BIKES ARE RIGHT
Insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results, Mark Twain was referring to addiction, which, is definitely worth a post given that lockdown has seen a spike in drug use
But I am not referring to a cheeky glass of Zinfandel of an evening but another addiction of mine: cycling. I love it, however, I had a reality check a couple of weeks ago when I fell off my bike and broke my wrist. But, when it heals, I will get back on my bike out of love but also, currently, out of necessity.
As the governement is warning people to avoid public transport they now have to reassess how people travel. For me, cycling is a no brainer: it’s fast, fun and free but for others cycling is a plan C after the car and bus. I see cars as moving death machines and don’t really understand their appeal so a £2 billion package to encourage cyclists in cities and decrease reliance on cars is a welcome chink of light.
However when I went to A&E for an X- Ray, the nurse said they had treated a lot more cycling related injuries, so with this in mind, I have compiled a list of cycling Do’s and Dont’s that I have picked up along the way but which, admittedly I don’t always follow.
DO
- Wear a helmet. Enough said. Although my reluctance to get helmet hair, puts me off. But I need to ask myself, what would I rather have, brain damage or weird hair?
- Watch out for drains and metrolink tracks or you will get your tyre caught in them and fall sideways
- Invest in bike lights but make sure you take them off when locking up in public or there is no guarantee that they will be there when you get back
- Invest in a good Krptonite U- lock they are immune from bolt cutters
- Make eye contact with drivers, to make sure they have seen you
DON’T
- Listen to headphones. On the road you need all your senses
- Stand on your pedals to speed up, use your gears
- Ride on the pavement, one of my pet hates, is trying to avoid getting knocked over by a cyclist who doesn’t know their place
- Jump red lights, drivers hate you for it
- Trust Audi drivers. People who regularly speed in fast cars generally have little regard for other road users
Obviously with cycling the risk of injury is an understandable concern but don’t let that put you off, cycling is great and you don’t have to tolerate standing underneath someone’s armpit, getting a waft of last night’s garlic breath and of course, risking exposure to Coronavirus on public transport.
Just like lots of areas of life cycling requires confidence to keep your balance and moving forward so have fun, but follow the Covid 19 mantra and stay safe!
E ROY WILLIAMS 
I agree with all of those points, I really think you’ve nailed the top 5 in each category. I am the opposite way round on the feeling of safety though, as long as I’ve got decent crumple-zones around me I can handle the unspoken bargain of trust between me and machine on the speed and handling my end. I tried cycle commuting in London and gave it up after a fraught week and a few blind spot near-misses, so admittedly I may have skewed my experience sample for decision-making on the topic a little…
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Yeah because I have been riding about the streets of Manchester without any horrid incidents (touch wood) I am very confident bordering on cocky because I know these streets very well. If I was riding about in London I would be less confident bordering on scared so lets hope Boris’s bike infrastructure comes through eh? Anything that makes London (and other cities) more cycling friendly has to be a good thing.
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