Rider skills quiz

[telstarbox]

I've put together a short 'theory test' for riders in my cycling group, who are usually used to riding around London but don't always have prior experience on longer countryside rides. The questions aim to cover the most common hazards and the answers are my take on pragmatic best practice, rather than absolute rules.

If anyone would like to provide feedback or adapt it for their own use I would appreciate it I will probably add some photos later to illustrate some of the hazards.

Click here to try it out: https://forms.gle/Uxd141eWfSNJFkJz9

[Kim]

I'm not sure about the Elon Musk solution to crossing busy roads...

[quixoticgeek]

Well I got some wrong...


Question 2, I also included the paint being chipped. Why? cos on a steel framed bike, a chip may mean rust, and rust could lead to failure. Checking general structural integrity is important.

Question about parking. I ticked all of them. Instagram being a proxy for tweeting "you park like an arsehole" and gestures, well have you seen how badly people park? how can you not make rude gestures at drivers?

When it's dark. I ticked the top 3. Apparently hearing owls is not important to you...

Narrow road I got only 1 of 2. I said signal to oncoming drivers. I didn't say pull over.

When it rains, I again ticked all 4. More ducks on the road, yes actually. More wildlife. This can be a hazard. On a longer ride getting your snacks wet can lead to a disaster if you bonk. Keep your food dry!

Falling off, again, I said all 4. It's easy to get distracted by big road... or turn too fast cos you realise you;re going past a pub...

Why shouldn't I scream on descents?

The ford question I got wrong. I said wait for a car. Personally I'd avoid the ford entirely. I don't wanna repack my bearings...

Apparently grade seperated infra is not the only solution to busy roads, who knew...

J

[quixoticgeek]

I'm not sure about the Elon Musk solution to crossing busy roads...

I interpreted that as ride in a country with proper infra...

J

[Lightning Phil]

Crossing a busy road

You have dig a tunnel as a correct answer. 

Seriously, you turn up at a busy road and your solution is to start digging! Meanwhile you mark use a pedestrian crossing if available as incorrect?  You get off your bike, walk (as now a pedestrian) across the pedestrian crossing, then get back on once off crossing on other side of the road.

How should you approach parked cars?

Firstly car doors on modern cars can exceed 1m when fully open.
Secondly if your position is 1m from a car with shorter doors then your handlebars may still hit a door that is opened
Thirdly if passing parked cars with space, but the road is wide enough you are still on the left of the road, then you still have priority.  Giving way is no different than saying that if a homicidal driver is on the wrong side of the road heading towards you, be prepared as the vulnerable party to take avoiding action.   

[Clare]

Dig a tunnel?

WTF?

[telstarbox]

Tunnel - sorry I meant that to be the 'obvious' incorrect answer  , should be fixed now

Ford/flood - on reflection these are different situations because a ford usually has a warning sign (and can even be dry) whereas a flood is something you might come across unexpectedly. Sometimes there is no easy diversion and going through is the least worst option. I've changed it to refer to flood only 

Thanks all useful 

[quixoticgeek]

Tunnel - sorry I meant that to be the 'obvious' incorrect answer  , should be fixed now

Ford/flood - on reflection these are different situations because a ford usually has a warning sign (and can even be dry) whereas a flood is something you might come across unexpectedly. Sometimes there is no easy diversion and going through is the least worst option. I've changed it to refer to flood only 

Thanks all useful 

I would never advise anyone to ride through flood water. You just don't know what's under the water.

J

[Tim Hall]

On the narrow road one, I'd certainly be prepared to dive into the hedge if the oncoming motorist was a weapons grade eejit.

[arabella]

I suspect you assumed the respondents have gears (can't keep the pedals level on a fixie.
& I wouldn't wait for a car, it could be some time.

I'm curious why using a phone might make you fall off (aiui my son uses his for satnav stuff) or do you mean that making (? answering) a phone call is a degree more fiddly than, say, having a drink/snack/putting your gloves on etc?

[Mr Larrington]

On the narrow road one, I'd certainly be prepared to dive into the hedge if the oncoming motorist was a weapons grade eejit.

This ^^^^

[Basil]

The only mistakes I made were not realising that some answers required multiple answers.

[bhoot]

I opted for "dive into the hedge" too.... Based on experience

[psyclist]

I opted for "dive into the hedge" too.... Based on experience

Me too.

I'm not sure what signal could be used to an oncoming driver. A friendly thank you gesture if they have stopped or slowed, but that isn't a signal.

[Cudzoziemiec]

You need to mark the number of answers to be chosen on "What should you do on all rides?"

[Solocle]

On the ford I put "ride through as fast as possible".

A bit of momentum can save you from wet feet.

[rogerzilla]

I opted for "dive into the hedge" too.... Based on experience

Me too.

I'm not sure what signal could be used to an oncoming driver. A friendly thank you gesture if they have stopped or slowed, but that isn't a signal.

Extended middle finger as they zoom past with inches to spare?

[Kim]

I opted for "dive into the hedge" too.... Based on experience

Me too.

I'm not sure what signal could be used to an oncoming driver. A friendly thank you gesture if they have stopped or slowed, but that isn't a signal.

I occasionally do a sort of <stop> <me> <there> to tell oncoming drivers of large vehicles that if they wait I'll pull in in a convenient gap on the wrong side of the road rather than having to squeeze past.  I wouldn't want to do something so unintuitive without communicating my intention first.  That's well into the realms of gesture rather than traffic signals though.

[ravenbait]

I always keep an eye open for extra ducks when it's raining. If it's not rain, it's midges, so seeing isn't my concern.

Ditto on the hedge. And I ride fixed, so I couldn't keep my pedals level if I wanted to.

Sam

[phantasmagoriana]

On the ford I put "ride through as fast as possible".

I did, too (not that I practice what I preach, because I'm a wimp and normally get off and walk if possible ).

[FifeingEejit]

On the ford I put "ride through as fast as possible".

I did, too (not that I practice what I preach, because I'm a wimp and normally get off and walk if possible ).

Flood, hammer it in, weight back and get ready to lift the front wheel if you feel it dropping #MTBer
Ford, chicken out and walk

[rogerzilla]

An old CTC guy gave me the valuable advice that muddy floodwater can conceal big potholes.  So, ride as if there is a big pothole coming up, unless you can see the bottom.

[Basil]

Exactly what happened to me.  Hit a Ford at speed and destroyed the forks in a deep hidden pothole.

[Lightning Phil]

Fords should be treated as though the bottom is coated in ice.  A know a few who have come off and broken hips riding through fords.

[Zed43]

Regarding "How should you descend on a long or steep hill?" I would suggest adding "with your hands in the drops with and two fingers on each brake lever".

There's nothing about group riding, I would point out the danger of overlapping wheels.