Be seen and arrive alive

One rainy night last winter a friend of mine nearly ran over a man riding his bike. He was dressed in black and had no lights. In the dark and the rain she just couldn’t see him and he nearly came to grief.

The point about my friend is that she’s also a cyclist and always on the look out for riders for that reason. The man she nearly ran over was very angry and she was very upset too. But if cyclists don’t make an effort to be seen it’s very hard for motorists to do the right thing by them.

According to Vic Roads, visibility – or lack of it – is a significant factor in crashes between cyclists and cars. That’s why there are basic legal requirements for lighting. A bike ridden in the dark or even low light, must have a red light on the rear and a white light on the front. They can be flashing or steady, but they must be visible for at least 200m.

More cyclists mean fewer accidents

London is taking to bicycles in ever growing numbers. There are now 480,000 cycle journeys every day across the city – 30,000 more than a year ago. In the last six years, the number of cyclists in London has grown by 83%.

The boom is no accident. The City of London has been actively encouraging people to cycle for some years. This year it has increased investment in cycling by 50% from £24 million to £36 million.

Cycling mum makes the most of what she has

Sheridan is eager to show off her latest purchase – a small pink helmet. Nearly a year old, baby Lucy will soon be introduced to her mother’s passion – cycling.

Although she has played competitive sport all her life, the Sydney native only took up cycling in 2003 when she moved to Bendigo. After only six weeks on the bike, she tackled the 520 km Murray to Moyne. Around the Bay in a Day (210 km) and Port to Port (400 km) followed the same year.

Slow handling skills bring benefits

Novices and experienced cyclists alike often marvel at the lycra-clad fellow balancing his bike at the traffic lights. All cyclists need to develop some level of slow handling skills because starting, stopping, cornering and climbing are all situations where you’ll be moving relatively slowly.

The best way to get to know how your bike handles at slow speeds is to go somewhere quiet and practise. Ride in circles around a cul-de-sac or court as slowly as you can. Go both ways, as you’ll probably find you’re more confident in one direction than the other.