Cycling lesson - is this normal?

[Bellenden Belle]

I?m curious. I had my second ever cycling lesson on Saturday. I can cycle and turn corners but told the instructor I wasn?t confident looking behind or signaling.

So the route we took involved me cycling from Burgess Park through Elephant and Castle, navigating Waterloo roundabout next to the IMAX to get onto Waterloo bridge and ending up in convent garden.

The instructor ended up in a different lane to me at the roundabout by the Imax with a bus driver leaning out his window shouting GO GO and another cyclist asking if I was okay.

Then we did it all in reverse.

The instructor at the end told me I should just get out and cycle and that the busier the road the better as traffic goes slowly.

Is this normal?

[intexasatthe moment]

I wouldn't know if it's normal but it doesn't sound very helpful .

I wonder if a mirror on handlebars would help you with the looking behind ? It's a long time since I learnt to cycle so this may not be current good practice .

And sympathies ,sounds v frightening .

[Bellenden Belle]

I think a mirror might help although I think one of the points of looking behind is to try and make eye contact with the drivers and to make them aware you are going to do something. I think Saturday?s drivers may have read the fear in my eyes!

It?s tricky. I?m tempted to complain to the cycling provision providers but no one wants someone to lose their job. I also think it was a strangely positive experience in that I survived.

[intexasatthe moment]

Impressed by the finding postives! Yes ,tricky . Could you ring and give feedback rather than an actual complaint ? Could you do it annoynomously ?

[Jules-and-Boo]

Wow. As a learner you should wear a hi-vis or L plate if on that traffic.

There are so many accidents that all drivers expect other drivers to be competent.

I think there are definitely positives to just going for it, but I would want to study the lanes so you know exactly what to do and where to go.. ..then you can be more confident with your hand signals...

[keano77]

Bellenden Belle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I?m curious. I had my second ever cycling lesson

> on Saturday. I can cycle and turn corners but

> told the instructor I wasn?t confident looking

> behind or signaling.

>

> So the route we took involved me cycling from

> Burgess Park through Elephant and Castle,

> navigating Waterloo roundabout next to the IMAX to

> get onto Waterloo bridge and ending up in convent

> garden.

> The instructor ended up in a different lane to me

> at the roundabout by the Imax with a bus driver

> leaning out his window shouting GO GO and another

> cyclist asking if I was okay.

> Then we did it all in reverse.

>

> The instructor at the end told me I should just

> get out and cycle and that the busier the road the

> better as traffic goes slowly.

>

> Is this normal?

As a car driver I find this tale very disturbing that such inexperienced cyclists are on our busy routes. Your ?instructor? has questions to answer.

[sjsl]

I think that for a second lesson that is pretty hard core! Was it a set number of lessons? I think if it was 5, that would be the fifth. Agree that you should certainly give feedback, it sounds as though he over-estimated your confidence maybe, he shouldn't lose his job but definately re-appraise the training.

[diable rouge]

It does sound hardcore but I haven't done that route for quite a while, at Elephant it used to be very easy with the cycle lanes and underpasses to avoid the traffic on the busy roundabouts...

[peckman]

Sounds a rubbish route for a cycle lesson tbh !! And you should develop the confidence to look around.. that's an important part of cycling .. but taking you around that route is very poor! Agree with eye contact with drivers ..good luck with cycling.. once you are proficient you will never look back (pardon the pun!)

[peckman]

Find another instructor .

[miga]

Dunno about learning to cycle on the IMAX roundabout. I learnt to cycle as a kid, but when I picked it up again for commuting in my late twenties, I cycled on quiet streets/parks building up my confidence to the Highbury roundabout over some weeks. Be visible, take it easy, practice your turns in a park so you are balanced while turning and indicating. There are fools on the road, be visible and patient. It's really a great way to get about.

[ruffers]

Re the mirrors - Any motorcycling training talks about checking mirrors all the time, but drills you to never mover out into traffic, move right, or basically do anything without a last second check over the shoulder. It's called a lifesaver.

Given how much more vulnerable people are on bikes I'd be following that example.

[peckman]

Always always assume the motorist hasn't seen you. Learning to look behind you (twice pkease) and indicating are pretty fundamental so please stay off the main roads (esp elephant and castle) until you get the confidence to do that and if you cant do these things you arent fully in control of your bike . But keep it up ..cycling is a wonderful way to get around

[Pugwash]

When I used to cycle to work - I had wing mirrors on both handlebars - found that motorists give me a little more room as well. Use to cycle from ED to Westminster Bridge via Camberwell, Kennington and Vauxhall using mainly back streets.

[JohnL]

Not if you've never cycled before

If you know how to cycle but not in London it's the deep end (I wouldn't do that route tomorrow)

[exdulwicher]

The instructor at the end told me I should just get out and cycle and that the busier the road the better as traffic goes slowly.

Umm...he's kind of got a point about the traffic but NO, that is absolutely not appropriate for a lesson to teach you to look behind / around you and develop situational awareness. Nowhere even close to correct protocol.

It's like saying "oh you've come to join the circus? Here's a whip, get in the lion cage!"

I'd be talking to the training provider. To teach looking behind and signalling you go to a quiet (ideally completely closed) road, start off cycling straight and doing "glances" left/right then making it more of a look until finally you can cycle along looking over your shoulder and using visual references to the sides to maintain straight and level direction. Same with signalling, you start on the same road gently releasing one hand then slowly developing until you can hold it out to one side while maintaining direction.

What he did was irresponsible at best.

Hope you're OK and it's not put you off too much.

[shoshntosh]

I've been cycling for a long time and would never brave that roundabout! Yikes

[Bellenden Belle]

Thanks to everyone for your responses.

I spoke to the training provider?s Ops Manager today and I felt I got the balance right between being enthusiastic and kind about the instructor and pointing out the lesson wasn?t pitched appropriately. I got a good response with all the right noises made about training and CPD for the instructor in question.

And I will keep cycling!