Ok - Birmingham is a big city; obviously - and realistically - much of life and travel around Birmingham cannot be cycled.  The family supermarket shop; commuting from long distances into the city; carrying large purchases from the hi-fi showroom etc.; But when just the individual needs to travel, let's say around five miles, even if carrying  (or going to carry) modest quantities of goods, a bicycle can be much more convenient than the car. And remember - if you are going to cycle a trip that you normally drive - you may find a better and sometimes quicker route to cycle than your normal route by car!

There is much advice that can be given about safer, more confident cycling in road situations; best position in traffic flow, passing parked vehicles, observation, passing junctions, choosing a more appropriate route to cycle than would be driven etc. The National Standards for Cycle Training cover these issues, but here are a few basic tips for road cycling:

Observing many cyclists around Birmingham, a common trend is to ride along the gutter, very close to the kerb (FIG.1 below). Perhaps because the cyclist is trying not to 'use' road space that 'belongs' to the cars! Ok, cars pay Vehicle Excise Duty - the so-called 'road tax' but the carriageway IS available to all and cyclists should ride where they can be easily seen! Recommended minimum is 1 metre from the kerb (Fig.2), which puts the cyclist more into the driver's view and avoids drainage gratings and rubbish, yet there is plenty of width for vehicles to safely overtake. but can and should be more where the lane narrows and there are following vehicles.



So consider Fig.3. An increasing feature on Birmingham's roads is the Pedestrian Refuge - sometimes even with a kerbside buildout. Looking like a 'cheap' pedestrian crossing, the feature allows a pedestrian to cross each half of the road separately, pausing in the 'refuge' until the other direction is clear.

If any cyclist, positioned as in Figs. 1 or 2 is passing through such a road narrowing, then motorists WILL attempt to squeeze past! They will NOT wait behind until the bicycle is clear and there is ample space to overtake. So the experienced cyclist takes control of the situation by moving to Fig.3 - right in front of a motorist and clearly taking the full width of the gap. With a cycle now in the centre of a narrow lane, the car cannot overtake! The cyclist must have checked behind before doing this, of course, and move into position in good time - NOT immediately before the gap!

Now some cyclists may have a concern about doing this - impeding the motorist, upsetting the motorist etc. If it is to improve YOUR SAFETY, then IMPEDE them! Oh yes, the motorist certainly likes - nay expects - unfettered progress under all conditions, and A FEW may not like you doing this. But instances a 'foul language' or gestures are rare, so what anyway, provided you move back to the metre postion when the restriction has been cleared.

The new National Standards for Cycle Training refer to the two preferred distances (Figs. 2 and 3) as the Primary and Secondary positions, and cyclists who take the latest training will be using both positions a lot when on the road.

But there are some road features intended to help the cyclist. Click here to go to this section.