My City Is Sh*t For Cycling!
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- čas přidán 22. 07. 2024
- Rubbish bike lanes, multiple potholes, mental traffic, ridiculous junctions…but is cycling in cities really that bad? Si investigates Bristol's cycling infrastructure and speaks to a local Bristol councillor on the subject. He gives you key advice on improving your confidence when cycling and commuting in a busy city.
00:00 Intro
01:51 What makes cities scary?
02:40 Alternative cycling routes
05:42 Bike paths
06:40 Bristol councillor interview
11:05 City cycling advice
12:26 Cycling perspectives
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Do you have any advice for cycling in cities? 🏙️
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Do you have any advice for cycling in cities?🚦
You need to develop nerves of steel to ride on city streets.
You need to be alert, aware and flexible and sometimes you just need to stop and let traffic go by, I see bicycle riders in my city go right though intersections, I stop and I wave at the cars to go on but most times they are nice to me and let me go, being a senior with blue hair might help?😆
I have been beeped at by so called Karens telling me to get off the road, apparently they own it now ?😆
I live in California the drivers that I watch out for are the guys in so called Bro-dozers lifted full size trucks with loud exhausts they like to do rolling stops they slow down at stop signs and go without coming to complete stop and they go into the other lanes without signaling quite often.
Luckily the police don't bother riders if they ride on the sidewalks, I make sure I give pedestrian room when I go by them.
And one last thing I carry pepper spray with me for the two legged and four legged threats.
look up "retired police chief run down in las vegas". how do you protect from this. and this could be the second instance as the first was not publicized... morons steal a car and gopro themselves crashing into other cars then running down a cyclist.
Choose your time. Avoid peak rush-hour times. 15minutes can make a difference. Fit a mirror on helmet or handlebars helps avoid being spooked by a vehicle.
Don't think like a car driver. 5 minutes extra but a safe route is still 5 minute of training volume even if it's zone 2.
Thank you for talking about the non-competitive side of cycling even when these videos don't pay the bills. Much love from a commuter ♥️
Good call
Which is wrong.
Their sponsors often also make urban commuter bikes.
More cycling infrastructure = more sales.
More theft also = more sales. And this is an rampant problem in the Netherlands.
I'm guessing GCN makes most of their cash showcasing high-end bicycles. Why? Because those are the products with the highest profit margins. Commuters are more mindful of prices, so the ad budget for products targeting that segment must be low. How many paid sponsorships have we seen for commuter stuff? Very few.
Absolutely, the everyday utilitarian commuting end of the cycling industry is almost ignored apart from when it comes to selling e-bikes that cost as much as a car.
My hybrid bike is covered in racks bags and baskets and I regularly pull one of my 3 trailers.
What cycling channel represents me?
Yes there are a few that do somewhat like Shifter from Canada and various individuals showing off their new trailer or cargo bike doing their shopping but it's small change compared to the channels promotion cycling as a sport or competitive recreation.
That's where the big bucks and sponsorship and advertising is.
We will always fight the corner of cyclists. Cyclists aren't always lycra clad roadies - GCN is for the everyday commuter too 🙌 Can you think of any other content that you would like to see around everyday riding? 🚴
Great to see GCN venture into advocacy for cycling in cities and the policy changes that go along with it!
Great to hear that you enjoyed the video! Would you like us to do more content around cycling policy? How well does you city match up?
Hi@@gcn , great stuff that you are getting involved in this topic! A massive topic cities encounter around the globe is dealing with car-centric urban design and its flaws. You touched on some aspects, but if you'd explain the systemic role cycling can play in a ecological and social context, people can better understand why problems still exist and why there is such a strong push against development of cycling infrastructure (like lobbyism or the divisive language from your pm). Two channels on YT that would make for a great collaboration are @NotJustBikes and @ClimateTown.
@@gcn I'm from Montreal, so my city is already in a fairly good state when it comes to cycling, but there are still a lot of improvements coming. More videos on cycling advocacy and policy would be very welcome though!
It seems to me like the UK has a lot of potential when it comes to cycling, considering its densely built cities and mild climate.
@@gcn Yes please. Glasgow is a shitshow for cycling. Proper infrastructure is being added in places but i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-y slowly.
@@gcn Definitely. Bike use will increase only this way, not the sport/leisure way.
The more bike in the street, the less dangerous it will be for everyone.
And I'm not talking about traffic, or pollution.
Please get involved with promoting Cycling infrastructure and making our cities safer GCN, you have a loud voice, and this is one of the best things you can use it for. Keep it going, youve done plenty of tips of how to cycle, now help get us safer cities and places to put them into practice. Please.
We can play our part and we hope that our platform can be used for good. The best thing to do is join your local advocacy groups and educate yourself and others about road safety 🙌 Have you seen your local area getting better for cycling?
Thank you! Being based in Bath and close to Bristol, the companies voice will be so valuable to improve the local cycling infrastructure. Great video.
Before using his advices - read this comment, this will save your life! Did you hear about road rules? Same applies to bicycles. You are not allowed to drive in the middle lanes of 4 or more lane roads while on a bicycle. Pull closer to the side of the road. You can not turn left on a bike on a 4 or more lanes road. Only turn right. (but in England there is "driving on the left side of the road", this crazy brits, huh. So in England this rule works vice versa). And you cant ride your bike on pedestrian crossing, you actually need to stop and walk, moving a bike with your hands only, slowly, like a pedestrian, not a bike rider. Even if that light for you is green. Driver of the car cannot see that fast, while driving. He needs to see you from at least 60-100meters to stop before he smash your body with his car. If you attempt to cross the road on a bike - car driver sometimes can see you too late, because of your movement speed. This rules written with blood, broken bones and even some deaths on the road. This video is unacceptable, so many violation of the rules. This can kill somebody, if someone decides to follow your advices! How you even get your driving license for your car if you don`t know that rules? Shame on you, GCN.
@@noequal9659 Those rules u mention aren't just applied to the UK its universal isn't it? maybe not all but most of the things u said, i ride my bike in Copenhagen and yes while we got really good infrastructure, but same rules apply to here like u can't ride on pedestrian crossing either u need to get off and walk with it like everyone else, also u also need to close to curb if bike path ends and ur on same road as with the cars u still have to stick close to the curb doesn't matter whether their are parks cars or not still stick to the right as much as possible and also have to yield when their are shark teeth on the road. also here in copenhagen ur not allowed to ride in the middle either u, u have to either stick to the right (here its opposite we ride on right and takeover on left, u guys ride on left and take over on right). So all those things u mentioned its quite universal common sense applies to any country / city, only difference is what side u ride on but other than that all of it is the same.
@@gcn We had two cyclists and 5 pedestrians killed in the last year. After a lot of protest, their response was to paint pictures of bicycles on the pavement.
This is one of the best topics to tackle. Not everyone is a competitive cyclist.
We really enjoyed making this video! It's a super important topic that we would love to delve deeper into 👀
@@gcn yes please. See what cycling is like for people who are not young males. Just going places for errands, being disabled or elderly etc
Having lived in Germany, France, and spent a large amount of time in Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland, I can say there is comparatively more tolerance and / or respect for cyclists on the road in Europe than here in the Motor City (Detroit) and many other parts of the USA. That public / motorist attitude makes a huge difference. I ride on the roads in the Detroit metropolitan area all the time, and on nearly every single ride, a motorist will scream at me/us to “Get on the f*cking sidewalk!” because they actually think it’s illegal for bikes to be on the road. On the contrary, Michigan law, and most other US states, have quite the opposite laws that not only permit bikes on the road, but give cyclists the ability to use the full lane. So I think it needs to start with education, at least over here. We’re not going to get much funding or public support from people that don’t even realize what the law is, and how harrowing it is for pedestrians and cyclists alike to share a sidewalk.
Have you tried cycling in Windsor Ontario? Are motorists more tolerant towards cyclists?
Some US States are embracing radical change for cycling. Detroit? Well, gosh, Motor City lives down to its name.
Yep, there's a reason I chose to use our nickname ...@@stephensaines7100
@@marcuscheung5025 No, I have never ridden my bike in Windsor or anywhere else in Canada, but I find Canada and Canadians are generally more progressive on issues like cycling, so my guess would be it is better than many cities on the US side of the border.
To be fair the issue is not just about the law, it's often that people have no idea what the road and especially the sidewalk feel like for cyclists. They often don't care because all you are is an obstacle for them. But most do possess the empathy, all they need is a bit of education as you said.
As a Dutchy I find it genuinely weird that cities have next to none bike paths. Seeing someone cycling in a car lane makes no sense at all…
Als J weet wat je doet zonder afleiding is het ok, hangt af hoe snel de auto’s rijden. Het vaak zelfs veiliger. Reserve Nederlander.
the Netherlands is really an exception, good quality cycle lane connecting every parts of the country isn't a norm
As an American I drool over *any* bike path because (with a few cities as exceptions) they don't really exist and I'm biking with traffic.
For you, we don’t use ‘Dutchy’, we use ‘Cloggie’ 😂🤣.
@@waltblackadar4690 AND those cities that DO have bike paths here in the states, create them in ways that basically use old railway lines that are no longer viable. IE: NOT A DEDICATED BIKE PATH. which also means these paths aren't built for bikes from their inceptions. STOP/Start/STOP every other block. Crossing pedestrians, side streets, etc... Indianapolis's most popular path (The Monon Trail) is a rail trail from downtown north, and they've got so many mom's w strollers, inline skaters & skateboarders, walking groups of Karens, or dog walkers that they've placed a 15 mph speed limit on it... IE: if your avg speed while NOT on a training ride is 18 mph and a cop stops you... YOU GET A $150 TICKET!! SO, we just HAVE to ride the streets. And in a city of 3 million, it take some getting used to but riding WITH traffic is FAR less dangerous than those mom's w a 4 yr old child hooked up w a body harness and leash wandering aimlessly.
The 20mph speed limits introduced in Wales has made a huge difference around town. The situation is far less threatening. I’m noticing many more cyclists out as well. I also think the interaction between car drivers and cyclists has calmed as everyone has more time to assess what is happening, good or bad, and make allowances.
If you look at the history of Vision Zero in Sweden, letting cities set lower speed limits was one of the first things they did for this reason!!! It helps pedestrians so much too.
There’s a long slightly downhill stretch near me that I happened to catch a police car on doing 20mph when I was nicely warmed up. It was sooo tempting to overtake them. Instead I drafted behind them and used next to no energy for 5km!
I wish we could have reduced limits in the US, but even if cities want it, minimum limits are set by the states, where the legislatures are controlled by rural or suburban constituencies, which would never allow it.
I agree. It’s a shame that the Tories are fighting it so hard.
20mph speed limits on main roads are a terrible idea
It's worse than I think. Cycled in Manchester for 20+ years but its gotten so bad now I have quit cycling. I was attacked twice and knocked off my bike twice this year alone. The media have stoked such anti cycling sentiment that it's just asking for trouble to even try now.
Wow, that's awful. Do you mind sharing whether the problem were motor vehicles or pedestrians? Here in Canada we have a housing crisis and that sometimes translates to encampments around parks, which often lead to conflicts in the area.
Much sympathy. I had to attack a few motorists in my time who are invariably slower and less fit. It’s great fun squirting water from your bottle in the face of a portly protagonist!
I’ve only been to Manchester once and it was the worst cycling experience I’ve ever had
So sorry to hear this. Totally get you. So.many motorists are psychos because they know they will never be caught for bullying, harassing, close.passing and tailgating cyclists. It's a war. On cyclists.
I've cycled for literally decades, including a whole year where I didn't own a car. I would say that knowing my cities Go and No Go routes was one thing that definitely helped increase my enjoyment of urban cycling. Cycling along some roads during rush hour was DEFINITELY not fun. However, I've also ridden some of these same roads during 'off-peak' hours and it was wonderful. Knowing alternative routes for different times is vital. For instance, I used to have a route to university that took as long in my car as it did on my bike, because I had alternative routes and bike paths I could take that helped me avoid traffic.
I cycled for 17 years without a car. From the age of 4 until 21.
I haven't owned a car for the last 15 years. If I need one I'll rent one.
@@junkandcrapamen , good man. I’m close to that myself. When my present car fails, it’s buses and rentals for me.
That is a great point! How do you gain this sort of knowledge and do you think it's important to share this with newer cyclists? We don't want to be in a place where you have to put the hard miles and time to learn the best routes. If everyone shares tips and tricks cycling we be better for all 🙌
@@gcn I find Strava heatmaps a great way to see which routes are popular with cyclists. It helps that I work in Cambridge, where the abundance of cyclists means lots of data.
Also, if you have a friend or colleague who cycles to work, or for daily errands, ask them. I seek route advice from a colleague who has cycled in and around the city for about 30 years. He's delighted to share this info if it means there'll be one more cyclist and one less car.
I love that you made sure to find a bike lane with a van parked in it to talk about cycling infrastructure in New York! Perfect example! Most of our bike lanes are not segregated from traffic, which means they are de-facto parking lanes with zero enforcement to keep them clear. We will just keep on protesting and lobbying for more improvements to be made!
Businesses need supplies.
Which tends to get delivered.
In cities where space is at a premium this comes at temporary blocking.
Here (Loenen Netherlands) that usually means the bike lane gets blocked. People can usually use the footpath for 20 meters and go their merry way.
And yes some get irritated usually older boomers on electric bikes. But they tend to get irritated on everything.
@@1barnet1 Here in the USA, the problem isn't temporary loading/unloading.
People in the USA actually park in the middle of a bike lane all day. Heck, we have a dedicated bike lane downtown--and a trail network labeled NO MOTOR VEHICLES. On football home game days--that infrastructure is taken-over by golf-cart-taxi companies that drive up and down with ticket-holders because there's nowhere near enough space for even employees to park a car within 5 miles of the stadium....so they use the dedicated exercise trail network as a defacto road for golf carts.
If it was just temporary loading/unloading it would be a much different thing.
@@1barnet1 If my experience is anything to go by, a lot of the time it’s parking rather than loading, and not a one-off, so you spend more time worrying about avoiding vehicles in bike lanes than riding in them. This puts off less experiences/confident cyclists. For loading, there are loading bays - these should be used.
Bike lanes with obstructions that force you to dart in and out of traffic are more dangerous than nothing at all. It confuses motorists when you don't hold a steady line.
@@ZeroGravitas187 That is a law enforcement and mentality problem.
This is a GREAT film. One of your best. Well done GCN and Si. Well done.
Before using his advices - read this comment, this will save your life! Did you hear about road rules? Same applies to bicycles. You are not allowed to drive in the middle lanes of 4 or more lane roads while on a bicycle. Pull closer to the side of the road. You can not turn left on a bike on a 4 or more lanes road. Only turn right. (but in England there is "driving on the left side of the road", this crazy brits, huh. So in England this rule works vice versa). And you cant ride your bike on pedestrian crossing, you actually need to stop and walk, moving a bike with your hands only, slowly, like a pedestrian, not a bike rider. Even if that light for you is green. Driver of the car cannot see that fast, while driving. He needs to see you from at least 60-100meters to stop before he smash your body with his car. If you attempt to cross the road on a bike - car driver sometimes can see you too late, because of your movement speed. This rules written with blood, broken bones and even some deaths on the road. This video is unacceptable, so many violation of the rules. This can kill somebody, if someone decides to follow your advices! How you even get your driving license for your car if you don`t know that rules? Shame on you, GCN.
GCN should absolutely dive deeper into specific cities and the work that's going on in them. I mean I loved this one and I think exploring it across the world would be particularly enjoyable!
I got into cycling because I was living in Manila and the traffic was too much for me. A good friend already commuted by bike to a nearby office. He sat me down with his laptop and we devised a route that was a bit longer but with less traffic.
It was probably the best cycling advice I have ever had
Grant Hauber if you are reading this many thanks!!!!
Great vid! As a cyclist, I love this type of content. I cycled in Utrecht last summer and I was just flabbergasted by how easy, secure and enjoyable it was to cycle there (I'm from Strasbourg, where the cycling infrastructure is really not that bad in terms of french standards).
Holland is on another level when it comes to bike infrastructure! Do you think the key getting more people out of cars is to improve the cycling infrastructure? 🚴
Indeed their network is reallly great! Yes I suppose that if more motorists tried to cycle their own city (for work or just to go out), they would really experience how dangerous it can be sometimes and maybe they would agree to build more safe lanes in their area.
I also think that the more a bike lane safe feels, the more people will use it (parents with their kids, etc.) 😄
Before using his advices - read this comment, this will save your life! Did you hear about road rules? Same applies to bicycles. You are not allowed to drive in the middle lanes of 4 or more lane roads while on a bicycle. Pull closer to the side of the road. You can not turn left on a bike on a 4 or more lanes road. Only turn right. (but in England there is "driving on the left side of the road", this crazy brits, huh. So in England this rule works vice versa). And you cant ride your bike on pedestrian crossing, you actually need to stop and walk, moving a bike with your hands only, slowly, like a pedestrian, not a bike rider. Even if that light for you is green. Driver of the car cannot see that fast, while driving. He needs to see you from at least 60-100meters to stop before he smash your body with his car. If you attempt to cross the road on a bike - car driver sometimes can see you too late, because of your movement speed. This rules written with blood, broken bones and even some deaths on the road. This video is unacceptable, so many violation of the rules. This can kill somebody, if someone decides to follow your advices! How you even get your driving license for your car if you don`t know that rules? Shame on you, GCN.
@@gcnabsolutely! Ever since the council has built proper bike lanes in my area, I have seen many more bikes (including myself). But there is still a lot of room for improvement!!
My main issue is that the infrastructure is often disconnected here in the US since its cobbled together piece by piece. Also, safe bike parking is an overlooked area I think. I'd be okay riding for certain errands around town if there was actually any good bike parking nearby.
I mean, America is basically a development country compared to Europe, what do you expect?
Yes sadly a lot of US road infrastructure was developed the same time that automobiles were becoming common place, with one car if not more per household. This introduces unique problems since the road system was explicitly built for cars, rather than pre-20th century forms of transportation. I suppose this may be the case for some areas of Europe too, but I think USA is the worst offender.
Pretty bad here in Ypsilanti after living in Europe and more bike infrastructure cities like Minneapolis and Chicago.
Great video! My perspective on cycling on streets in cities has changed over the years. 25 years ago I was a Bike Courier (aka Cycle Messenger), reflecting now I was utterly fearless back then, I probably felt cycling infrastructure wasn't necessary. My biggest change over the years is nearly 20 years riding motorcycles, changes your perspective about two-wheeled transport. I still ride bicycles but I feel so exposed now, I definitely choose quieter routes and a few years ago got a mirror (young me would be ashamed at old me!). Cycling infrastructure is better now but at the same time cars are generally a *lot* bigger so drivers have poorer visibility, plus phones are a massive distraction now. One thing I'd suggest is never stop riding bicycles, some people stop when they get a car or other lifestyle changes, but keeping riding keeps you grounded, in touch with the streets you can't get in other ways
I cant emphasize enough how much of an affect culture has. Im living in a 3d world country, the majority of roads arent very wide or set up for cycling. But since a lot of ppl use bikes as a cheap mode of transportation, cars respect you a lot more and move over quite a bit when they pass, somtimes even honk from a far to let you know they are coming... You compare that to the US where ppl pass you going 80+ mph on county roads just for the fun of it....
@@caseydakus7492 Ecuador. It definitely does help that everyone knows and loves Carapaz haha
One additional variable that can increase your safety and pleasure when riding in the city is timing. If you have the flexibility to ride at times when traffic is lower, this can improve your riding experience. I was able to shift my schedule such that I commuted in before morning rush hour, worked a 10 hour day, then departed for home before the evening rush hour.
I like riding in rush hour. It justifies my decision to ride. There’s also a sense of accomplishment when I see myself passing hundreds of cars that are stuck in traffic. If there’s no traffic, I’m better off driving.
As a fellow Bristolian, love this video and nice to see we have councillors trying to get the good infrastructure built with separated bike lanes. A-lot of people seem to hate cycling here because of all the hills but i really love cycling uphill (hate going downhill though) but id say its a pretty good city for cycling and will hopefully get even better in the future. Also cool to recognise all the places you filmed at in this video!
I absolutely love cycling in Bristol... across the foot bridges, through tunnels, in the woods, on the Bristol-Bath cycle path. Best city for cycling! We can keep complaining about the infrastructure or get more confident by cycling more and making better routing choices.
My city marks a bike lane with a sign on the side of the road to "Share the road". One such road is a 6 lane, 45mph traffic nightmare where people regularly go 55mph. I have ridden my bicycle on this road and it is absolutely terrifying.
Meh, own it. Ride past the middle of the LH lane.
There a bridge near me that has a big sign saying 'no overtaking bicycles on the bridge'. Every time I have not taken the lane on the bridge, every single car has pushed past me on this tiny bridge. Now I just take the lane.
@@boji_03yep, we MUST own the road.
This sounds like Red Bank Road in Goose Creek, SC. Delightful road. Please do feel free to disengage your sarcasm filter now. :) (yes, I loathe that road - 6 lanes of high speed shenanigans, and if you take a lane you risk being run over)
I really love that a cycling channel is talking more about commuting and urban planning topics. It's time this happened more often, as most recreational cyclists could surely benefit from better urban planning and bike infrastructure, but if people that are louder voices in cycling don't talk about it, it won't happen.
Unfortunately, in many places in the U.S and Canada, (but mostly the U.S, because that's what I can speak to) apart from a select few cities, currently don't have good bike connectivity or bike infrastructure (and on a similar vein, good public transit systems and WALKability--these go hand in hand with biking) which is really a shame.
Canadian here, with the exception of the province of Quebec (where the minister of tourism was a cyclist and advocated province wide infrastructure) the rest of Canada has a LONG way to go!
Love seeing videos like these!
We should make a big GCN group and massively work on improving cycling in cities!
That's a great idea, but perhaps not needed. Reach out to your local advocacy group and you'll be able to make a great impact on your area 🙌
This is brilliant. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. As someone who ardently promotes Velomobiles as an alternative form of transport, this video speaks to the fears I encounter with potential new riders. Where I live is unsafe to ride, it’s not visible enough (which baffles me really - a 2.5 meter long brightly colored missile with bright lights is not visible enough?), and so. To get more people cycling and out of their cars into a healthier form of transport, it’s critical to address the fears potential riders have and help them feel confident and safe riding.
Thanks for making this video. It's important. As a daily cycle commuter, the more I cycle, the more I have become patient with drivers. I try to see it from their perspective. Some of their maneuvers are only done because someone near them forced them to. Try to keep a cool head on your cycle. It will improve your judgment and technique. Save your wrath for the really standout terrible drivers! And don't forget to give positive feedback to all the kind and safe drivers out there too!
(1)Blinky lights are essential for getting the attention of motorists. Many will give me quite a bit of space.
(2)Being flexible with your route if there's a lane obstruction is also nice for avoiding a potentially dangerous merge. Taking the most direct route can be the most nerve racking.
(3)Fitness/Speed is a bonus. You'll feel more capable, you'll be more comfortable moving with traffic. I love my road bike for commuting.
(4)Narrow handlebars. They help anytime a space gets tight.
(5)Hand signals - know them. Use them.
(6)If in doubt, pull over somewhere safe to gather yourself. Give yourself time to make good choices.
Great tips
Great points. I would add, make sure you use hand signals all the time. Don’t let motorists and other road users guess your movements and also make sure you stick your arm out fully. A finger pointing down to the road surface gives little information.
In addition, lights, lights ,lights!
They cost so little these days and could save you life.
Before using Si advices shown in this video - read this comment, this will save your life! Did you hear about road rules? Same applies to bicycles. You are not allowed to drive in the middle lanes of 4 or more lane roads while on a bicycle. Pull closer to the side of the road. You can not turn left on a bike on a 4 or more lanes road. Only turn right. (but in England there is "driving on the left side of the road", this crazy brits, huh. So in England this rule works vice versa). And you cant ride your bike on pedestrian crossing, you actually need to stop and walk, moving a bike with your hands only, slowly, like a pedestrian, not a bike rider. Even if that light for you is green. Driver of the car cannot see that fast, while driving. He needs to see you from at least 60-100meters to stop before he smash your body with his car. If you attempt to cross the road on a bike - car driver sometimes can see you too late, because of your movement speed. This rules written with blood, broken bones and even some deaths on the road. This video is unacceptable, so many violation of the rules. This can kill somebody, if someone decides to follow your advices! How you even get your driving license for your car if you don`t know that rules? Shame on you, GCN.
Excellent comments. Thankyou. Cheers from Melbourne Aust. Big cities are same all over the world. Traffic jams, rude/vulgar behaviour from car drivers.
I live in Glasgow and started cycling 3 months ago (first time since I was a kid) I have never driven and always relied on public transport 😭. I have a 10k commute to the city centre everyday and after taking YEARS to pluck up the courage to do it (a Belgian friend ended up convincing me) I have been absolutely loving it!. I have not had one single run in with any motorists and have found them all to be extremely considerate!. the only incident I have had so far is a minor crash into an Uber eats 'cyclist' who was behaving slightly erratically 🤷🏻♂️. There are ALOT of cyclists in Glasgow now though so I think everyone is just very used to it and the cycling infrastructure is always improving with lots of longer cycle lanes.
The only issue I actually have seen on the road is the amount of cyclists that ignore traffic lights etc. It is definitely the majority and there is always peer pressure to simply go through red lights as well especially when I am sat waiting at a red light and cyclist after cyclist is zooming past me. It actually feels like I'm the one in the wrong for waiting 😅. Although I do persevere if only to try and improve the image of cyclists. that being said ... my neighbour is a taxi driver and he told me he would rather that cyclists ran red lights as it "gets them out of the way" 😂. So I am admittedly slightly confused now about the whole red lights thing, although I reckon sticking to the law is probably the best way forward lol
All in all though, cycling around Glasgow is very busy, but great, and Google maps/komoot are the best apps you can use to navigate. I would highly recommend them when cycling around the city 👍🏻.
Hope it carries on going well for you mate.
That's great that you have found Glasgow a friendly place to cycle - I have been cycing here for 15 years and in genral think its terrible city for cycling! Cycle lanes are dangerously designed (I have been hit by cars a few times while in cycle lanes) and while most drivers are fine, some get raging when you are simply cycling normaly. As for skipping lights, I sometimes do this as I honestly think its safer (if you are 100% sure theres nothing coming) than having loads of cars skim by you when the light turns green.
Wow, as somebody riding in Paris for 20 years, and well interested in bike amenities, I can say that you tackled the subject very well.
Way to go, guys!
Keep going on!
I love your opening points about finding alternative routes. When I began, I used many of my car routes to cycle, and it took some time and thinking, as well as studying a map, to find alternatives that would shift away from high-traffic car routes. I was a bit of a jerk to cars during the first year. But, now I understand how to share the road much better and keep my cool while riding with traffic. And, I'm happy to bring my kids along for many rides--I commute the kids to and from school quite often. We've gotten out for some bike camping trips even.
Working out secondary routes is really worth it; my commute from Chiswick to Kings Road would have been horrible without being able to use the Embankment and the backstreets off Bishop's Palace Rd. Recently cycled up the Rhine and there was a lot of separate cycling infrastructure which made riding in Mainz and Karlsruhe, for example, feel really safe.
Feeling safe is key to enjoying your ride! Do you think that London still has a lot to learn from those European cities?
Where I live, a village in the N Cotswolds, there is ZERO cycling infrastructure. However I’m 70yo which means I have been riding for circa 65/66 years. I have no fears on the road because I OWN it.
You live in a village. Most of us live in cities. Going out on a limb, most of us endure *much* more traffic than you do. Just getting out of my apartment means crossing five lanes of non-stop traffic.
@@Frostbiker , I have bumpy, muddy lanes that are the width of a car, so we have problems too, just different ones.
Finally a video trying to address this issue and very happy to see it filmed in Bristol where there is such a big split of brilliant cycle infrastructure and then lanes that are so bizarre with trees, pot holes or that only last for a few metres (as you feature in the video) it would be great for GCN to help continue this discussions with local councils or help to encourage the political dialogue between councillors and cyclists
Good video. Thank you. Keep going with the cycle advocacy/culture videos.
This is a great video! I recently got involved with my local bicycle advocacy group to push for more improvements... it's slow going, but you have to get involved and apply that pressure if you're ever going to see improvement/change!
Awesome to hear you are getting stuck in! These things don't change overnight but if we keep applying the pressure where needed all the small changes begin to add up 🙌 Where are you cycling?
@@gcn I'm in Marin County, just north of San Francisco CA, USA. It's a beautiful place to ride, lots of excellent road riding and off road riding. However, my particular city San Rafael just has very little investment in day to day transportation cycling infrastructure. Much like Simon points out in the video, for confident riders less than ideal infrastructure might not be too much of a barrier, but for everyone else it just doesn't feel safe. We also have really bad pedestrian/cyclist injuries stats for such a small town as well, which really shows it's not nearly as safe here as it should be! I love riding here, and I want it to be safe and accessible for anyone of any ability to make more of their daily trips by bike :)
Great video!
The only missing topic is ebikes which have the potential to revolutionise city transport and should see some government funding to this end.
I think the most empowering thing for city cycling would be to get the ebike top speed limit raised to 20 mph. Bringing it in line with the speed limit on most residential roads.
really fantastic, useful video Si and GCN team. I'm a regular city cyclist but I got some additional inspiration from this
Before using his advices - read this comment, this will save your life! Did you hear about road rules? Same applies to bicycles. You are not allowed to drive in the middle lanes of 4 or more lane roads while on a bicycle. Pull closer to the side of the road. You can not turn left on a bike on a 4 or more lanes road. Only turn right. (but in England there is "driving on the left side of the road", this crazy brits, huh. So in England this rule works vice versa). And you cant ride your bike on pedestrian crossing, you actually need to stop and walk, moving a bike with your hands only, slowly, like a pedestrian, not a bike rider. Even if that light for you is green. Driver of the car cannot see that fast, while driving. He needs to see you from at least 60-100meters to stop before he smash your body with his car. If you attempt to cross the road on a bike - car driver sometimes can see you too late, because of your movement speed. This rules written with blood, broken bones and even some deaths on the road. This video is unacceptable, so many violation of the rules. This can kill somebody, if someone decides to follow your advices! How you even get your driving license for your car if you don`t know that rules? Shame on you, GCN.
Secondary routes is key. Assuming all cars are out to kill you is as well ;-) Never rush into an intersection... Especially one that has just turned green. Too many cars trying to run that yellow/red light... Look left, look right... and then make sure the cars behind you aren't about to turn right in front of you.... Always assume the car coming up from behind is going to turn in front of you into a parking lot, or just try and beat you to the intersection ahead to turn right... Because they assume you are slow, or perhaps they just don't care. Never assume a car sees you. Even if they clearly do see you... don't assume they won't do something stupid.
Solid tips! Definetly use pedestrian crossings on dangerous crossroads, nothing to be ashamed of. And apps like Naviki really help, bike navigation has really come far! Uses official bike paths when possible, and otherwise finds a good balance between road type and elevation profile.
Good advice as we work towards better infrastructure for active transport. Keep making these videos, infrastructure should be for 8 to 80 year olds. We need cycling to be seen as transport for all, not just for recreation. Thanks GCN! 👍👌
The 8 - 80 rule is really interesting! Cycling is for everyone and it would be great to see this reflected in our cities 🙌 If we all keep pushing it will get better!
Great content! It made me realise that I'm quite blessed with my ~23km (shortest route) commute in NL which is over 90% on dedicated segregated bike paths.
I had to 'relive' my route to confirm that is actually the case. Over here the sketchy bit is where riding into town a lot of cyclist of different types (faster long distance commuters, e-bikes, slow peddling regular bike riders, fat bikes, cargo bikes) start mingling and narrow bike lanes and speed differences start making things sketchy. Some more recent bike paths are designed to be wider, but in some spots you have to deal with wat is there...
Super important topic! Thanks for tackling it.
Great video. Just come back from a stay in Copenhagen, Denmark. Wow, now here is a city that has a cycling infrastructure! A vast cycling infrastructure that works efficiently, in a busy, vibrant capital city, alongside cars and pedestrians, including many tourists. It can be done! Copenhagen is the perfect example, blueprint even, of a city that's works for everyone and their way of travel, including cyclists. Well done Copenhagen!
Next try Amsterdam, or even better: Utrecht 😉
Great video. I really like to see this kind of thing. A city is better for everyone when people cycle. I cycle in Liverpool which doesn't have particularly good cycling infrastructure. I do it safely and enjoy it because I'm confident on the bike and I know the city. Both are important. When I started cycling again in 2020, I was anything but confident in traffic, but experience has massively improved this. Knowing the city helps a lot as I know the best routes to miss the worst of the traffic and junctions that are best avoided. I can cycle safely in other cities although it isn't as enjoyable without the knowledge to pick the best routes.
We need more people on bikes to gain critical mass on the roads. Once that's in place then all the stupid talk of war on the roads will be over. More people will be tempted to cycle if we have cycling infrastructure. At the last local election I contacted candidates asking their views and policies on cycling infrastructure. I'll keep this up and no candidate who won't commit to better cycling infrastructure will ever have my vote in a local election again. Not many people vote in local elections. This is an easy area for cyclists to make themselves a significant voting block that must be listened to.
Hi Richard, thanks taking the time to comment! We agree more infrastructure will always help, do you think segregated lanes will help riders feel safer on the road? It's interesting that you say finding the best route worked well for you, did you have to put in the hard miles or did you get tips from riding buddies? We will always push people to share advice, we can all work together to make city riding safer. 🙌
Thank you for the information you make some very relevant points. I use to commute by bike a lot when I lived in Sydney Australia about 20 years ago. After being there, recently, the roads have gotten way busier without much more infrastructure for cycling, which was very sad to see.
Would you still cycle there now if you lived there? 🦘
Great information ; great presentation & production 👍
I love this thoughtful and practical video about the culture and rhetoric surrounding roads. Very timely considering the latest troubling policy paper from the Department of Transport. We all need to educate ourselves and others, let our voices be heard and not be part of the "silent majority".
upvote for Si
edit: just finished the vid. Good advice generally, but it felt a bit victim-blamey in the beginning. “Just take a longer route”, “Just use a different junction”, but in a lot of cases, there are no alternative routes, especially in suburban developments of the North American variety. They’re specifically built to be impassable unless you use the large, busy, smelly, fast-traveling auto highway/street combination roads. To that end, the interview with Ed Plowden was great and the summary at the end summed up the situation and solutions nicely.
Yeah, a lot of this advice doesn't really apply to North America. I didn't really understand what people were complaining about re "car centric infrastructure" until I tried using a bike as my only form of transport when I was in Canada. It's absolutely impossible.
Sometimes taking a moment to think about what's going on, and what the problems are, can lead to a "why didn't i think of this earlier?" moment. America does appear to be actively heavily automobile centred, i was astounded when i found out about jaywalking and that sometimes you aren't allowed to just cross the street
It's a commonly ignored truth that the ideal routes by car, on foot, by bicycle between the same points should often be different. I know that I've been making this mistake of just following the route I would drive on when commuting by bike.
@@jackroutledge352 Depends what part of Canada. Montreal is great, its suburbs are kind of okay-ish. Vancouver is good too. Aside from those places, yeah.
@@alexseguin5245 and Toronto is just all around terrible to bike or drive in lol.
Love these types of vids, great job Si & team
Thanks Si, that was a great informative video.
Really enjoyed this video! We cycle round Bristol all the time and are rarely on road as so many good cycle paths - there is certainly room for improvement but compared to cycling in Glasgow where we stayed for 10 years - Bristol is a dream.
Congratulations. This is a very informative and well made video!
Well done Si! Absolutely spot on with your tips on forging a better cycling route in a city. However, as Jack Thurston described it in Slow Cycling to Canterbury, it's all about the "doughnut of inaccessibility", aka the suburbs, that is where it becomes sh*ty and alternative routes are difficult to create.
A Bristol cyclist posted a vid on "near miss of the day" where he was nearly run down by a texting van driver when commutting home through North Bristol. I looked on the map to see if he had a better alternative route, but he did not, he had no choice but to cycle this unpleasent busy A road.
Si, perhaps you could spend a month commutting between Bristol and Bath by only using public roads, excluding all the cycle paths, see how that turns out? Perhaps Dan could try regularly cycling a route that includes the following roads: Hurn to Sopley via the causeway - Bransgore to Hinton Admiral - Barton on Sea to Milford on Sea via the B3058 - Bashley to the Rising Sun for a home straight pint!. All those roads are pretty sh*ty to cycle on in my experience.
I remain frustrated by the lack of maintenance by the local councils. Take the Bath to Bristol cycle path, a brilliant facility but in a good number of areas, in a state of disrepair!
A popular place for presenter spotting 👀 It's a great thing to have but can certainly be sketchy at times. Especially in the depths of winter ❄
I was surprised it didn't feature much in the video!
Route knowledge is really the knowledge that makes the difference between a city being a nightmare to bike in and a joy. If all you know is how to navigate by car and you try those same routes on a bike you'll have a bad time, but if you get someone to show you around all the good routes your perspective is likely to change pretty quick
Great point! It's super important that we share this knowledge to those that don't know the area as well. Lots of councils will offer cycling maps, these can be a great starting point for planning safe city routes🌆
I started cycling in London 15 years ago. The changes since then have been amazing. Really made a huge difference to cycling in the city
I grew up cycling in Bristol and have been cycle commuting in London more recently. Totally agree that confidence and route choice make a big difference. Route choices would be different in the two cities as well- definitely finding what works where you are is important.
Which do you prefer to cycling in? London or Bristol? 🤔
I use Strava to look at the most travelled (heat map) routes .. usually their routes give you good advice on which places to avoid.
It's a life saver
Here in British Columbia we have access to a map of cyclist crashes with vehicles, so you can compare on Strava which intersections have lots of cyclists with few crashes and which have few cyclists but lots of crashes. Really helps me know where to be extra cautious.
Hello from Canada 🇨🇦 I have been cycling in cities for years, and if I can provide one tip, it would be “make sure you are visible”. Yellow fluorescent jacket, lights, reflectors, a bell (or any sounding device). I find that if motorists & even pedestrians see you, they will more often give you the space you need to manoeuvre through traffic, making the experience of city cycling much more enjoyable. And make sure follow the rules of the road. Complete stops, hand signals, shoulder checks. It just makes common sense, and you will find that even in busy congested traffic, if you follow the rules of the road and be a defensive cyclist, you’ll get through the ride so much easier. BTW - I cycle in Canada in the dead of winter too, and don’t have much of an issue on those rides either.
Ugh. If a motorist can't see a person wearing clothes on a bike in good daylight. They shouldn't be on the road. They seem to avoid the grey coloured fiesta or the black merc, with tinted windows and lights just fine.
Why do pedestrians or cyclists have to dress up like a damn traffic cone to get acknowledged? This stance is not helpful, and encourages blaming of victims of inattentive drivers.
Now I'm all for dressing for the conditions, so in dreary weather throwing on your lights and wearing hi-viz may be appropriate but to require it or suggest its necessary to wear on a good day, no thanks.
Here in North Eastern India, there's no cycling path or whatever, they consider bicycle as a normal vehicle so we make hand signals for whatever we're about to do like going left, going right, slowing down, allowing the vehicle behind us to pass.
Very informative, very grown-up. Excellent vid!
Awesome video: very informative and hopeful. Just what most of us need.
Two observations on the contents:
1. Culture is more important than infrastructure. I've been riding in my city of Seattle in the US for almost 20 years, and for most of those years, there wasn't much infrastructure for cyclists, but it's worked, because the culture has largely been very tolerant of cyclists. A lot of people ride bikes here, and motorists are generally pretty decent. I very rarely have a negative interaction with a motorist.
2. I wish you hadn't mentioned Critical Mass. That group is not helpful; I'm grateful they seem to have waned in recent years. Their events are the social equivalent of bratty tweens on the rampage, and the only thing they seem to accomplish is to alienate everyone else who uses the streets, even other cyclists. I've used bicycles almost exclusively to get around Seattle for literally decades, and I vigorously support all efforts to promote cycling as an alternative to cars, but I avoid Critical Mass like the plague.
Great video! Heads up that Google maps on the bike setting will sometimes try to kill you!
Just got doored in London Wednesday after work on the way home!! More awareness needed by drivers 🚴👀
Thankyou for promoting everyday cycling. Cycling in cities is the best. When you're lost you just stop and orientate yourself. Also you can arrive on time unaffected by congestion. As for safety. Route taken, assertiveness and the most observation of all of road users is needed. Clear expression of your intended direction works well for me. Thanks again. 😊
Recently I changed my usual route to work making it three times longer, because I had enough cars and close calls. Still, it's faster to cycle that way than drive by car in the most trafficed hours. Win-win situation, it's still not that slow, and now I can say that I've got enough cardio training everyday :D
More miles is never a bad thing 🙌 Great to hear you are enjoying the commute! We challenged some of the GCN staff to commute by bike, everyone loved it 👉czcams.com/video/fnwr6YziBrE/video.html
@gcn I did a similar thing in Bristol where i was cycling up Gloucter road. caoul you believe i had over 50 sets of traffic lights to go through. changed it to ride 1-2km further on some cycle lanes. took 5-10mins longer but my stress levels went down overnight. no getting annoyed by busses anymore
If you can do it, I strongly recommend night time riding in the cities. I find that from around midnight until about 6 a.m., the city streets are pretty well abandoned and make for excellent riding. Don't forget some flashers!
good advice for vampires
Be aware of racing cars though.
Great vid, Si. Thank you.
Thank you for this video. It gives me the boost in confidence I needed to (maybe) ride my bicycle on the roads again. I used to commute by bicycle when I was living in Brisbane, Australia. In Surabaya, I commute by motorcycle over the same distance (10 km).
Overall, very good advice, especially to study the route (even at home, using Street view) and send it to your head unit if you need to. To the other comments I'd add:
1) Urban cycling is 80% thinking and paying attention to where the cars and people are GOING (not just where they are) and 20% pedaling effort. Slow down and avoid the problem areas with alternative routes.
2) Hand signals prevent crashes. The Dutch and Danes don't wear helmets, but they use hand signals and ride smoothly.
3) Expect people (drivers, pedestrians and other cyclists) to screw up. You should be riding slow enough and paying attention to avert an accident. LET A TRUCK or A BUS PASS YOU if it will be safer to ride behind. Moving aside for few seconds to avoid an accident is a valuable skill, but even some experienced CZcamsrs with thousands of subscribers don't do this.
The biggest problem is finding the cycling network. G-maps is OK, depending on where you are, but at least locally it is somewhat useless. Sure, it can display some routes suitable for cycling, but it is missing quite a few such routes, and also displaying quite a few routes/connections where you are not allowed to cycle. Another problem is, that G-maps cannot differenciate between 2-way and 1-way paths, and as long as it thinks there is a path along a certain road, it'll mark that road as having a bike path. In my personal experience, G-maps has never successfully suggested a route that would be even remotely sensible option, but it suggests some route with lots of junctions (difficult to navigate + unnecessary conflict points), blind corners and long diversions (because it doesn't know the existance of some short section of bike path), even if there was a parallel high-quality path which would be the obvious route choise.
Street view and satellite view are OK in some areas, but around here the footage is updated every 5-10 years. Most of the paths are not shown in their current state. Heck, the satellite view does not even show a major 6-year old harbor with couple million annual passengers. I was also surprised that currently the city does not have a cycling network map, probably because even they don't know where the paths exist and in what condition they are (I mean, there are bike paths that are by no means suitable for cycling). The city has said it'll publish one this year, but untill then the only way to find a good route is to get out on your bike, explore the different options and end up in quite a few awkvard situations. It's a bit like trying to drive somewhere in a city with a 20 year old map (or navigator based on that map).
Once you've found a suitable route cycling gets easy, as you can focus on traffic instead of navigation. As you said, it's mostly observing traffic, signaling and obeying the traffic rules, not trying to set a personal best on your commute route.
@@klapiroska4714 Bixi produces a paper map, that folds up. It is also on-line on their website.
👍👍👍 I live on Penang Island, Malaysia and I fully agree with Simon. I hope GCN or some other cycling safety advocacy groups/individuals will come and do a documentary on how dangerous it is to cycle in Penang Island. May be this will embarrass the local + state governments into ignoring feedback from cyclists like me on the need for protected cycling lanes and bicycle parking racks at public places.
Lol, i live in Klang Valley. Mostly parts in Msia bad for cycling sigh 😔
After being hit 3 times in 7 months using roads in Singapore, I have followed a much quieter but much longer East Coast Park route. More planning on my behalf, but it is beautiful. Even better now the summer monsoon has stopped.
I took part in the cycling mass in Winchester. Felt very empowering. This is a great video and I'm so pleased someone made it.
Perhaps that's the next GCN video... GCN does critical mass... how does that sound?
@@gcn Love it - loads of good options in your part of the world & central London as well. Possibly worth mentioning bike buses, which help kids get to school.
One issue to using my bike more is the amount of hard wear I have to carry to protect my bike when I park it up. Finding a good place and locking up takes significant time and wondering whether it will be there when I return is often the reason I don't take the bike. By the way I also live in Bristol and it is my perhaps mistaken perception that here the police here are completely disinterested in bike bike theft and prevention.
More content like this please.
Loved this vid...thanks GCN
Thank you for this one! I thought this was an excellent video and I'm grateful you chose to put out a positive perspective on this topic. I live in Orlando (USA) which is a mixed cycling environment of good and non-existent. But if you choose the right route at the right time you can generally get anywhere on a bike safely.
Having bicycle toured across America multiple times, in rural and urban environs, as well as in Europe, I believe in the principles of being visible and predictable. Lights (front & rear) really make a difference. Using some form of hand signals lets everyone know your intentions. Be assertive, not aggressive. Finally, I try to make eye contact and wave at everyone. I have learned that waving with all 5 fingers is better than 1.
I agree that being visible is important. However, in Los Angeles, it can also make you an easier target for 4-wheeled idiots that think they're the only ones that should be on the road.
@@elizabethpoley6882 I don't understand your reasoning, but if it works for you, ok.
I'm telling you what other riders here have said to me, and I agree, wearing bright colors is good for alerting most "normal" drivers of your presence. However, there are always the few wiseasses and downright nasty roadhogs for which being seen allows them to more accurately run you off the road. In LA, we have huge Suburbans, Expeditions, etc. They shove you out of the way w/them. I love wearing orange-yellow, but when I do I also know it makes me more visible to the "unbalanced." Whether you want to believe it or not, I don't care. I know what myself and others here have had to endure here from idiots.
It's not the city, it's the drivers that put us in hospitals or worse.
@@Chambers36TheEnter Usually just blame the one responsible. I am currently out due to a broken collarbone after being hit by a car. Nothing I could do on this one. I take great care when out as I know there is no metal shell protecting me in case of a crash or fall, but not all traffic participants see it that way.
Thanks for the video. I'm in the process of getting back on the bike and helping my city with it.
I've been hit by cars 3 times and avoided a likely fatal one because of good braking skills. About 2 years ago, I had a panic attack while riding (a life first) because of some particularly sucky sections of road I had to ride. I moved cities and haven't been able to pick up the bike since other than on a trainer. It feels like PTSD. I look around and can see far too many sketchy sections that I would have to ride through to get where I want to go.
Very good reporting. Thanks!
Not always best riding down alternative roads like the residential one shown. Perfect way to get a door opened up into you! Simon literally is riding in the door zone the whole way on that road.
And oncoming cars don't appreciate that so play a game of chicken to make you move over.
UK is not cyclist friendly
Full of angry gammons
With GCN's platform, having these convos are super appreciated for reaching riders who do not see the bike as transportation or educating on infrastructure and changing cities and the future. The car has really invaded our lives and even in cycling circles it invades.. (car brain cyclist exist sadly) the city of the future is not the flying car but pedestrian scaled planning and the cycle.
Cheers!
This is such a great video - thank you for making it. As a rider of bicycles, i've always thought it important to maintain a presence on the roads. So that motorists are conditioned to see you there and expect to share the road with you. I also think it's really important to stop at red lights and crossings - just as cars do - like a kind of cycling ambassador, so as not to rub motorists up the wrong way.
Next time, bring a ten year old girl, her mother, and grandmother on a ride through the city. If it’s dangerous and uncomfortable for them, it’s dangerous and uncomfortable for a good part of the population.
Such a misogynist comment, so let me give my opinion - teach boys and men drive a vehicle like your mother or granmother, to have decency on the road, not rage and hate. There, you're welcome. Gender doesn't make anything on your driving skill, were they car or a bicycle, but it makes a big difference how men are tought to respect your life and the space you have.
I completely agree: the best way to know whether a road is safe is looking at whether women and children ride through it. We are far too complacent with putting men at unnecessary risk.
I think you’ve mistaken my comment. Also, bring a ten year old boy, and old man, or any guy who is less confident on a bike. GCN presenters are skilled riders who do risky things on bikes all the time. It’s not about gender. It’s about building cycling infrastructure that is safe for all riders
If a driver is distracted or makes an error and there’s no physical separation, the cyclist or pedestrian can be killed regardless of gender. And if I can ride separately from traffic, there’s nothing for the drivers to rage about.
The problem I have with the video is the statements about how the infrastructure for cycling there isn’t bad. Are they kidding. It’s terrible. But people are conditioned to accept terrible.
One freeway interchange can cost $100m. Imagine what $100m in cycling infrastructure could accomplish.
I think Simon is doing us no favours at all by saying it’s not necessarily about less traffic and better bike lanes. Of course it is about those things.
I have a lot of experience riding in traffic for probably about 20 years now. Since I was in school. I’ve never really had any major incidents with cars and I think I’m good at taking the centre of lanes and stuff like that. But it doesn’t make cycling less unpleasant. It still makes me feel miserable even when it’s an activity I enjoy. It’s not about whether I can do it safely. I know I can. It’s the stressful feeling and knowing I’m a second class citizen that makes me not ride as much.
And for those things (which are holding back the vast majority of the population, not serious leisure and fitness riders), you need to either separate cars and bikes properly like the Dutch, or get rid of the cars from urban areas entirely.
I’m sick of hearing about tips and tricks, building confidence and all of that same stuff we always hear from serious cyclists. They’ll never get what most people feel. And that’s also why it’s so counterproductive to have a road racing channel teaching people about cycling for transport. It needs to be from a channel focusing entirely on cycling for transport. Not from retired racers.
Terrific video about an important subject. Well done GCN. The Councillor was ace too, liked the little dig about the ambivalent mayor. 😂
Great episode. I'm sure many other commenters will address all the points made, but I have one that probably no-one else will make:
When you are overwhelmed by crossing multi-lanes, and you can't 'see it through' before you do it. Then don't!
Some would think this is defeatist to state this, but there is a time....a *perfect time*...to dismount and walk your bike across. Your reaction time and choices, if things go wrong, are magnitudes better (as in 'not as bad') on foot. In an absolute panic, ditch the machine, and jump out of the way.
On the machine, your reaction time, other than a clear sprint where you've committed all your cards, is always going to be far slower, especially clipped in. Your ability to swing around and judge events in real time is also far greater dismounted.
Don't get me wrong, I'm only recommended this when a clear and completable option isn't available. When's the last time you had a reverse gear available on your bike?
On foot, that option is immediate and fully flexible. And even then, the most logical solution might be to walk up to stop lights, or wait until you can see your way across clearly.
Indeed - I have one particular intersection where oncoming traffic yell out abuse at me as I wait to turn.. Now I walk that intersection as its just safer for me as I don't know if the next time, rather than rolling the window and calling me a "c*nt", maybe they'll open the door into me, laughing. It's only that intersection it happens to me at though 😂
I can't remember when I was taught it, but grabbing the back of your saddle with the hand you want to look over the shoulder of. When you can comfortably look behind you without swerving, it makes indicating and pulling out into traffic much, much easier.
Part of my commute to work is on a painted bike lane on a busy road shared with many large semi trucks. Confidence makes a difference. Fortunately, most of my commute is on dedicated, separated bike lanes.
Good comments. I work a 12 hour shift. My morning ride out is 11miles but 50% on a good safe cycle path missing busy roundabouts on fast dual carriage ways. My return journey is 8 miles in the dark but less traffic and through urban areas on back roads. So pick a suitable route where possible.
I've commented this very same way on one or two of your videos in the past, but I must say it is refreshing to see you guys out of Lycra and in some normal clothes. It's also nice to see you on some normal looking commuter bikes. I personally have 2 bikes, a Specialized Diverge and a Trek FX3. Co-workers got so used to me combining my commute with my fitness ride on the Diverge that when they saw me ride in once on my FX they thought I'd gone old man on them. But I love my FX and it's what I prefer to use to do my grocery shopping, see friends in the neighborhood and take trips to the pub. I'm a New Yorker born and raised. I've never lived anywhere else. I cycled from my childhood home in Brooklyn to my highschool in Manhattan on most days where the weather wasn't ridiculous. Same for most of my early work life after college. Unless a job was too far or I had to wrap formal clothing, I was on the bike. I was careful, made a show of turning my head and signaling, made eye contact with drivers and never got hit on a commute. Anyway, sometimes I don't want my commute to be so intense. It's good to have a nice relaxed upright riding position sometimes so it's definitely encourage a newbie to buy a hybrid and to find the safest most comfortable route. When the limbs and the brain have already been stressed to the limit, a ride home on a comfortable hybrid can actually be quite relaxing. Love the channel!
4:14 - Shoutout to to the terrible parking behind Si, not only dangerous but possibly blocking a dropped kerb and crossing island too 🤦♂
Refreshing video and great to see after endless waves of top tier gear content. It reiterates my view that cycling is actually safer on the roads, provided that there is enough space on them, which is where it gets tricky in England...
Haha... was waiting for a vid like this. Can you guys do a series on the worst cities to commute by bike?
Great report there Si. Bristol is a decent place to ride and commute on a blke. Not perfect, but way better than other places in the UK. Whatever-just ride!
Loved this! Thank you for using your platform to promote the use of the bicycle. Just one comment, road crashes are not accidents, they can and should be avoided. Thanks again!
Where I live there are FAR too many traffic lights and biking into the city center (which I have to do once a week for work) is awful. However, that is IF I take the straightest route. Before I had to do this commute, I knew of an alternative route, that follows a river walking/biking path. No cars, no traffic lights, few people in general actually. It's amazing. It's definitely longer than the straight route on the roads, but I'd bet money I get there in the same time, or perhaps even faster cause of the no lights. So like you said, alternative routes are the best!
My main issue with the segregated bike paths here in NYC is when they are separated from vehicle traffic by parked cars, so drivers can't/don't see bikers until they pop out at the intersection. I often feel like I'd rather be riding with the cars.
It’s not only cities. Some small towns have no cycle paths at all. Sherborne in Dorset none. Yet Dorchester Weymouth and Yeovil all towns I cycle to have a reasonable amounts of decent cycle paths. I have cycled in Bristol and I think the lay out is pretty good. Just have to plan ahead. Great video by the way.