Watch out for us.

I was involved in my first accident involving the bike and trailer this Monday gone.

Image credit - Rutland cycling
(Note this is identical to the model i have bar the colour scheme as mine was from halfords)

It's pissed me off but got me wondering what's it going to take for cyclists to get noticed on the road?

The town I live in is awful for cyclists. And we have the likes of the Traffic droid here. for instance. on Monday I was hit in the trailer by a lady whom 2 mins beforehand I had given enough space in front of her because I had the trailer. She was probably playing on her phone and touching the accelerator pedal without realizing she's moving forward. Her excuse was laughable "The sun was in her eyes" funny how when she was producing details her phone was not in her handbag as she claimed, but in her door pocket.

I done everything i can to be legal here, give space to me and other road users. Phone on a mount and Bluetooth hands free in use (unless it's raining then it's wired hands free  lights on both the bike and the trailer and finally the flag pole is lit up like a Christmas tree. Mainly because some arsehat clipped it, snapping it in two. It's taken an age to get it fixed, hence i give more space than usually right now.

But it does annoy me We should be using bikes on the roads and 99% of drivers are good, they give space and will not cut you up. But the same as cyclists the idiots spoil tar us all with the same brush.

Over the upcoming weeks I'm going to be in talks with the councils new Travel choices team to see about organizing a monthly Critical mass type ride through Dunstable and Houghton Regis to try and highlight the fact we are here too.

As for being noticed I don't know how to make the trailer better lit as it's got minimal spaces for lights but will be speaking to the manufacturer about this to see if they can help me.

If you use a trailer and want to get more out of it or help lighting it up please feel free to drop me a line

Paul

Cycle Ninja's

Evening all.
This post comes to you from personal experience of both dealing with and being the Cycle Ninja.

The Cycle Ninja comes out at night, armed with a pushbike, dark clothing no lights and a deathwish, these night dwellers do not keep the streets safe. HELL BLOODY NO they cause chaos by cycling on the road in the darkest of nights at the worst times possible. In some cases getting killed as a result.

For instance. When working at a place on the Luton/Dunstable boarder I had to deal with at least 3 daily, all going the same way. leaving a fat grump going the same way trying to illuminate the other three.
after 3/4 days I got fed up of this and overtook them, leaving them to the whim of the mental drivers going from our town to the motorway. Thankfully none were hurt from what i can gather, but luck runs out people. I for one would hate to have died from being unlit on a dark road or die because a ninja causes an accident. (Remember, to some motorists we are "just cyclists")

Now before people say to me they can't afford a set of lights. In this day that it utter balls.
A visit to Pound shop, armed with £3 is enough to buy Batteries and both front and back lighs. Yes they will fail a damn sight faster than a £30 set from a dedicated bike shop like Chain Reaction Cycles, Halfords or Cyclelife Dunstable. But these will be enough as a start. If splashing £30 is too much many sites do a decent front and rear set for £10. I will link to a few below

I get throughly annoyed when parents let children use bikes late at night with no lights, but. Realize we can't leash our kids. Most do get that being seen is important at night and could keep them alive. but to those who ride without lights you are only encouraging your kids to potentially do the same. And yes I was the ninja when younger. Totaling a £900 bike in the process

A bike can set you back a lot of money if you invest in a good one (not these £50 pile of junk from Indonesia sold through supermarkets and dodgy places that sell "ex catalouge bikes" cheaply) I for one would be ensuring I am visible and safe when on the roads.

I Say this as I witnessed on friday night coming home from the MADS at about 1AM through Leagrave no more than 5 Ninja cyclists, including a near miss sandwiching me and a ninja between a van. (thank the baby jebus the oncoming lane was clear for me to emergency overtake at speed, otherwise the ninja's actions would have injured both me and him)

Keep yourself protected at night. After all nobody else can.

Disclaimer. This is not an advertisement post. far from it. I would be happy to know this post has stopped your child, father, mother, lover, family member, best friend or even enemy from being killed.

Companies i have mentioned here are ones I have remembered off the top of my head, and as a result of this I will link to some sites below with full light sets available cheaply.  If the website wishes for these to be removed as there are other companies listed too. Jog on. This is not for you guys! It's for the protection of my followers and there families (the links are outdated, I'll update them this evening)

Chain reaction cycles (cheapest full set £10 - budget fall apart in weeks set £3) 
Halfords - cheapest decent set £15
Argos - they have some from £6 - spend more than that please
Evans Cycles 
Cyclelife 


Please buy lights. I'm not demanding the full hi viz here, just a light to say you are there!

Paul

2014 Update:

I must urge again people grab a set of lights, £3 is not a lot of money and to be seen and safe is more important that becoming squished under a car. I'm not one of those cyclists who will tell the world what to do with exception of lights, the days are getting darker and too many people risk their lives with this.
If the police used a similar Operation Safeway throught the UK not just the MET how well it would work?
Thoughts please

Join me at SkyRide MK.

Evening all.

Two weeks ago I was contacted by the team from Sky and British Cycling to join in with the Sky Ride in Milton Keynes on Sunday the 26th August.

I've accepted the chance to join in for a few reasons.
Firstly because I like cycling and exploring new areas to ride,
I need a good excuse to train a bit more and increase my currently rubbish health (curse you spinal issues)
And finally. Naughtybike wants to play, safe in the knowledge I'm not going to thrash the bike about too much in respect for other riders.

From now until then I'll be looking for friends, fruitloons, families, vloggers and even hardened cyclists to register for the MK sky ride and join with me and many others for a jolly good set of two wheeled fun. Everyone from beginner to raving loons with naughtybikes are welcome.
I'm aiming to be there at about half nine to meet up with the sky team, and I'm thinking of offering to ride with those who are less confident or maybe need some encouragement. If you wish to join in on that ride please, get in touch.

Before I forget this is a family friendly ride, meaning children and there bikes are welcome, even if attached to a trailgaiter or a child is in a trailer (if i didn't have so many main roads to ride to get to the train station I would bring my trailer and youngest. We'll see)

Also if you join up, register for the Mk ride and come on the ride you have the chance to win many cool things, including bikes, Sky tv packages and Skybox and chances to meet Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton at the National Cycling Center in Manchester.

Come on, take part in a community ride with me and the team at British Cycling and Sky at SkyRide Milton Keynes.

Paul.

P.s. over the next two weeks i'll be adding endomondo training rides onto the blog for you all to see. Some will be slow, due to the trailer or back pain. However some will be stupidly fast.