….too the woman driving the green hatchback, who obviously was in a great hurry as she was also holding a mobile phone to her ear as well. Just because cycles look narrow doesn’t mean it’s ok to think you can try to squeeze them into a gap where they will just fit, you really can afford to wait the few seconds it will take for us to go past the parked cars. Esp. as once you’d started the maneuver you realize that you’ve now got a bike with a trailer behind it in your way, so you are going to have to stop anyway.
Stringbean has been riding her bike to places as much as she can the last few weeks, mostly she has ridden on the pavement, whilst I have ridden along on the road, alongside her, though we have ridden around on the roads on the quieter residential roads around the corner.
Today, we we going to her ballet lesson, the road most of the way has a little bit of traffic down it but not loads, some parked cars etc. so we tried it out with her cycling down the road to and from the lesson, my aim is to gradually get her used to roads, to other vehicles, judging their behavior etc.. Her in front, with me behind, towing Butterbean in the trailer.
It was fine, with me behind she doesn’t need to worry about what is coming up behind her, she can concentrate on her road position, on learning to pass parked cars safely, on watching for cars approaching from the front etc. and I’m always there to give guidance etc. as she is? along way from working out how to safely judge what approaching cars are doing, when it’s safe to proceed, when it’s time to wait and let the pass etc. Most car drivers were considerate and patient.
I think that trying to do that would stress me out completely – it only takes one inconsiderate driver, and a wobble on a bike, and aargh! But well done to you and SB, and grr to the driver!
*I* don’t ride on teh roads if I can avoid it round here…..
Sounds like a great idea to get her used to road riding with you right there. P went on a great course recently where two adults took out about ten kids! I wish I had more confidence and could ride on the road. I think the trick is to learn young and get lots of practice alongside competent adult riders – that’s how D learned and she is very confident – but not over-confident. Well done to SB and to you.
I had job for a term doing that sort of cycle training Allie, some Moons ago. I think the same thing about riding with confident adults applies to other adults as well if they don’t feel that confident on the road. most of it is really pretty simple stuff down to how you ride and position yourself on the road etc.
As for riding on roads, well personally, I’d much rather be on the road, cycle paths (or pavements – most cycle paths are really nothing more than pavement with a bit of white paint and a few signs) are horrible to ride on (I’m talking about roadside paths etc. not routes on old railway tracks/woods etc. which are really just for leisure use, unless you happen to live right next to one), poor ‘design’, poor sight lines, lack of right of way at junctions, lots of drives and gateways for cars or pedestrians to appear out of etc. I actually found it easier and felt safer with SB on the road in front of me. and it’s not that busy a road, just enough really to make it a useful experience.
The situation with the driver wasn’t really problem for SB – or for me, just one of those annoyingly thoughtless things drivers do .
I don’t think she even really noticed, she was concentrating on where she was going. I suspect she just wasn’t concentrating properly and was being thoughtless as too how much space she would need to pass us – and of course holding a mobile to your ear doesn’t really leave any hands free for changing down gear – carried on towards the parked cars and the realized I was in her way so would have to stop. I’d already clocked her likely behavior by then and had already got myself suitably positioned.
It’s cars coming up behind that would much more concern me, as they are more likely to pass too close, and could take SB by surprise, but with me behind and positioned outboard of SB cars overtaking have to give her plenty of space, and I can give her warning.
SB seems pretty sensible and careful on the road, probably helped by picking things up from traveling around on the back of the tandem.
For people who feel less confident doing this, two adults, one fore and aft works well , as then the one in front can control whats happening easily