My first commute - feeling hopeless :(

[CorpusLuteum]

Here in Sheffield there are free cycle proficiency courses run by the council, unless they've been cut due to this mean spirited government and its ideologically driven attack on the public sector. Have a check on your local authority's website to see if they have anything similar.

I had 2 lessons on the road last year provided by Manchester city council. I contacted them last week for more lessons, but they haven't replied. I'm presuming I'm not eligible since I've had lessons in the past.

 

[jackhandy]

Thank you I can't find the Liveride option, unless that's not available on iPhone..

It should appear in the bottom left of the screen once you've set your start & end points, but I know nuffin about Apple kit

 

[awol]

The drivers watching you are probably wishing they were out on a bike, rather than cooped-up in a tincan,

That used to be me, frustrated with being sat in traffic not moving watching the cyclist wizz past, and now I am one of them. Feels Great.

Can I recommend instead of thinking why are the drivers looking at you at junctions - look all round at them and actually make eye contact with as many of them as you can to ensure they all have seen you especially if you wobble or pause for some reason.
It will get easier.

 

[Gubbins]

Give your self plenty of time, if ever I feel intimidated at a road junction or roundabout I just get off and walk across.

 

[jackhandy]

Me too

 

[Jimod]

Give your self plenty of time, if ever I feel intimidated at a road junction or roundabout I just get off and walk across.

Yes, off and walk is perfectly acceptable.

 

[Gubbins]

Above all, just remember THEY PAY ROAD TAX!!

 

[RobF]

Walk the route on a non-college day or when you have plenty of time.

It will then be much more familiar and easier when you come to ride it.

 

[wissy]

Please try not to use headphones?! F you are new and unused to traffic conditions and roads it is best not to use headphones. you will soon start noticing the same good and bad drivers and they will get used to you if you keep a routine. I think wobbling at beginning is natural as you are thinking so much about how to cycle. i hope you do not go too far to the pavement side as that just encourages drivers to overtake you (very close)... I tend to edge towards centre of lane and cars cannot squeeze past dangerously when another car comes towards me in opposite direction. give the headphones a miss for a while to help you concentrate?

 

[john h]

Dont be put of f by one bad run, you should try looking at your route on google street view, while sitting in your home see if you can spot where you took the first wrong turn, as Flec said most car drivers think we cyclist should not be on the road,they realy want to be on there bikes

 

[mountainsport]

Hi CorpusLuteum,

I hope that you are more confident at this point in time, but are these stares coming from women, men or both?

MS.

 

[OldBob1]

Hi CL I am 68 and still learning

 

[flapajack]

not sure whether this is the cause, but manyrider forget to change down the gears and ended up stationary in too high a gear which makes starting off very difficult (and wobbly). try to learn to change gear often and keep a steady pace of comfortable cycling - so change down as you are slowing down and you find you are peddling too slowly and vice versa as you speed up. this will leave you in a much better position to control your speed and hence your stability.

keep it up, you will get better at it.

 

[Willber G]

not sure whether this is the cause, but manyrider forget to change down the gears and ended up stationary in too high a gear which makes starting off very difficult (and wobbly).
...

+1

 

[Clockwise]

Lots of good news even if you didn't notice. The other day you had been worried about making it the whole way but if you took a detour then you did the distance you needed and then some. As someone mentioned already your bike was locked badly/wrongly but still there so hopefully a nice safe area to lock up.

Hope you stick at it. I think part of the worry might have been "I'm late, I'm late" running around in the back of your mind, once you get the route ironed out and a good idea of how long it takes you things will calm down.

 

[CorpusLuteum]

Thank you so much for your advice everyone

I've just had the best commute ever

I now know exactly where I went wrong yesterday. I took the wrong turn again today but quickly realised my mistake and got off my bike and crossed the road and took the right turn After that, the ride couldn't have been smoother. I also noticed that drivers gave me a lot more space today. The only reason I can think is that I was wearing a nice pretty flowery backpack

Anyway I'm feeling extremely confident right now thanks to everyone here. I can't wait for my ride home

 

[Hugh]

Thank you so much for your advice everyone

I've just had the best commute ever

I now know exactly where I went wrong yesterday. I took the wrong turn again today but quickly realised my mistake and got off my bike and crossed the road and took the right turn After that, the ride couldn't have been smoother. I also noticed that drivers gave me a lot more space today. The only reason I can think is that I was wearing a nice pretty flowery backpack

Anyway I'm feeling extremely confident right now thanks to everyone here. I can't wait for my ride home

Well done

Keep plugging away at it and don't forget 2 main things - ride well out in the road so cars can see you are there and you have some room to move, and, get off and walk a tricky bit if it feels safer.

 

[Sheffmax]

Above all, just remember THEY PAY ROAD TAX!!

Are you trying to start an argument?

PS They don't.

 

[Geebee]

Thank you so much for your advice everyone

I've just had the best commute ever

I now know exactly where I went wrong yesterday. I took the wrong turn again today but quickly realised my mistake and got off my bike and crossed the road and took the right turn After that, the ride couldn't have been smoother. I also noticed that drivers gave me a lot more space today. The only reason I can think is that I was wearing a nice pretty flowery backpack

Anyway I'm feeling extremely confident right now thanks to everyone here. I can't wait for my ride home

With your petite size and small bike they may well have thought you were a child on a bike? if so I would use that back pack always on the bike.

 

[Gubbins]

I was once told that.... "hey pal, get out of the way! I pay Road tax and you don't. Which seemed to put things in perspective.