learning the ropes

some quick lessons i have learnt already on my commutes to work...

1. if you have to look behind, make it a bloody quick glance to avoid hitting the car that has stopped in front of you

2. milk floats are my new best friend, especially on roundabouts, they hold all the traffic up leaving you a vehicle free circular bit of tarmac to flow round at a decent pace

3. watch out for pot holes, pot holes and more pot holes, oh and the occasional drain which has a perfect wheel sized gap for you to dissappear into

4. use other cyclists as a target to help with your training, perhaps easing off a bit next time I follow a cyclist from East Bradford Cycling Club will stop the pain in the legs the following day. His calf muscles were bigger than my head

5. you can be too easily fooled by the temperature setting off at 6.45am, the long sleeve and base layer isnt going to be needed too much just at the moment

6. these skinny tyred bikes go flippin quick, and dont stop quite as quick as my mountain bike with disc brakes, its amazing how big number plates can appear

7. if your going to keep your feet clipped in at traffic lights and hold onto a nearby barrier, make sure you actually grab the barrier when you start leaning

8. pedestrians with ipods are lethal

9. be more alert, especially at level crossings, its pointless seeing the pedestrian subway once the lights have stopped flashing and the gates have come up

10. take care, especially at level crossings when using the pedestrian subway, road shoes and concrete steps do not mix well, oh and if you time it right, by the time you get out the other side of the pedestrian subway the lights should have stopped flashing and the gates should be up

...always learning...