Watching and Communicating with other road users
Essential Observation
Good, all round, observation of what other road users are doing
is essential. As your cycling experience develops, you will learn
to anticipate the actions of others, as well as identify and
prepare for hazards along your route.
NOTE: A Hazard is something which might cause you harm
Always look over your right shoulder before setting off,
changing direction or stopping. This helps you to assess your
safety when cycling on the road.
Looking behind also warns drivers that you may change course or
direction.
As your cycling ability and experience develops, you should aim
to:
- Look regularly - to see what is behind you
- Assess traffic conditions. How fast? How big? How many?
- Before signalling, look behind and try to make eye contact with
drivers to make them aware of what you intend to do
- Look and signal together. Experienced cyclists do this in heavy
traffic or at times when they need to achieve eye contact with
other road users, e.g. on roads with multi-lanes
What should you be looking out for?
- The movement of other road users ahead
- Condition of road surface ahead, eg. potholes, gravel, drain
covers. In wet or icy conditions watch your speed as it will take
longer to stop and the road may be slippery
- Pedestrians crossing between parked cars (especially
children)
- Parked cars, blind corners, animals in the road
- Traffic signs, markings and signals
- Parked cars - doors opening or vehicles moving off
- Traffic emerging from side roads, blind corners, vehicles at
junctions
- Have other road users seen you?
Signaling
When your positioning on the road is good and all round
observation informs you that there is no one to signal to, then
there is no point in signalling.
The Highway Code states “Signals warn and inform other road
users, including pedestrians, of your intended actions. Use them,
if necessary, before changing course or
direction”.
When learning to signal, you will need to practise each type of
signal for turning left, turning right, overtaking parked vehicles
and slowing down. Signals should be bold with the arm extended
straight out and level with the ground and last for approximately
three seconds (see Zone 1).
Experienced cyclists have a high level of observation which
reduces the number of situations when signaling is required.