. Usually it features classroom discussion, parking lot skills, and a road ride. Takes a couple of days. More information is at:
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education

Let's talk about your particular incident. It sounds like you had two problems: you hit something, and you did not control your bike very well after hitting it. Obviously it's hard to control your bike after hitting something, so let's focus the analysis on why you hit it:


Were you not scanning the road far enough ahead, or were you just being inattentive? Was something hiding the object? Was it a small animal that ran out in front of you? All of these have to do with the amount of attention you pay to the road and the current situation. Pay as much as you would driving a car, if not more. (Obviously not too much you can do about animals! :rolleyes:)
Was it dark and you did not see it in time? If so, did you have a headlight, or were you going too fast for the forward distance that your light illuminates?
Could a quick emergency swerve have avoided hitting it, without taking you across 3 lanes of traffic? If so, you can practice stuff like this in an empty parking lot.
In an attempt to keep out of the way of traffic, were you riding too far to the right, where the surface was bad or had debris? A common rule of thumb is to ride 2-3' to the left of the edge of the usable surface of the road, as determined by you, discounting any unusable area.
This is all conjecture on my part. If you give us more detail as to what you hit, where in the road it was, why didn't you see it sooner, etc., maybe we can give you some specific advice.

The League of American Cyclists offers classes. There might be one near you. You probably want the Road I course. Usually it features classroom discussion, parking lot skills, and a road ride. Takes a couple of days. More information is at:
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education
The one I took was only 1 day, ~8 hours.

Regarding the thread that wandered from inattentive drivers to poor riders, I hope it didn't come out too strongly against the rider alone. I agree with the idea I've heard espoused elsewhere that an "accident" is usually the result of at least two things going wrong simultaneously. In this case, if either the driver had been more attentive or the rider done a better job (I don't know exactly what he did poorly), the incident would probably not have happened.

However, as someone here likes to point out, and I think he's right, you have more control over your own behavior than that of others, so it's good to always consider how you might have handled things better. That in no way lets the motorist off the hook morally or legally. Unfortunately, moral fault is immaterial if the cyclist is injured or worse, although legal fault might at least cover the expenses! :(

Taking a course sounds like a great idea -- I might do the same.

Having only ridden on the road since March, I can say that I have benefitted most from challenging myself really slowly. For example, I built up speed on bicycle-only paths and learned the ins and out of controlling the machine under fast conditions there. Then, I gradually introduced that speed in my road riding -- VERY gradually, because the margin of error in traffic is, as we know, slight. You've got to really know how to control the bike before you mess around with cars.

When my wife and I took Road 1 it was offered as a 3 hr session once a week for 4 weeks. The road riding sessions were very helpful.



The one I took was only 1 day, ~8 hours.


The League of American Cyclists offers classes. There might be one near you. You probably want the Road I course. Usually it features classroom discussion, parking lot skills, and a road ride. Takes a couple of days. More information is at:
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education
.

Having only ridden on the road since March, I can say that I have benefitted most from challenging myself really slowly. For example, I built up speed on bicycle-only paths and learned the ins and out of controlling the machine under fast conditions there. Then, I gradually introduced that speed in my road riding -- VERY gradually, because the margin of error in traffic is, as we know, slight. You've got to really know how to control the bike before you mess around with cars.
That's a very good point. Many of us who have been riding a while (4 years for me) forget what it's like to not be such a strong rider. Being a strong rider does make it easier to ride in traffic. For example, I can sprint out of an intersection where I have taken the full lane without being as worried about holding up traffic, because I know that I can almost always make it across the intersection as fast or faster than the cars. (Whether they know it or not.) And it's easier to blend into traffic the closer you can match its speed. We who have built up strength to do this have to be careful about assuming that our advice is also applicable to those whose riding ability is different.

But- keep at it, and you too will become a stronger rider. Taking a class which includes effective use of gears and brakes will help you gain confidence and ability over and above just raw strength. (I should mention that I've never been an athletic person at all. So it can be taught!)

Gosh, I'm kind of hogging this thread! I'll bow out for a while now...

You did not indicate where you are in So Cal... so here in San Diego the resource is the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition.


Bike for Life Class: Contact bikeforlife@sdcbc.org, for more information. Click here for the calendar of classes. People who have taken this class tell us "We thought we already knew how to ride - we didn't know we didn't know so much!". Don't be without this important information - sign up today! It's not too late to register for our Road II class. September 16th, 23rd, 30th, and October 7th in Clairemont.Click here to register. Class sizes are limited, so sign now by calling 858.487.6063.

SDCBC is at http://www.sdcbc.org/

Edit: I just noticed the "Oxnard" tag. Good luck up there. Hope something is in your area.

In response to your question, although I don't know what hazard I hit, it was inanimate. It was also daylight, so I have nothing to blame except rider inattention. I was in a bike path, but probably too close to the right side. It was my first ride on my new, more narrow tires and I think I had gotten sloppy riding with the fat tires. I complained about the speed and difficulty, but you don't have to be near as concerned about road hazards with the fat tires.

Thank you for your suggestions. I think riding experience is my major requirement and staying safe while I learn is my biggest challenge. Just because I used to ride every deay - 50+ years ago - doesn't mean I know how to ride today.

In response to your question, although I don't know what hazard I hit, it was inanimate. It was also daylight, so I have nothing to blame except rider inattention. I was in a bike path, but probably too close to the right side. It was my first ride on my new, more narrow tires and I think I had gotten sloppy riding with the fat tires. I complained about the speed and difficulty, but you don't have to be near as concerned about road hazards with the fat tires.

Thank you for your suggestions. I think riding experience is my major requirement and staying safe while I learn is my biggest challenge. Just because I used to ride every deay - 50+ years ago - doesn't mean I know how to ride today.