h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I, too, was taught to check over my shoulder. This I was taught first by my dad in Germany (inofficial, illegal and most informative driving lessons), then by my driver's ed teacher in the US (official, inefficient and successful driving lessons that ended in my getting a driver's permit and eventually a US driver's license) and then once more by a German driving instructor (highly inefficient official lessons I chose to take before taking the official driver's test that was necessary to turn my US license into a German license).

My sister took the test in Germany a couple of months ago; she also was taught to check over her shoulder.

Y.

interesting to see that some countries do teach this. Certainly it has saved my life, or limbs at least, more than once.

" *was* taught to check over my shoulder before manouevering (sp?) - isn't everyone? " kelli

No, they aren't, not in England anyway. In fact at least one of my biker friends was actually told off for doing it when she went for her car lessons.

Another difference, and sorry for the diversion here!, was when I did my bike training I was taught that in an emergency stop situation, the brakes went on and the clutch was only disengaged at the last minute just before the engine stalled (this I believe was due to additional engine braking and also because you still had control of the back wheel, ie it wasn't freewheeling). When I did my car lessons the instructor was bemused by this and asked why I didn't push the clutch in straight away.
There was about 7 years between the two sets of lessons though.

I've just realised it is over 14 years since I took my test.

*shuffles off, mumbling somthing*

*mnadfnsdmpf...don't *feel* old....mmuhfdfht*

I think I might need some

I was certainly taught to look over my shoulder before moving off because of the blind spot and was told I'd fail if I didn't. The blind spot hasn't gone away so I'll certainly continue to do it. I was also told to only engage the clutch at the last moment in an emergency stop, because braking is far less efficient once you engage the clutch, and who cares about stalling in an emergency, I shall also continue to do this!

I was also taught to only press in clutch pedal at the very last second to prevent stalling.
The reason you don't want to stall, even in an emergence stop, is to allow you to remain in control of your vehicle. In other words, you may have to move out of the way quickly in the event of a pileup scenario for example, or if you've come to rest on top of a person who would prefer you to drive off of them post haste..

Same here with the clutch and emergency stop thing.

Back somewhere there were moans about cyclists coming up the inside whilst everyone is parked up at traffic lights. Well in this town, where the cycle track shares the roadway, there is a section in front of most sets of lights specifically for the cyclists to congregate. This isn't too much of an issue if there is only one of them, as s/he will be in front of me, but off to my left, and won't cause a problem when we both move off.

What does become a problem is when you've got several of them in the space. You're then faced with the lights changing, and a line of cyclists right in front of you. Then you've got to wait until they get themselves all sorted out in a line down the cycle track before I as a car driver can accelerate away.

They're really meant to allow cyclists turning right to get over into the right hand side of the lane so that they don't have to cut across all the traffic

Really? Well that makes sense.

Now if we can encourage them to use it for that purpose, and not as a method of getting a headstart on the other cyclists at the lights, then all will be fine.

The following is written lightheartedly but truthfully, as a cyclist:

Round my neck of the woods in NE England, the councils have started painting 3ft wide strips of green tarmac at the side of the road and have called them cycle paths.(not cycle roads!!??)

The purpose of these cycle paths seem to be as follows:

1. somewhere to put drains/manhole covers
2. somewhere for apprentice roadlayers to perfect their tarmac-ing skills
3. a place on corners for all the broken glass/loose stones/twigs to collect
4. a dog toilet
5. a convinient place for pedestrians to stand when crossing the road
6. an extra bit of road for car drivers to use when they can't be arsed to wait behind someone turning right.

Joking apart, I personally don't ride on the path and although I do ride red lights, I give way to pedestrians. Other cyclists will probably agree with me that its often safer to ride thru a red light, especially in rush hour traffic as you know that the vehicles sat at the lights aren't trying to squeeze you off the road.
Also at crossroads, if you are going straight ahead, why do other road users assume you are going left and cut you up?

I could go on with loads of examples of motor vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians who flout the law and put others in danger, but I won't.
Its not just cyclists.
Some folk are aware of their surroundings and considerate of others even if they do flout the traffic laws, whereas others are selfish, stupid, dangerous and ought to stay at home.

7. For car drivers to park on while popping ino the chippy (A6 Loughborough by the 3000 Spartans)
8. They are legally required to have cycle paths so stick a bit of green paint down here and there just so central government get off their backs. It does not matter whether the paths are a total waste of timne or not.




I think people notice cyclists flouting the law more because a) they get away with more because they are small and inconspicous sometimes and hence get away with it; a lot of the manouvres they pull a car driver could do witout getting pranged or caught but it is far more obvious and b) cyclists are soft and squishy and car drivers can imagine the fountains of claret if the cyclist misjudged their dodgy manouvres.

i discovered a random bit of cycle path here in cambridge.
i was coming off a roundabout the other day and noticed where i come off i go on to a cycle path.
a cycle path which is on the corner so you turn straight onto it from the roundabout and is the length of my bike.

now whats the point of a cycle path that as soon as you move you rode along the length?!

I think the european directive on cycle paths states that they should be seperate from the road* therefore most of the ones round here aren't up to scratch. All they effectively do is make one lane of a two lane junction two thirds of its original width causing mass confusion from car drivers who wonder why they can't queue up side by side anymore.

They have now started putting cycle lanes on the path which just turns into a free for all at school leaving times. It starts to get really crazy when you have a mixture of both...

Just round the corner from me is a cycle path on the road that when it gets to the 'T' junction, directs you up onto the path to take you left around the corner then back onto the road again. Sounds straight forward enough but for the 25m you are on the path, you share it with the enterance/exit of a pedestrian crossing and a bus stop, then as you come back onto the road you straight away hit the enterance to a pub car park.

There must be a comittee somewhere that thinks up road schemes that put the most people at risk for the gratest ammount of time. Their last successfull jobs were mini roundabouts and chicanes in straight roads made by reflective bollards.

* as they seem to have in Holland

What do people think about this "safe cycling" quiz? http://www.mopoc.com/m3/v1/cycling/qstart.php
It's been sent to the students in my college because almost of all of us cycle every day.

I only got 1/8 on it because I try to keep into the side of the road all the time, out of the way of all the scary cars. If I was to follow the guidelines suggested by this site I think I'd be squashed by an irate car-driver.

I can see why they correct answers to the bike questions are what they are. You are controlling the areas and being visible just like a car driver should do. However,the relative differences in speed between a bike and a car means that you are affecting the flow of faster moving traffic and slowing all other roads users down. That is one of things you are taught not to do when learning to drive a car: always ensure that you do not make other roads users put thier brakes on and slow down. That is exactly what is being said in alot of these biking questions.

Mmm, yes I only got 3/8 for basically the same reasons.

"one at a time at junctions..." thats what car drivers think as they pull towards the kerb and cut you off when they want to turn left - regardless of the cycle lane and oblivious to the function of the cars indicators.

Funny how the same drivers also seen to suffer from deafness and only being able to look straight ahead when you 'remind' them in a loud voice that you also have the right to use the road. Maybe the stiffness of neck is why they they miss a fully grown man in a high visibility jacket with 2 high power back lights.

Blimey, the answers given in that quiz are guaranteed to p*ss off your average car driver. And if you do that, regardless of whether you are in the right or not, will be a sure fire way to make car drivers less tolerant of cyclists.

"I think people notice cyclists flouting the law more because...they are small and inconspicous"

Being 'small and inconspicious' is actually the main problem. My one (of two) almost serious bike accidents took place in Canada many years ago. I was riding along and suddenly the car just in front of me turned right without previously indicating, and I was dragged along with it.

Then a few years ago I bought a bike here in Seville to use for exercise (not having a death wish I would never use it here as a mode of transport). But I still have to get through a few city streets before I get down to the bike path along the river. Well, on my very first day out with my new bike I was riding home after the river ride and a pedestrian (looking in the other direction) suddenly stepped out right in front of me. I ended up falling off my bike (in an effort to not hit them) and right in front of an oncoming taxi, which thankfully had just turned the corner and wasn't going fast so was able to stop before hitting me. The very next day I went out and bought one of those little 'gling gling' bicycle bells and since then always 'gling gling' like mad whenever I see any pedestrians up ahead.

Re: riding on the pavement (sidewalk). No no no and NO! I have sometimes got up onto the pavement to avoid long traffic queues at a traffic light but always 'scooter push' or walk my bike along the pavement and always give pedestrians the right of way.

Re: shoulder checking while driving. ALWAYS. Because unless you are driving in a convertible with the top down ALL cars have a blind spot.


az

I'd be interested in hearing how motorists manage in places with very high bike use - Amsterdam, say.