Being assertive and visible on the road – roadcraft for motorcyclists and cyclists

Follow-up to Cross in 3 seconds or you're dead – cycling to Warwick University from Transversality - Robert O'Toole

Recently I mentioned my approach to travelling on the roads:

“I am certainly capable of dominating the road and controlling the drivers”

This is easily misunderstood. It isn’t aggresive at all, it’s about being assertive and visible, but polite.

I follow roadcraft, the police motorcycling system. I have done training in the system, and spend a couple of hours every month practising. It works well. I’ve spent most of my time on two motorised wheels. The system has kept me confidently safe for 100,000 miles (apart from the occasional unavoidable collision with motorway debris). The important point is that it isn’t about aggresion, it is very controlled and considered. It relies on constant information given to other road users, with lots of thank you waves. It is all about being assertive and visible in order to counter the mind–dulling driver psychology that is such a danger to other road users.

Here’s an example: consider the turn into Westwood (the second turn towards Coventry). Can you spot something really dangerous about that junction? The pedestrian refuge just before the junction is placed too close to the junction. This means that if you are turning into Westwood, and have to stop mid turn (due to a pedestrian or some other obstacle), the car behind you will have no where to go. As most motorists do not leave a sufficient gap, there’s a good chance you will get shunted. Most car drivers are surprised by the fact that a motorcycle goes around such a corner significantly slower than a car (for various reasons). So the problem is even worse for motorcyclists. Rear end shunts represent a growing percentage of all bike accidents.

And the answer: control the following cars before you get to the junction. Firstly, get your brake light on early. Then gently slow until the following car is closer, the following car will then be travelling at the same speed. You can then control the speed of the following car so that you can enter the turn at a safe speed without any chance of being shunted. I can give you hundreds of other examples. It’s how you take a potentially dangerous method of transport like motorcycling and make it safer than any other form of transport.

I think many of these principles transfer to cycling. Obviously a cycle has less presence on the road, but the system remains the same:

1. Take information.
2. Use information (that means think and plan, something that most motorists fail to do).
3. Give information (make sure it has been seen and acknowledged – eye contact!).
4. Position (getting the required space around you on the road, this is the assertive and confident bit).
5. Speed (not so easy on a bike, unless you are Chris May).
6. Gear (not so relevant on a bike).
7. Accelerate and manouvre.

And say thank you if appropriate.

To get started, read the roadcraft manual There is also a version for car drivers. I wonder if there is an equivalent for cyclists?

And then get trained. You can get advanced motorcycle training from RoSPA, the IAM, and the local police (Bike Safe Training). They all use the police method.

Robert O'Toole : 05 Dec 2006 21:38 |  Tags: Bmw Gs Cycling Motorcycle Travel Travel Travel And Motorcycles Travel Writing Writing |  Comments (11) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Latest Lawrence photos

By popular demand, more photos of Lorenzo…

He gets very excited when he sees my Beemer, and will even wash it for me:

And washing the car:

Fun with hose pipes:

Autumn leaves:

He sat patiently through a lecture about the barn owl. His favourite word is owl:

Another owl:

Robert O'Toole : 04 Dec 2006 20:23 |  Tags: Baby Lawrence O-Toole |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Evidence of the popularity of the Kenilworth to Coventry cycle lane

Follow-up to Cross in 3 seconds or you're dead – cycling to Warwick University from Transversality - Robert O'Toole

To disprove She Bevan’s unfounded claim that the cycle lane is not used, consider the tracks clearly visible on this photograph taken at 8am shortly after a rain shower.

I suspect that many of the cyclists start out early, being healthy and conscientious types. I’ve seen a wide mix of people on the path, including students. Lawrence is the only baby.

Surely with this volume of traffic crossing the junction at the top of the hill, a safer crossing is essential?

Robert O'Toole : 04 Dec 2006 19:53 |  Tags: Cycling |  Comments (11) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Cross in 3 seconds or you're dead – cycling to Warwick University

A photo taken this morning at the junction of Kenilworth Road and Gibbet Hill Road illustrates the problem…

Look at the traffic lights through which the car has passed. See the colour: red, as in stop. In this case the car reached the lights just as they turned to red. The driver made no attempt to stop. There was no precautionary slowing down in the case of a change to amber (as required by law). As the car approached the lights the driver actually accelerated a little. This is not a rare occurence. Almost every time that we try to cross this road a car comes through, either as the lights are changing OR AFTER THEY HAVE TURNED RED. The flagrant disregard for road safety and law is astonishing. I have even seen some drivers come through seconds after they have changed, with lights flashing and horn blaring (blue BMW X5).

And what does this mean for the cyclist as they seek to cross to the other side of the cycle path? Under normal circumstances the light sequence at the junction allows around five seconds in which to safely cross. This is inadequate at a crossing on a busy cycle path. I ask: is the council negligent in laying a path with such a junction? Should there be a proper pedestrian crossing in place before the cycle path?

To make matters much worse, the failure of motorists to obey the traffic lights as they cross towards the University actually reduces the safe period in which pedestrians may cross to around three seconds. THREE SECONDS!

At this point I ask you to consider if such motorists understand that they are attempting to murder a 15 month old boy and his father?

Does this sound bad? Then let me tell you, as a warning, about a circumstance in which one must definitely not attempt to cross this junction. Consider this photo…

When traffic is turning across the junction, as in this case, smaller vehicles coming across from the direction of the A46 are difficult to see. The drivers of these vehicles cannot easily see the pedestrians. On many occasions I have seen cars emerging quickly (over 40mph) from behind the turning vehicles. The poor design of the junction makes this worse. Drivers seem to panic and accelerate, fearing that they will get stranded in the middle of the junction. I can predict that the fatal accident will happen under these circumstances.

So then what should be done? I will be contacting the University Road Safety Officer to express my fears further. I will also suggest to the police that occasionally stationing an officer at the lights might act as a deterrent. I have the number of the council officer responsible for the cycle path, perhaps a new junction arrangement is planned. I hope that it happens before there is a disaster.

For now I say: cyclists please be very cautious. Car driver, please approach the lights slowly, and as the lights change to amber be prepared to stop (as you are required to do by law).

And please stop trying to kill us.

Please note that I delete comments that are too far off topic.

Robert O'Toole : 30 Nov 2006 20:40 |  Tags: Cycling |  Comments (26) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Exhaust[ion]

This is what it should look like…

...a bike capable of crossing continents. Unfortunately at the moment it would struggle to cross the driveway…

After 78,000 miles, mostly in harsh conditions, it needed a complete strip down. These bikes are capable of massive mileage, but as with any metal object, require occasional TOTAL REFURBISHMENT! Rust has begun to set in. The two most effected components being the lower fork-brace (i think that’s what it is called)...

And the battery cage. To start with, I removed them and stripped the rust and paint. The fork-brace was easily re-sprated with Hammerite…

The battery cage is being given an anti-rust treatment before being painted. Removing the battery cage revealed some alarming rust on the Ohlins shock absorber, which cost me £800 only 20,000 miles back…

One of the great things about the R100 GS Paris Dakar is that it was designed to be worked on out in the cuds. The tank and seat clips off in seconds, and the few body panels and crash protectors are cleanly bolted in place. If only removing the exhaust system were so easy. I need to take them off to get at the sides of the lower part of the engine. The down pipes also desperately need replacing, with holes starting to appear in the left hand pipe. The struggle was mighty and prolonged. The down-pipe nuts came off quickly, using the special BMW tool…

This was good news. No serious force can be used to remove them, as this would strip the thread on the engine (expensive). I had expected to be able to simply pull out the down-pipes as a pair, but unfortunately they were seized into place. To progress further I removed the silencer (and attached pannier frame), with the Y-piece still attached. I then tried to seperate the two down-pipes at their crossover. Unfortunately, the left pipe was seized into the crossover. However, it was so rusty that it started to disintegrate. I had no choice but the snap it in half, leaving a rusty shell within the end of the Y-piece, to be dealt with later. Once this was done, I could carefully twist the down-pipes out of their ports.

Here’s the broken down-pipe…

With the pipes off, I could inspect the state of the lower part of the engine. What a mess! It looks as if at least one push-rod seal has blown. This would explain the disappearing engine oil.

After covering up the open exhaust ports and the electrics, I started to apply Gunk engine degreasant. The first application had only a small effect…

I now have to get all of that gunge off, and then start cleaning the black dirt out of the pitted surface of the engine. I will also use Autosol to give a shine to everything. The frame has more rust than expected, so that will need to be treated as well.

And this is only the start! The pushrod seals need to be replaced. I suspect that a new timing chain is also required. This is all only a temporary fix. Next year I plan to get it professionaly refurbished and powder coated.

Robert O'Toole : 22 Nov 2006 20:50 |  Tags: Bmw Gs Motorcycle Travel Travel Travel And Motorcycles Travel Writing Writing |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Hatton owls and cycling

Lawrence chased the barn owl between two posts…

And finally caught up with it…

Barn owl close up…

He wasn’t quite so friendly with the Giant Eagle Owl…

Cycling along the Hatton Locks…

Robert O'Toole : 17 Sep 2006 21:21 |  Tags: Baby Lawrence O-Toole |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Short video interview concerning ontology and epistemology today

It was accompanied with the following text:

Ontology: concerns that which has no further potential for difference, that which is finalised, i.e. Being.

Epistemology: concerns acts of connecting and exploiting latent potentials, surplus values of code, for novel and non-final effects, i.e. Becoming.

How then can these be reconciled?

Note: this is an 8mb file. Click to start downloading, then click the play button at the bottom left of the frame to start playing.

Robert O'Toole : 13 Sep 2006 10:27 |  Tags: Deleuze Epistemology Ontology Philosophy Definitions Philosophy Research Transversality |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Alex Gregory (cartoonist) on blogging

Now I’m tempted to buy a framed copy from CartoonBank.

Robert O'Toole : 13 Sep 2006 10:13 |  Tags: Blogging |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Instow, Devon

The yacht club on the estuary, viewed from our apartment…

The yachts at low tide…

The ferry quay at low tide…

On Instow beach with a boat…

Lawrence making sand castles…

Lawrence destroying sand castles…

Lawrence on the beach at Westward Ho!...

Emma and Lawrence walking on the beach at Westward Ho!...

Westward Ho! coastguard…

Lawrence on the rocks…

Robert O'Toole : 30 Aug 2006 22:30 |  Tags: Baby Lawrence O-Toole Devon Instow |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Cycling along Oxford's Little Camargue

The river was busy with boats, including kayaks, noddy boats and proper barges…

We like bridges…

And…

Once we reached the Botley Road, we headed into town for coffee at Borders (more child friendly than Blackwells). Lawrence rearranged the philosophy section, before seeking less childish pursuits…

The "wild" horses, cattle and flocks of greylag geese add interest to the wide open meadow and gently rippled river, reminiscent of somewhere in the South of France…

Lawrence being irrepressibly keen to make his way into the river, I suggested to Emma that he learn a lesson in freestyle diving…

Robert O'Toole : 29 Aug 2006 21:31 |  Tags: Baby Lawrence O-Toole Cycling |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Cycling in Devon

Along the shore of the Estuary, next to the nature reserve:

Passing under the Torrington Bridge:

Robert O'Toole : 29 Aug 2006 21:21 |  Tags: Baby Lawrence O-Toole Cycling |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Random opinions about blogs and bloggers

We did try to get a mix of bloggers and non–bloggers, however, there seemed to be few bloggers around (perhaps they were all locked away in dark rooms desperately trying to write something worthwhile).

Note that it was compiled from victims found in University House during the summer vacation. The undergraduate population, at whom the blogs publicity campaign had been targeted, was scarce.

It reminds me of Aardman's Creature Comforts. Perhaps we could substitute animals for some of the familiar faces that appear. Any suggestions?

Robert O'Toole : 29 Aug 2006 09:00 |  Tags: Blogging E-Learning Warwick University |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Wild goose chase

Robert O'Toole : 25 Aug 2006 14:46 |  Tags: Baby Lawrence O-Toole |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

A seizure, a bypass, and a very fast bike

How many goats must be sacrificed before beginning the starting procedure? In these modern politically correct times we no longer sacrifice virgins. Goats yes: messy but legal. Virgins no: messy, illegal, very much so. Such bloodlettings are only one of many requirements:

1. check the petrol taps are on;
2. estimate the exact degree of choke using a complex algorithm combining the ambient air temperature with the quantity of oil in the sump and the latent heat in the pistons (or just guess and get it wrong);
3. put the bike on its centre stand;
4. pray to the correct pantheon of Germanic gods;
5. sacrifice goats (not virgins);
6. sign Satanic pact (in blood) henceforth dedicating one's soul to the Antichrist;
7. mount BMW motorcycle;
8. place heal of boot onto the kick starter;
9. gently pump the kick starter up and down for anything up to half an hour;
10. be amazed when sufficient compression is generated in the 1000cc lump so that firing commences;
11. rev the engine at exactly the right time in exactly the correct manner so as to keep the cylinders firing;
12. don't ever stop reving the engine until it is thoroughly warmed up (ten miles of riding is usually sufficient).

Starting a 13 year old BMW R100 GS Paris Daker desert racer without an electric starter motor is a fairly futile task. But occassionaly, thanks to BMW reliability, the task is unavoidably necessary. A single click from the ignition system had made the situation quite clear. The starter had seized. This might have been a side effect of a high speed 200 mile non–stop blast between Kenilworth and Dorchester the day before. But I suspect that the bike just realised that it was only 10 miles from its spiritual home (the dealer from whence it came). It is often uncanny in this manner.

And so, only a few minutes after deciding to give in and buy myself one of the wonderful new R1200GS rocket bikes, I was again back on track. Had I been riding a modern bike I would still be waiting for the tow truck. The R100GS was one of the last bikes to be equipped with a kick start, the idea being that electrics do fail quite easily when riding far out in its natural environment, the Sahara.

My arrival at CW's caused a minor stir. The GS–PD is a rare sight. Wally, top technical man, had come in specially to supervise work on what seems to be one of his favourites. In the past he has replaced the gearbox, shaft drive, brakes, one exhaust valve, and various other bits under warranty. Now being out of warranty (over ten years old), I would have to pay for a new starter motor myself: £175. I would also have to wait for a few days – not part of my agenda. Wally is also recommending that he fit a bypass to cut out the oil cooler, which is now rather old and a potential problem. Common wisdom claims that the cooler isn't really required, unless riding in the desert, and in fact the engine runs better without it. I have given him a Touratech bypas kit to apply.

Having amazed everyone with my kick–start miracle, I sat down for a while to chat with Wally and Neil. Wally has a theory about kick starting: it is a genetically inherited skill, or rather, some kind of primeval drive. Some people have it, other don't. He also claims that it guarantees success with the ladies! I'm not sure about that. But it certainly did get me tio CW's, from whom I departed a couple of hours later riding a loan bike. A very fast loan bike: a new R1150R naked roadster on which I could bimble around Dorset, ride back to Kenilworth, and then return in a few days to collect the GS PD. Excellent service as usual.

BMW R1150R – a sexy black naked roadster. Fast, manouverable, moderately comfortable (legs a bit too cramped). I even managed to get the front wheel to slide in a corner. The telelever front suspension is often blamed for this habit – it makes the bike much more stable, but also isolates the rider from the traction, making it hard to know when it is losing grip.

Robert O'Toole : 08 Aug 2006 23:06 |  Tags: Bmw Bmw Gs Motorcycle Travel Motorcycles R1150R Travel Travel And Motorcycles Travel Writing Writing |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Crab House Café, Dorset

…moments later shrapnel from the first mighty hammer blow cut through the air, perilously close to the left ear of an otherwise relaxed elderly lady sitting at a table towards the other end of the patio outside of the small wooden shack. Health and safety? Protective goggles are definitely not provided as part of the small set of offensive implements delivered by the waitress alongside the vast decapod crustaceans that form the café's trademark dish.

Implements for the job: authentically aged woodwork hammer, crushing board, crab pliers and flesh–prodder (for want of a better word).

A neatly folded apron is also included. I chose instead to become dressed with crab juice and flesh, smashed, splattered and spurted out of the claws and the legs of my victim.

After an initial tentative attack, I retreated into the runny brown material within the natural bowl of the crab body. Unfairly described by some as 'grey gunge', a less than delicate taste of the sea (or in this case the Fleet lagoon) is the reward. Delicious whole grain bread helps to mop up the juices, while a few ink–dyed legs of octopus and olives added variety (nibbles provided while waiting for my main course). And then the onslaught really began. Half an hour later, with more calories lost than gained, I had ripped the monster crab to shreds, having extracted all of the good bits – some of them extremely good, the best being the firm pink point triangles pulled from within each claw.

The Crab House Café is perhaps an odd candidate for being one of the trendiest restaurants of the moment. As John Walsh explained in his recent Inependent review, it is both basic and quirky. Straw hats are available for loan to diners, who may sit outside under pink plastic straggly retro–sixties umbrellas. But the food is excellent. Other diners were overheard heaping praise onto the variety of dishes consumed, including hallibut, skate, john dory, sardines, eels, bream and lobster. I chatted briefly to the manager and one of the chefs. They really know their seafood. They are also motorcyclists – a clear sign of cullinary genius.

Should I mention that the Hugh Whittingley Fearnley celeb pig farmer bloke rates it as one of his top seafood spots in Britain?

Crab House Café
Ferry Bridge Road
Weymouth
Dorset

Robert O'Toole : 08 Aug 2006 22:21 |  Tags: Food Restaurant Review Seafood |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem