Ok here is a safety tip I should heed. don't ride faster than your angels can fly.
seriously, what that means is actually quite a bit when taken realistically.
how about, ride under control. its a concept I learned from learning how to ski back when I was 13 years old from a ski instructor on the bunny hill. His advice was that if you feel like you're out of
control, you probably are and that's when bad things start to happen. In this case the remedy was to snowplow, or make a V with my skis to shed some speed. The result is obvious, you slow down. But what is lost in velocity, is gained in something far more important, that is, the ability to plan or "think things through". The same can be applied to biking. (and life?)In my world the ideal road is one that's flat, straight, and with no cars, (ok and a nice steady tail wind but thats beside the point) In reality, the odds are slim to none it ever happens. Throw into the equation a weekly commute, and the odds are even worse.
I have to admit that I love to ride fast, and with that I take risks. Cutting in front of a car, turning in front of oncoming traffic, entering a road from a trail system or crossing an intersection at a high rate of speed. All these are decisions to make, and a rider is allowed a certian amount of time to see the situation, process, and take action. Riding a bike means constantly being aware of your surroundings. The pavement, potholes, debris, drainage grates, cars, other bikers, signs, traffic signals, the list is endless. And a rider takes in all of this information. the faster you go, the more information is available, the less time you have to take in information because the environment is, well, changing faster.
This is exactly why I say I should take my own advice. I am learning to ride under control and ride slower. Iam not perfect but I am currently practicing on my daily commute. what I gain is, more time to assess, make decisions and act. Instead of cutting in front of a car, I can let them go by and check behind me again, look for potholes, and check the traffic signal. The thril of riding fast up and out of the saddle is gone, (think back to the movie quicksilver or a tour de france stage). But am I either of those, a movie star or a super athlete on a closed circuit? of course not! I am able to go slowly, allow myself longer to make an assesment and take action. Biking is about constantly being aware, and when biking becomes reckless and out of control it can tick off a lot of people, and cause yourself a lot of pain. Like I said, I am not perfect, I still like to ride in a peleton, and I save biking fast for wide open streches of back country road, (most likely i am being chased by a dog in those cases.) but commuting its all about allowing time to think through and then act. Give yourself time enjoy the ride, I am, and its paying off.
