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Afraid to ride your bike in traffic? Want to learn the best traffic cycling techniques?
Bicycle Driver Training Institute - www.bicycledriver.org - active link at page bottom.
LOOKING SHARP!
A Visual Language for Cyclists
Motorits watch cyclists and try to understand what they will do next. Cyclists can take advantge of this opportunity. "Looking Sharp" shows cyclists how to stylize their cycling so that their intentions are transparent to other drivers. You can learn to do this with such good style most drivers will want to cooperate with you.
LOOKING SHARP!
When driving is done well it looks sharp, as good driving is easier to understand and cooperate with.
VISUAL LANGUAGE
Patterns of traffic flow are easily seen when drivers follow the rules of the road. Drivers learn to see, and engage in these patterns intuitively, as a visual language. Bicyclists and motorists can be trained to recognize and enhance this technique for improving their access to our streets while minimizing conflicts with other drivers.
CYCLIST CAPABILITIES
Cyclists with good technique enjoy their access to our road network about as well as motorists, confidently and safely.
BICYCLE DRIVER TRAINING
Cyclists can learn how to enjoy access to just about all our roads and traffic. Basic through advanced traffic skills can be learned in a few hours training. Training is very efficient, and the concepts and skills are as simple as they are necessary.
Showing cyclists how they look to other drivers allows cyclists to learn the best Visual Language practices. Video of typical cyclists compared to Visual Language examples convincingly demonstrates the techniques before taking to the road. The instructor leads the student in the road to set the example, and then follows to check performance. Student performance is graded by how well other drivers would see and understand their driving.
SOCIAL SKILLS
Successful, competent traffic cyclists learn good social skills for the traffic environment.
1. Sharing: the bicycle is a narrow vehicle that can share lanes of suitable width.
2. Communication: a bicycle (a narrow vehicle) can take different positions within a lane while the cyclists body is visible to other drivers. The visual effects of looking, positioning, signaling and pedaling can be enhanced so intentions become far more transparent.
3. Cooperation: with sharing and communication, cyclists have a superior ability to cooperate with other traffic.
TRAFFIC IS MORE FUN FROM A BICYCLE
The cyclists ability to share, communicate and cooperate allow successful traffic cyclists to have more fun driving in traffic allowing them to drive confidently while soliciting, receiving, and returning cooperation.
POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND LEARNING
When cyclists have a positive attitude about traffic and their ability to cooperate with other drivers, their ability to learn is greatly enhanced, enabling and encouraging more cycling, and more learning. This transforms the opportunity to enjoy bicycle transportation and more than any other investment.
CYCLING CULTURE
If we were to train enough cyclists with good technique, then they would set the example in our streets. This visible example in the streets would be the most efficient way to encourage more, and better cyclists while informing a large audience about good bicycle driving techniques. As it is now, special effort is required to provide good examples for learning, and they need to overcome the current example. A strong cycling culture would set a good example in our streets and complete a cycle where the accomplished inform beginners.
A positive attitude about traffic and your ability to get along with our fellow citizens - as drivers - is the key to a better cycling future. We are positive and enthusiastic about your ability to learn to enjoy cycling on our most prolific facilities available for bicycling - our streets. We encourage you to make the soundest investment in the future of bicycling. We think its a lot of fun and you will enjoy it.
Cycling culture
A strong cycling culture would provide:
1. A majority of cyclists setting a good example so that others can learn by observing cycling on our streets.
2. Beginners who expect to learn from more accomplished cyclists.
3. Accomplished cyclists who expect to set a good example for others and help beginners to learn.
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