When we started I was a very confident on a single in any situation but the tandem was a new world. Then over time I learned that the tandem and a team working well together does have a lot of safety advantages.

An extra pair of eyes and ears. Seems obvious with "car back" calls but it is more than that. If the team has good clear communication using an agreed upon distinct words then the captain gains confidence having another look out on the ship. We often ride before dawn and going 20 mph down a dark country road it is not unusual for an animal to cross in front of us. It is reassuring to me that the stokers eyes are actively scanning. If I hear Deer! I grab two handfuls of brake. She knows to use Deer! even if it is a skunk or other animal because its our signal. I don't have to analyze the word to decide what to do or misunderstand. In situations like that we are all business and don't chat. We have built up trust so that I can trust her signals 100% just like she must trust my steering and braking.

Stability-Physics is your friend. That long wheel base and weight of the tandem really makes for a stable platform. We had another rider swerve into us at a bike rally and after adjusting our speed to bump shoulders he bounced off of us like a bug. I was prepared for a good jolt but I don't think are line changed at all. When no other option was available, we have easily run over things like a large Possum or straight over a curb that would have caused problems on my single.

I suggest practicing handling as a team in a safe place. See how long he can keep the tires on a fog line. Longer than on his single I bet. Practice riding one handed, holding the bars just in his finger tips of one hand. Have fun trying to learn new ways to challenge your teams handling skills. Some teams can bunny hop a tandem but that is one skill that will probably always elude us.

Crowded narrow multi use trails sometimes challenge my calm on the tandem. It is the other people that are the problem though not the trail. It helps if you know you can hold a line close to the edge of the trail so you can use as little space as possible when needed. The fog line practice helps. I also hate ear buds!

We ride out tandem so much and our singles so little that I feel more nervous on my single now.