The big news reverberating today around the London cycling blogosphere and reaching the mouths of cyclists sipping their morning cup of Joe in Look Mum No Hands, is about the planned changes to Bow Roundabout.

Nothing if finalised yet. However, it looks as though we will soon be seeing the first ever phased traffic lights in the UK. Cyclists will be given a separate set of lights, 12 metres ahead of general traffic. The lights will go green for cyclists first, giving them enough time to safely navigate and clear Bow Roundabout without fearing fast moving left turning traffic.

These changes will likely be seen in time for the Olympics. Visitors attending the games will be able to marvel at how forward thinking we are with our cycling infrastructure. “Them Brits really know what they’re doing over there on the other side of the pond!”

Over 500 junctions up for review

Unfortunately, it has taken a number of tragic deaths and protests before the Mayor ordered an urgent review of the most dangerous junctions in London. With over 500 junctions in the queue, Bow was pushed up the line to first position. The priority of getting this right is high enough that TfL will likely be breaking their rule of no new major road works in the run up to the Olympics.

The other major change is to the Bow flyover. According to the press release 60% of cyclists choose to use the flyover to navigate across from Bow road to Stratford High Street. A new compulsory lane just for cyclists would improve safety.

Is this a sign of bigger things to come?

The changes will have cycle campaigners wondering whether it’s time to pop open the champagne and celebrate better things to come or whether they are counting their chickens too early.

According to a phone interview with Ben Plowden, the Director of Better Routes and Places at TfL, it absolutely" and unequivocally is. The priority will be to review the junctions that are the largest in scale and public interest.

As you read this you’ll be thinking: Kings Cross. The scene of many of the recent protests.

(See also: Pictures from the Christmas Vigil held by cyclists at Kings Cross)

This was the next question I put to Ben Plowden. The original improvement works that have been planned for a while at Kings Cross, will still be going ahead. These plans have been criticised by campaign groups of not doing anywhere near enough to protect cyclists.

However, and this is where things get confusing, TfL will still be including Kings Cross junction in their wider review program. It seems counterproductive to go ahead with changes that have been planned for a while, with a view to changing them down the line.

To that Mr Plowden added that the original changes needs to be done in time for the Olympic games, due to the huge increases in pedestrian traffic in the area.

Big changes are coming, but after the Olympic games

It’s likely therefore, any further big changes such as the ones seen at Bow Roundabout, will only bring safety to cyclists after the Olympics. The job of campaign groups will be to keep the pressure on TfL and the Mayor, to press ahead with any recommendations that come out of the review of all the junctions.

The positive change, is that it finally seems the TfL wheels have begun spinning in a good direction for cyclists. Whilst 2012 won’t be the year we stop opening the newspaper to stories of cyclists hit by vehicles, the Bow Roundabout should stand as an example of what can be achieved when the Mayor acts on people’s concerns.

See also:

• Kings Cross Christmas Vigil for cyclists who lost their lives in 2011
• Blackfriars Bridge protest

This table lists the cyclists killed in London in 2011:

1. Gary Mason (48, male) Sandy Lane South
2. Daniel Cox (28, male) Dalston Junction
3. Tom Barrett (44, male) A40
4. David Poblet (20, male) Tanner Street
5. Paula Jurek (20, female) Camden Road
6. Gavin Taylor (40, male) Mildmay Grove North
7. Naoko (34, female) Queen Caroline Street
8. Thomas Stone (13, male) Bell Farm Avenue
9. Unknown (62, male) Layhams Road
10. Paul McGreal (44, male) Hackney Road
11. Johannah Bailey (49, female) Cavendish Road
12. Sam Harding (25, male) Holloway Road
13. Min Joo Lee (24, female) Pentonville Road
14. Brian Dorling (58, male) Payne Road
15. Svitlana Tereschenko (34, female) Bow Road
16. Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Carey (22, female) Abbey Street

This evening at 6 p.m. they’ll be a chance to remember them at the King’s Cross Vigil. The Vigil is organised by the LCC, RoadPeace, London Living Streets and cycling bloggers.

The event is open to anyone who wants to mark their respect. It will be part of a larger call on the Mayor and TfL to put cyclist safety above “smoothing traffic flow”.

On one hand it feels that posting the names of cyclists killed on London’s roads is off putting to new cyclists and creates the image that cycling is a risky activity. However, it would be wrong to let these tragic deaths go unrecognised. It reminds us of the dangers and to be as careful as we can be. It is also a chance to rally together as London cyclists.

What can be done?

Reading through what accident reports are available, a repeating pattern emerges. Heavy Goods Vehicles are involved in a disproportionate number of incidents. Wide blind spots are blamed for the problem.

Part of the solution is seen as a rollout of Trixi Mirrors. The mirrors installed at key junctions reduce drivers blind spots. Currently they’ve been implemented in the first Cycle Superhighway and have received positive feedback from drivers and cycling campaigners. Thanks to their perceived benefit, the Mayor has pledged to continue their rollout to all new cycle superhighways as they are built.

Unfortunately, any progress of getting Trixi mirrors installed in some of the most dangerous junctions in London is hampered pending approval by the Department for Transport. They are likely to need more statistical evidence before granting wider permissions.

Training for HGV drivers is another way of improving cycle safety in London. Currently it isn’t mandatory for freight companies to provide training to their drivers. The Freight Operator Recognition Scheme by TfL is one route some companies have pro-actively joined. Once again the feedback of these training schemes has been very positive. HGV drivers have noted an improved awareness of what it is like to be a cyclist and of the potential dangers.

The more recent rallying cry by cyclists and campaigners is for safer design of junctions. The Blackfriars Bridge protests were a part of this. However, so far this advice has largely been ignored and walkouts by the conservative assembly members have delayed any fruitful discussion as to ways of moving forward.

While Dutch style infrastructure remains largely a pipedream for London cyclists, it is clear that in 2012 the Mayor, whoever that will be, will continue to face tough questions about ignoring cyclist safety. Those tough questions will come from cyclists who continue to pile on the pressure in any way they can. Perhaps the most encouraging thing to have come out of 2011 is the increased organisation of cyclists as a group and the growing power that gives them.

Thanks to Ben Broomfield for the picture and Olaf Storbeck for compiling the statistics on serious cyclist incidents in London.

Four of the best front bike lights

• Saving money: Cateye HL-EL 130 (front and rear set for £19.11) – a set of lights that get the job done, don’t cost too much and will last for years. I had the same set of Cateye lights for around 5 years and only eventually changed them because I wanted to try the Knog lights.
• Don’t want to have to buy new batteries: Blackburn Flea (£21.99) – USB chargeable, tiny and gives plenty of light for its size. Quick mounting strap means can be moved to whichever one of your bikes you are using. My current front light of choice. 
• Spending money: Hope vision 1 (£79.99) – this bright light won’t leave you in the dark. At full power it pumps out 240 lumens. The light also comes with a helmet mount.
• Looking for something different: Knog Boomer (£25.49) – said to be slightly brighter than the Flea the rechargeable boomer relies upon Knog’s textbook silicon cover to attach to the bike. Some people love Knog lights others hate them!

Four of the best rear bike lights

• Saving money: Cateye HL-EL 130 set (£19.11)
• Don’t want to have to buy new batteries: Blackburn Flea (£21.99)
• Spending money: Exposure Flare (£35.99) – with its pulsating beam and continuous glow modes this light is perfect for attracting attention. The twisting motion switch also makes it less likely the light will turn on whilst in your bag.
• Looking for something different: Fibre Flare (£26.99) – aiming to provide 360 degree visibility, the Fibre Flare lights are a good innovation in bike lights and have had plenty of positive reviews.

Wow, far out man! Gnarly!

Nicole has previously talked about a couple of other cool ideas for staying visible so I thought I’d give them a quick mention and add one more into the equation.

• Reflective Spokes (£7.99) – these spoke add-ons attach to your existing spokes and provide good side reflection.
• Bike glow ($25) – the easiest way to describe these lights is by imagining you are decorating your bike to look like a Christmas tree.

See also:

• Definitive guide to bike lights
• What bike lights do London Cyclist readers use
• Roundup of rear bike lights
• Nicole’s night time setup

Here are three simple rules that should be etched into your mind to help you stay safe whilst out cycling in London.

1# Thou shall never undertake a moving vehicle

There’s a reason they put this on all Boris Bikes! When you pass a vehicle on the inside (left) that’s considered undertaking. A driver most expects someone to overtake on the right. Therefore, they often check their right mirror. Unfortunately, the left mirror is under used. This is a particularly dangerous scenario when a truck is turning left. They may fail to see the cyclist as they have a very large blind spot.

Stay back, give it a couple of extra seconds, an overtake the same as a motorbike or car would.

2# Glance at the vehicle behind every 8-10 seconds

Three important principles are at work here. The first is psychological. The eye contact makes the driver feel they are being watched and so are likely to act with more courtesy. The second is that your glance backwards draws the drivers attention to you. Finally, it gives you an awareness of the road behind so you don’t get any nasty surprises. As my cycling instructor said to me with a very serious look – he doesn’t like surprises.

That glance behind also means that if you suddenly have to swerve to avoid something you know the position of the car behind.

3# Fight the fear to be shouted at

Picture a narrow street, lined with parked cars, with barely enough room for a car to overtake you on the left. Of course, knowing your luck, a taxi is revving up behind rushing to get to the next traffic light to wait.

Out of wanting to avoid any confrontation you squeeze to the left, the taxi sees the opportunity, and takes the risk to overtake narrowly on the right with their mirror barely missing your shoulder.

You sir, have just put yourself and the taxi in danger!

This is because you could have been hit by a parked car opening the door, you could of been hit by the taxi and you have absolutely no room to swerve to avoid anything that appears on the road suddenly. The taxi is in danger because if you swerve they’ll either hit you or ram into a parked car.

In this situation fight the urge to avoid a few angry revs and a look of disgust from the driver by realising you’ve done both you and the driver a favour by staying in the middle of the lane completely preventing them from overtaking.

As they angrily get by you at the next opening, only for you to catch up with them at the next traffic light, flash them a smile and a thank you wave.

Are you some kind of saint?

No, I break these rules often too, especially when I’m tired and just want to get home. But I am aware of it as I do it and try to remind myself why what I’m doing is dangerous.

See also:

• 7 mistakes you are making with your cycling and how you can correct them
• One simple way to make your bike less attractive to thieves

Method 1: £45 for a bike lock?

When you are buying a bike ask if you need a bike lock. Of course, the assistant will foolishly say yes – little does he or she know that you want your bike to be stolen. Play along but purchase the cheapest one you can find. I strongly recommend avoiding the Kryptonite New York 3000 as that is likely to majorly hinder theft. Instead, choose something that looks like it could be cut with a pair of children’s safety scissors.

Method 2: One is more than enough

Walking past bike stands you may notice a number of cyclists use two bike locks. Believe it or not, it’s even frequently recommended by police stickers left on bike stands! Fools! Little do they know how much they are inconveniencing thieves and how much they are decreasing the chances that their bike will be stolen. To that end make sure you only ever “secure” your bike with one bike lock.

Method 3: Time to play a game of chance

One of my absolute favourite ways of getting my bike stolen is to leave it somewhere unlocked. Preferably, my back garden. Then a thief is easily able to open the garden gate (of course leave this unlocked) and ride off with the bike. However, don’t restrict your creativity just to the back garden. When you pop in to buy some milk at the corner shop leave your bike outside for a few minutes unlocked – if you are lucky an opportunistic thief will have that.

Method 4: Take cue from the UK’s prime minister

One man who knows exactly how to get his bike stolen is David Cameron. Often known as the UK’s prime minister but less frequently known for his hilarious bike locking antics. To execute this method start by finding a post you can lock your bike to. The post should be have a maximum height of 1.5 to 2 meters. Just enough for a bike thief to be able to easily lift the bike off and ride off with it. Brilliant and hilarious!

Some people have also had success locking their bike to a post with a sign above it. Whilst common sense would say that a thief wouldn’t be able to lift the bike off they have been known to cut the top of the post off.

Method 5: You don’t need to be a Houdini

Someone who wants to get their bike stolen needs to be familiar with how not to lock their bike. Unfortunately, with an abundance of information on “how to lock your bike” this information has sadly often remained hard to find. This forum post provides some inspiration. The best thing to do is to focus on locking just one part of your bike. I highly recommend locking just the front wheel to a bicycle stand.

Of course, some strange people amongst you don’t want to have their bike stolen. In which case you might find these articles of interest:

• Good bike lock guide
• One method for making your bike less attractive to thieves
• London Cyclist’s share their experiences of how their bikes were stolen
• How to lock your bike
• How to prevent your bike from getting piranha’d

Image via LFGSS forum.

I remember well my bike being stolen outside college. I returned from my class, walked to the bike shed and it just wasn’t there. At first I was completely stumped and even started to wonder if I had actually cycled that day. Looking back it’s no surprise it was taken. It had a cheap £10 lock attached to just the front wheel. I wasn’t saddened by the monetary value of it (an old mountain bike) but more the fact suddenly I didn’t have my beloved bike to get me home. I talked to the security about any footage of the theft happening but they had nothing. Defeated, I took the bus to get home.

Share your bike theft experiences in the comments..

Important reads:

• How to lock your bike
• How to make your bike less attractive to thieves
• Unconventional ways of preventing your bike from being stolen
• Bicycle insurance

Image via Barry Pousman

I’ll never forget the approach of my friend Godwyns. When he spots an aggressive driver, he will tend to pull up in front of the car at the next light and when the light goes green, he will wait there. This tends to make drivers very mad and I wouldn’t recommend it!

My approach varies. Some times I will claim the lane because if I fear that the aggressive driver is going to attempt a stupid overtaking then it’s worth me forcing them to stay back. Other times I’ll just move to the side and let them pass.

What do you do with an aggressive driver “on your six”?

Quick thanks to reader Iain for being the inspiration for this post

Also related:

• How to turn right on a multi-lane roundabout
• I’m scared to leave my bike…
• How to get the ultimate revenge on bad drivers
• Which roads do you avoid like the plague?

A good reader question and yes multi-lane roundabouts are not that fun!

My advice would be as follows: Think like a car! Something like 80% of cyclists are also drivers (or at least hold a driving licence). So you probably know what I’m talking about..

Therefore, you need to be filtering into the correct lane and remembering the 7 mistakes that all cyclists make. I.e. Taking a primary position in the middle of a lane so a car cannot overtake you.

To give further advice I looked at John Franklins much quoted book: Cyclecraft.

The right way to do it

You need to start gradually moving into the right lane (arm out, filter one lane at a time) usually more than 100 metres (330 feet) before the roundabout if you want to turn right.

Just before entering the roundabout you want to be in the middle of the right hand lane. When you enter the roundabout cycling at speed can be an advantage.

On the circulatory road you should be riding on the left of the centre of the right-hand lane. When you are opposite the lane of traffic entering the roundabout before the exit you want you need to start gradually turning towards the exit road.

The key is to not make any sudden turns that drivers can’t predict.

In terms of your signalling the most important is to signal left just before you start to make an exit. You should aim to combine signalling with a show of intention i.e. starting to turn your bike.

As always keeping all your senses awake and ready.

Finally, when exiting you should keep the primary position until you feel comfortable letting a driver overtake you.

For more advice like this I strongly recommend John Franklins book.

Also on the topic of safe cycling:

• 7 mistakes all cyclists make and how you can correct them
• Tips you need to keep you cycling safely this winter
• Steps to keep in mind if you are ever in an accident
• How to make your bike 57.5% less attractive to thieves

Listen to the clip below and let me know what you would have answered for these common complaints that were raised.

With a benefit of a little more preparation here’s what I should have said on each of these topics..

All cyclists jump red lights

Whilst it’s true that a small percentage of cyclists jump red lights focusing on this largely ignores the bigger issues. You have to ask: Why do cyclists jump red lights? The answer they are likely to give you is that they get 50 yards of traffic free riding. Being on a narrow road and cycling next to a heavy goods vehicle is not always a pleasant experience. Unfortunately, due to the lack of investment in cycling infrastructure and planning for cyclists on the roads this is the daily reality for anyone who does want to pursue a cheaper, healthier and pollution free mode of transport.

Whilst I definitely don’t encourage that behaviour and would myself like to see less of it, what we have to remember is that a cyclist jumping a red light is a very different affair to a car jumping a red light. The implications of the latter obviously being far more severe to an unfortunate person crossing the road or to fellow road users.

Cyclists should be licenced/insured

This is an ancient argument that has long been discredited. If you start to try to licence cyclists you make it more complicated for someone to start cycling. As we are living in a city struggling to meet its pollution targets and on the verge of major fines from the EU any pollution free mode of transport should be embraced. The bicycle happens to also solve many of the congestion problems in London.

All cyclists wear headphones and talk on their mobiles

That wouldn’t make them too different to drivers then would it?

Cyclists are a huge danger to pedestrians

If you compare the one recorded death by dangerous cycling in London versus all the deaths every year on roads from drivers then you’ll never make a statement like this. It’s true to say that cyclists shouldn’t ride on the pavement but to call a bike a huge danger to pedestrian is a gross exaggeration.

How the rest of the world sees cyclists

The one good thing to come out of the interview (apart from a bit of good promotion of London Cyclist blog!) was to be reminded how the rest of the world often sees cyclists. If similar questions come up in a future interview I’ll be a little more prepared to hold my own. What would you have answered?

Related link:

• Bloody cyclists – covers the common arguments and provides some useful stats

Hands up those who were spooked by the untimely death of former boxer Gary Mason in a cycling accident at the weekend?  I was.  Apart from the awful loss of another human being, there are two reasons why this made such an impression on me.

Taking the kids to school

First, I had recently resolved to get my children cycling to school one or two days a week. We had done a couple of dry runs, just to measure the distance and see if they could do it. We live out in Sussex and currently drive along some country lanes to get to school. However, the danger with country lanes is that cars expect them to be empty and consequently use them to drive as fast as they can (un)comfortably go.

When I mentioned it to friends, they were less than enthusiastic, and one suggested that I would be certain to lose friends in the playground when my cycling was making the other mothers late! And then, on 7 January, I heard the news about Gary Mason’s death.

Asking the difficult questions that put people off cycling

Am I putting my children in an unnecessarily risky position, just so that we don’t have to drive to school every day?  How can this be?  That I feel that I can’t do such a simple and pleasurable thing because of the danger from car drivers, who are mostly comprised of a zillion other mothers trying to get to school on time, and who wouldn’t dare (or be bothered) to cycle.  Am I really putting them at so great a risk?  Should I?

The second reason it made such an impact on me was that since the week before Christmas we have been inundated daily, and sometimes hourly, with reports into the investigation of the murder of Joanna Yeates in Bristol.  Does the death of a cyclist mean so little that it merits only a paragraph in the press, and only then because of the fact that he was a boxer and therefore already famous, while the death of a very ordinary young woman merits so much coverage.  

There is no doubt that the two events are equally tragic, but the media only wants to highlight the ones which sell papers, not events which should be on our national conscience, or ones that we could prevent. 

At the moment, I can’t say anything about the nature of the death, other than that Gary Mason was pronounced dead at the scene after a collision with a combi-van. Obits and plaudits galore for his prowess in the ring, but not a squeak about the nature of  the problems that cyclists face on a daily basis in and around the congested South-East, the only comment being how dangerous it is to cycle nowadays!

Was it his fault that he was on the road? We need to be changing this mindset. I feel increasingly motivated to stand up.

There are any number of organisations and bodies requiring the vocal support of all cyclists, a lot of them with good things to say.  Have a look at the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain, the City of London’s Local Implementation Plan, to name just two.  I’m not an activist. Nor am I political in the sense that I participate in party politics. However, I am coming around to the idea that we need to stand together with these organisations and make our voices heard.  We need a more coherent strategy so that we can cycle our children to school if we feel like it.

What do you think?

Leave a comment below.

Related posts on other cycling blogs:

• Stop the child murder (Hembrows Cycling Blog) – how the Netherlands boosted their cycling levels by focusing on something we can all relate to: Children
• Lick your LIPS – It’s time to get the city to listen to cyclists (iBikeLondon)