Rider skill is a huge factor that receives almost no attention. I constantly see shockingly poor cycling skills, because most cyclists have received little or n

Rider skill is a huge factor that receives almost no attention. I constantly see shockingly poor cycling skills, because most cyclists have received little or no training. Those riders are a hazard to themselves and to other road users. They don't know how to position themselves on the road, they make poor observations and signals, their basic bike handling skills are inadequate. If you're going to ride on the roads, you need to know how to do it safely. I don't know what the situation is in the rest of the world, but here in the UK we have a national network of accredited trainers; courses are often free or very inexpensive, subsidised by employers or the local government. If cycle skills training isn't available in your area, write to your representative and ask why. http://bikeability.org.uk/ http://bikeability.org.uk/