How to commute without being killed?

Years of road riding has taught me to simply presume everyone is out to kill you. Luckily I’m still here!

Been commuting by bike since the 90s. Not dead yet.

Nottingham? What route are you riding? There's loads of (mediocre) cycling provision, and some excellent. You may need to use a different route to what you would in a car.

I'm guessing you're going either east or north, maybe outbound on Derby road?

But yes, idiots everywhere. It's better in London which has more cars, but also more cyclists so drivers are more used to them.

It does get better quickly because you pick up all the tips and tricks subconsciously.

Whenever I have a break from it I always have near misses when I get back to it. But after a few days it gets better. I just learn which roads to ride in primary, where to let cars past, where to filter, where to sit in the traffic etc. You can read all the guides you like but it still takes a while for your brain to catch up.

Same with the utter ****s you came across. I think after a few days/weeks your body language must catch up and idiots stop picking fights.

My commute to work is on a fast ish road and indo it on a Boris style bike (slowly). Middle of the lane channeling this guy's energy

There are a tremendous amount of car-driving idiots about. 🙁 I wish I could remember who of this parish said it, but I remember a tale of two cyclists having a nice chat being harrassed by a shouty horn-blowing eedjit - one cyclist paid zero attention, when the other asked him why, he said "I will not allow their anger to poison my mind". I liked that. 🙂

With the benefit of hindsight, I'd say if he already bumped you while stationary then getting out of the way (i.e. behind him, or on the pavement) is the priority. It does seem rather defeatist (letting him "win"), but physics and biology doesn't care about who had right of way or was/wasn't following the law or the highway code.

Personally yes I'd ride on the footway if it's one of the really wide 2m+ ones and there isn't a cycle lane, or if not doing so would mean cycling next to a wall, railings, or crash barrier.

It's all about route choice. I took a different route when cycling to driving when I commuted regularly into Sheffield. Probably five minutes slower but as my commute was an hour anyway, no big deal.

Also what thisisnotaspoon said, when I didn't commute for a while I lost that sixth sense and swagger of the Southern Comfort guy. Found myself cycling too close to the kerb and not being assertive enough. After a few days back on it I was taking the lane.

If you're worried about taking the lane and riding assertively then don't forget that in rush hour you'll generally be quicker than cars, so you're not really holding anyone up.

8mph down the pavement. Everyone has priority over yourself. Stop when needed and just brass neck your way along.

Anyone says anything, just ignore, its nowt of their business what you do.

Ride on the road when its safe to ride on the road, otherwise use the big wide car free section that runs along side it.

I have recently bought a garmin varia radar light. It helps a bit knowing cars are incoming, and I think I get people passing wider with it. Not cheap but would not go out without it now.

I used to hop on and off the pavement at safe opportune moments and ride risky sections/junctions on the pavement and use crossings. Obviously alternate safer routes play a factor and the exceptions being busy pavements full of peds, city centres etc where it's not an option.

It shouldn't be like it is but being right with a smashed up bike and broken bones is no fun!

As above. Just be bolshy.

It's all about road positioning and confidence.

I also even comuting ran a helmet light so I could physically point it at cars on junctions so I know they saw me.

Still had someone block the cycle lane my trying to force his way into traffic who despite having a r4 and a joystick 4ft from his window just ignore me.

I've commuted in Nottingham a fair bit, and thankfully never had an experience as bad as that.

A few tips that work for me:

- follow the rules pretty much as if your were in a car ie. stop at lights, signal on a roundabout etc. You're using a system that drivers are familiar with and they tend to respond in a better manner.

- watch the front wheels of the car. It gives you an early warning about whether they are pulling off, or what direction they are about to turn.

- don't filter through moving traffic, and only filter for a sizeable gain. No point squeezing to the front of two stationary cars at a red light, only for them to overtake you again when green.

Apologies if this is stating the obvious on a cycling forum 🙂

Eye contact is essential. When traffic slows, take the lane, and only move back over when it speeds up. When you are taking the lane, make sure you look behind you frequently. When drivers see a face they are more likely to see a human, and it shows them you're aware of them.

Also if you look at their faces you can see where they are looking, and you can see if they haven't seen you and are going to pull out into your path.

No point squeezing to the front of two stationary cars at a red light, only for them to overtake you again when green.

There is, if it allows you to get out in front at the lights. If you're alongside cars at lights to their left you're quite likely to get left hooked. Filter past the cars and park yourself in the middle of the appropriate lane a few m ahead. They won't just drive over you. Then when you're through the junction you can move back over. If you're ahead of the cars and you're on the ball you'll get through before them anyway in most cases and won't hold anyone up.

I was chatting to a policeman recently and moaning about the amount if abuse i have to take for just cycling. if i picked on a non-white person and gave them abuse just for the sake of it then actively tried to kill them i’d get a prison sentence. Yet as cyclist its OK for a car driver to deliberately try to knock me off with no comeback.

He suggested i do as one guy he’d encountered last year. Apparently said person rode everywhere with a snooker cue strapped to his bike. Not front to back but sideways! Car drivers had no option but to give him a wide berth or risk damaging the precious lease car!!

Its a fact of life. Just have to get used to it, assume everyone has not seen you and will run you over. Ride defendively then get on google maps and find some quieter route options.

When you are taking the lane, make sure you look behind you frequently. When drivers see a face they are more likely to see a human, and it shows them you’re aware of them.

I find this, along with confident (bordering bolshy) road positioning makes a big difference. Not just a glance over the shoulder too, a proper look and looking at the driver seat instantly makes them back off.

When you are taking the lane, make sure you look behind you frequently. When drivers see a face they are more likely to see a human, and it shows them you’re aware of them.

I find this, along with confident (bordering bolshy) road positioning makes a big difference. Not just a glance over the shoulder too, a proper look and looking at the driver seat instantly makes them back off.

This, you become part of the traffic rather than a bike to get round (in the average drivers chimp brain, a cyclist is by default 'an obstacle')

Try having a look on something like this:

https://m.cyclestreets.net/#10.84/52.9717/-1.1541

Might see an alternate route option.

Been commuting by bike since the 90s. Not dead yet.

This - they aren't trying to kill you, they are frustrated with you. Which is their problem, not yours.

I've commuted to Nottingham for several years now, from Ilkeston. Top tips, in no particular order:

You are not holding up traffic, you ARE traffic - by the same token, obey the rules of the road that other traffic has to obey, come to your own decision as to whether filtering through stationary traffic to get 10 metres ahead is worth it rather than just joining the queue and waiting for the lights to change.

Route - I've gone from a 10 mile hilly road ride in on the A609 to a 12 mile flat ride using the Nutbrook Trail and various cycle lanes and and tow paths - two thirds now off road. Takes the same time, more scenery, less traffic. Sustrans and Ridewise in Nottingham can both help with route planning. I can even do 19 mile ride from home to the office and only spend 1/2 mile on a road - nice commute home on a warm summers evening with a pint at halfway

Cycle training - as part of my ride leader training I got the chance to do Bikeability 1,2,3 for free. I'd been riding and commuting in traffic for years, but had so many bad habits, especially around primary and taking the lane at junctions - I needed to be even further out than I thought I was doing. That gave me so much renewed confidence, definitely worth doing. Ridewise and Cycle Derby offer similar roadcraft courses.

Look around, be aware, be visible (which is not necessarily the same as "having to wear" hiviz). While I happily listen to low volume music on most rides, commuting in traffic are music free. Other opinions are available.

Some people are having a shittier day than you and want to take it out on someone, possibly you. This isn't just a cyclist/driver thing. Try not to rise to it, let them go. Learn this from me now, rather than by being assaulted by the driver who got out his car when you give him some verbal.

If you ride on a pavement, ride slowly. Police guidance is to only issue fines if you are being a dick about it, the only person I know who has been fined for it was a Grade A dick, and had been trying to hurtle down Clumber Street. Give way/stop for everyone, even if they are holding you up, hogging the pavement, walking two abreast, and don't have insurance or pay pavement tax. The new Highway Code puts the greater responsibility on the cyclist.

The new (and old) Highway Code also says that if you are holding up traffic, you should pull in when it is safe to do so to let them past. Everyone has their own definition of what "holding up traffic" and "when safe to do so" is, but I will get out the way if traffic is really building up behind me.

Edit - think of it as being "assertive" not bolshy

Ride with no helmet or a full face. Either seem to scare drivers.

Nottingham is actually very good for cycling but some of the big new developments with their huge roundabout one way multi lane systems are a joke, like they totally forgot about bikes.

As above advise
Find the quietest road route even if it’s a bit longer.
Own the road space you’re on.
Big long looks behind you well before any moves you need to make.
Eye contact with the drivers.
Lights all year round.

I run flat bars and ride up high so I can see everything. Can’t stand commuting on a drop bar low down position, I feel very vulnerable.

Oh and one more thing - assume every driver has not seen you and wants to kill you.

It helps greatly if you can be fast enough (sort of "car commute" speed of high teens mph) to "merge" with traffic fairly easily. Most drivers seem to have a mentality that they MUST be 6" off the bumper of the car in front so when they are prevented from this by a bloody cyclist being in the way*, they get tempted to try to get past anyway.

* [b]I[/b] know you're not "in the way", I'm paraphrasing

It's more to do with roadcraft, reading the road and traffic conditions, knowing where and when you can "cautiously proceed through" a set of lights or ride on the pavement, where it's best to use a cycle path, where it's best to ride on the road...

None of that sounds very attractive really does it?
To be fair, I've spent decades commuting in London and Manchester plus a few other cities and never really had any major problems. However, I used to ride home with a work colleague sometimes and he seemed to be able to find an argument on most rides. It's a mentality thing.

Don't get into arguments, no driver will ever accept that they could possibly have been in the wrong. Also worth knowing escape routes and bail-out options - parks, one-way streets, towpaths, police stations, railway stations - partly in case of any road rage incident where you might need to make a quick getaway and for the far more likely but far more boring reason of suffering some sort of mechanical or the heavens opening and needing to get a train or a taxi home.

It's really not as bad as I'm possibly making out from that. Give yourself plenty of time, don't ride like a total dick (there's a difference between "cautiously preempting" a red light and blasting through a busy junction scattering pedestrians in your wake...) and expect the unexpected. Surprisingly, most drivers are actually not out to kill you - they're just adjusting the radio, using the phone or satnav, drinking coffee and unaware of anything beyond the end of their bonnet...

1. Assume everything is a threat and build your awareness around that - you'll soon start to recognise pinch points, silly zones, etc.

2. Plan your routes (yes more than one) around safety at various times of the day and be willing (if possible) to change your time of commute. It's much more pleasant when it's quieter.

3. Be visible, always have day time lights and in winter, have more than 1 running at all times, just in case one fails.

4. With the exception of 1.) assume nothing. Keep your wits about you, don't drift off into your own thoughts, don't assume that just because a driver/rider has never done that before that they won't in the future.

5. Eat properly - your attention drops as your energy does.

6. The quietest route is not always the safest. Wide, open b-roads where people can overtake easily and with good sightlines are often better than country lanes where people are much more likely to make silly decisions about when to overtake. Experimentation will tell you this with time.

7. If you encounter an idiot and your commute is one of those where you repeatedly catch up with the same people due to lights, junctions, etc. Stop for a minute or two and just get them out of your life. You'll be better off for it, both mentally and physically.

8. Don't get into arguments - it's just not worth it. Nothing you say will change their feelings as to why 30 seconds of their time is worth your entire life.

Sounds like there are enough of us around Nottingham to maybe give you some route ideas as well

8mph down the pavement. Everyone has priority over yourself. Stop when needed and just brass neck your way along.

Anyone says anything, just ignore, its nowt of their business what you do.

The [I]only[/I] person who can penalise you for doing so is a police officer and they have been specifically instructed to use their discretion! (Whether they or anyone else is aware of this is another matter entirely). Whatever, I certainly cycle on the pavement without any qualms if I think it's safer AND I can do it without endangering pedestrians (otherwise, get off and walk)

One thing I’ve found is to find a route,(or routes, for a bit of variety) that are safer, or even just feel safer. My ride home is a positively pleasant experience these days, well, until I get about a mile from home, where I have to join the cocks.
The “eye contact” thing mentioned above is nonsense as far as I’m concerned. Can’t remember the last time I even saw a driver’s face!

The “eye contact” thing mentioned above is nonsense as far as I’m concerned. Can’t remember the last time I even saw a driver’s face!

If someone comes up close behind you and sounds as though they are going to squeeze past, look over your shoulder and show them your face. It works for two reasons. One is that they see your face and see that you've seen them, which registers something subconsciously; and/or they think you might be about to pull out. Try it.

But seeing where drivers are looking, to see if they've seen you or not is essential safety information in my view. If you go flying along at a roundabout expecting the driver to your left not to pull out in front of you, you'll get clobbered eventually. Same goes for people pulling out of side roads. Yes, you have right of way, but if they haven't seen you because they aren't looking, then that means nothing.

Many times I have braked because the driver's about to pull out and hasn't looked at me, and it's saved accidents.

Been commuting by bike since the 90s. Not dead yet.

That's just surivorship bias, innit?

^^^ yup, if he [i]were[/i] dead, and still posting, that would be cause for concern 😂

My route is 9 miles of main roads (including a59 if you know it) I've done it for years but the road back into town is gonna be closed all the school holidays. I tried a cycle path along the river on Friday night. 2 miles longer but I should have gone that way years ago.

I used to commute in Bristol daily, did it for 7or 8 yrs.

Try to take dedicated bike paths where you can, if there aren't any try to take less busy back strrets  & follow the rules of the road and don't jump lights etc. Not much you can do about how others use the road but you can minimise risk by altering how you ride.

I saw potential accidents,near misses or actual accidents every day I used the bike.

As said by others my dad told me at 18 when I started bike commuting, assume everyone wants to kill you and don't wear tarmac coloured clothing, still alive 27 years later but it's definitely worse on the roads so I use the canal now and take a slightly longer slower route to avoid the nobbers.

I think eye contact is very useful, you can usually tell if someone has seen you or not just by looking at them and can then act accordingly. I find it's usually drivers pulling out of side roads.

Worst thing you can do is hug the kerb. Always take up enough space in the road so the car behind has to make a positive decision to overtake you, rather than just barrelling past. Let cars past if you're holding them up on narrow roads, but otherwise take an assertive position.

I've a long list of injuries aused by drivers whilst commuting. Never have that level of idiocy whilst out outsie of rush hour or at weekends.

I was very nearly paralysed 6 years ago. Took a few years to get strength back, and I'm now back road riding as well as MTB - actually doing more road currently as it's great for fitness. I'm back commuting too, but I take my 90's MTB, panniered up down the canal 13 miles each way.

I don't take the road bikes out at any time near rush hour - no-one gives a **** about other road users.

The canal can be hard work, yet more or less flat.

Manchester drivers are appaling.

Its a fact of life. Just have to get used to it

I'm sure that many of the currently protected minorities used to be told that - all of the time.

Things are as they are, mostly because of the people who shrug their shoulders and say "that's the way thing are"

"Up with this, I will not put", is the phrase that comes to mind.

Adjust your route to find quieter roads that might increase the distance and time to get to home/work, if at all possible.

I take pretty much the shortest route into work at 0600/0630, which has me on one of the main A roads for ~5mins, before the quickest route then also nicely becomes a very quiet route (albeit I often have to carry bike over bridge because the train barrier is down). It's busier that early than it used to be ~10 years ago, but it's ok. ~4.2 miles.

At home time at 1400/1430ish, I avoid the A roads like the plague and take a nice back route, on a potentially semi-busy road for ~5mins up the hill. Several no-through roads for vehicles. ~4.6 miles. If it's near school finish time, I avoid that hill and use the Sustrans boardwalk to get back home via another hill, increasing distance to ~5.5 miles.

When on the busier roads, be assertive with your position, middle of lane for pinch points etc.

As many lights as you can afford, including a flashing one on your helmet that matches your eye line. Hi vis vest. Road positioning and anticipation. Make sure you look at drivers at any junction and they pick up on the flashing light.

All great tips, however

If you do not have British Cycling or equivalent insurance, stop reading this and sign up now!

It might get the costs of bike repairs for you, or as in my case it might mean you can keep a roof over your families head.

I was hit 100yards from my house on a normal estate road by someone just not looking, absolutely nothing I could of done, seriously get yourself covered

The “eye contact” thing mentioned above is nonsense as far as I’m concerned.

Really? I find it helps massively at busier junction to make eye contact with the drivers around you. But generally speaking, 1. Route as far from traffic as you can, especially busy commuter routes, none (or very few) of those folks are concentrating on what they're doing either to or from the office 2. Be visible, you don't need head to toe in high vis, and flashing like a Xmas tree but likewise all black doesn't help much either especially in the winter months. 3. Stay away from the Twitter commuter-cycling glitterati, they have feeds and a public to keep satisfied, real life isn't like that.

Make sure you look at drivers at any junction 

This is important - not so much the eye contact thing, but you learn to spot when a driver has "looked" at you but not "seen" you. And if the A pillar stops you seeing the drivers face, it stops the driver seeing you.

From my experience of commuting on an A road the key is to be confident and command the lane as plenty of people have said

Cycling on the pavement is for kids and junkies

Only two things to add:

Consider getting a PassPixi even if you’re not camera’d up. Some people I know swear by them:

Secondly, it’s worth getting involved in the local active travel group - councils and local politicians won’t make anything safer unless they think there are significant numbers of votes in it, and the bigger these groups are, the more clout they have. (If anyone in Rochdale is reading this and would like to get involved with WalkRideRochdale, DM me)

Top tip at mini roundabouts on a Monday morning. If you're turning right the second car in the queue opposite will blindly follow the boot in front. Somnambulant lemmings drive on Monday mornings.

Keep your wits about you, don’t drift off into your own thoughts

100% this. I have been guilty of lack of attention on a few occasions. We all do. We're human. I was fortunate with my 2 biggest errors and on both occasions managed to ride into the back of stationary vans. Fortunately no damage except to my pride. One of these was 100% my fault, the other I was distracted at that moment checking behind as the car behind me was way too close. In my case I encountered 2 lovely van mans who were only interested in my welfare not their vans. I was lucky. Lesson learned that I was too close to the vehicle in front.

Somnambulant lemmings

I call them something more succinct

I call them something more succinct

Normally I would too but if they stop you lose the high ground by being abusive. A, "You're supposed to be paying attention" usually works. Especially for those that claim not have seen a signal. They also don't realise that signalling around a wet mini-roundabout is not a realistic proposition on a bike when the inattentive are about.

If someone comes up close behind you and sounds as though they are going to squeeze past, look over your shoulder and show them your face

Sounds. As. Though. They. Are. Going. To. Squeeze. Past.
Okey doke.

Really??

Yeah, it's not just different roads you guys ride on... it's a different [i]universe[/i]

As much as eye contact is useful, I don't agree it's always necessary. There's a staggered cross roads where I'll usually deliberately avoid eye contact and go for the "I'm going you're not" body language/assertive riding after pulling out to turn right, and taking the lane.

Although for all intents and purposes probably better if beginners do always make eye contact.

Thanks to everybody for the massive response.
I'll definitely try an alternative route (I was thinking about that before).
I have never trusted in car drivers, it's why I only do mtb but I decided to commute on my hardtail and tried to avoid the road in some areas where the pavement is wider and there are less pedestrians on Mansfield road.
I am coming from Arnold to the city centre and use the bus lane from Sherwood to town.
But this happened on the way back in the busy area of Sherwood where the bus lane ends.
Maybe I should looked at his face when I felt his car too close at the traffic light. Anyway, when he overtook me I could see his gunster look, so probably the eye contact would be irrelevant with those type of people.
I already have a rear light and follow the rules when on the road, just need to plan a new route as most people suggested.
Thanks again!

Might have been said but best thing I ever did was get a camera and stick it on your helmet where it can be seen. I noticed a very significant change on driver behaviour (sadly).

“Sounds. As. Though. They. Are. Going. To. Squeeze. Past.”

Actually that does sound familiar - I try to stay off the roads when commuting but I’m on them about half of my commute. I particularly dislike the inept overtakes shortly before the road goes to one lane where they end up waiting for oncoming traffic or a hill where I’m faster anyway. I’ve got better at claiming my lane and knowing also where to keep out of the way.

Sounds. As. Though. They. Are. Going. To. Squeeze. Past.
Okey doke.

Sounds like you are riding with much less awareness than me and some of the others on this thread.

I can hear where a car is behind me. If it's not slowing down, and there's a car coming the other way or some other obstruction, then I conclude it's going to squeeze past. Looking over my shoulder usually stops this. Sometimes they come quite fast, I don't have time to look and I think I am going to be knocked off, but it turns out to be a motorbike and there's plenty of room.

Looking behind you, showing your face and showing them that you are aware of what you and they are doing helps massively.

I have never trusted in car drivers

You don't have to trust them, in fact you shouldn't; you are not (always) a passive victim.

An example I often use: I'm in a car behind a bloke on a road bike approaching a mini roundabout. Rider looks right as per highway code, sees nothing coming and carries on at his 20mph or so pace. However there's a car coming from his left who's not slowing down (it's quite straight for them) and has not seen the cyclist. They carry straight on and almost clobber the cyclist who is very irate. 100% the driver's fault, but the cyclist was the one nearly clobbered. Look right AND left at roundabouts - look everywhere, expect there to be a car coming and not having seen you. Expect drivers not to slow down behind you when there's a pinch point.