Think Bike

Once you have learnt to ride a bike, the next trick is to negotiate the traffic. I have been out today on a combination of busy roads and cycle paths and it really can be a bit scary at times. The most bizarre traffic solution I came across was the combined bus and cycle lanes in the centre of town. Who seriously thinks that that is a good idea?

Buses either had to crawl along behind me or overtake me. One is a useless scenario for the bus and its passengers and the other is a useless and scary scenario for the cyclist. Buses, by their nature, are not the nippiest of vehicles and once they have squeezed past you they invariably pull up and stop. Fantastic!

Most cycle lanes are combi lanes - designed to be used by walkers and cyclists at the same time. The signs and road markings designating where the combi lanes start and end are usually faded or missing, so you run the gauntlet of picking up a fine for cycling on a pavement without realising that you are doing it. In an age when we should be thinking green and encouraging cycling, many councils are just not making the effort.

All of which reminds me of the public information campaign from some years back starring everybody's favourite chin - Jimmy Hill. Our Jim obviously thinks he's covering a football match. First we see the action, then the replays and finally the post match analysis. Final score - Driver 1, Cyclist 0. I know that it chiefly concerns itself with motorcycles, but it works for us cyclists too. Come on councils, drivers and pedestrians - listen to our Jimmy and 'Think Bike!'