Advocacy & Safety - From Auntie Beeb:

Saw this on the BBC web-site (mods delete if it's a dupe):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6494309.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6495457.stm

FYI -

- Wil

I was not starting off properly. My pedal was in the three o'clock position, not the correct two o'clock, and I was also not holding my handlebars safely. Hands should always be over the brakes, David said.

I'm not sure if I'd pass this either. I start with my pedals in any position. If I always had to have my hands on the brakes, they'd hurt eventually.

This reminds me of the "correct" way to hold a steering wheel I learned in Driver's Ed. which no real driver actually follows.

I'm not sure if I'd pass this either. I start with my pedals in any position. If I always had to have my hands on the brakes, they'd hurt eventually.

This reminds me of the "correct" way to hold a steering wheel I learned in Driver's Ed. which no real driver actually follows.

Yeah, I thought the same thing, but the first article was what caught my attention, and I found it refreshing the at least someone was taking an interest in training kids. I thought the video was interesting.

- Wil

Unfortunately, the video link is giving me a 403 Forbidden error.

I'm curious what the reasoning is for the two o'clock crank position thing is though. The only thing I can think of is that it provides maximum acceleration in the first stroke, but this sounds like it's more for transportation riding in a city than for match sprints at a velodrome, so I don't know why anyone would care.

As for the general concept, I give a hearty 5 thumbs up. People do need education. Once I hit a guy riding the wrong way in a bike lane who maintained that it was a legal direction to ride.