Learning to drive

It took me 2 years and 5 driving tests to get my driver's licence. However, as my driving instructor kept telling me, it is only when I am driving around in the city on my own that I am completing my education. There are laws and rules which govern every motorist's actions but what people actually do out on the road is interesting, and occasionally terrifying, to learn.

If not for the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) I would probably never find my way anywhere in the city. However, not having looked at a map before setting off on a journey, thinking that the GPS will guide me, often means that in more complicated road systems, e.g. very large roundabouts, I frequently find myself having to make decisions about what to do with the car a bit more quickly than I would like. The problem is that a relatively inexperienced driver takes a bit longer to decide how to manoeuvre the vehicle. Where the road is complicated and traffic is busy that may prove to be a challenge. Thus, there is still something to be said about being prepared- having a look at maps- before setting off on a journey if one is relatively new to driving.

Bendy buses can be quite intimidating as well as there is something decidedly worrying about a vehicle that apparently swings out at you. Cyclists can be problematic- you're worried about over-taking them and if you don't the drivers behind you may get rather angry at you. Children are particularly scary. When I see a child at the side of the road my brain tells me that child is about to jump out in front of me just for the hell of it so I automatically go into panic mode. It makes no sense at all but for a new driver every little thing is a potential hazard and the panic button gets used quite a bit. Not necessarily a bad thing but there is danger in being over-cautious as other drivers might be impatient and do stupid things because of this impatience.

However it is not all bad. Driving through central London and passing Westminster is rather pleasant; the traffic can be trying at times but it is so much nicer than being in the Tube!

Cycling in the big smoke

Motorists are evil. They mow down cyclists. They think that bicycles have no right to be on the road. A few of the comments that I have heard other fellow cyclists make. I am a fair weather cyclist and don't use the roads as much as people who cycle to work daily but have seldom felt in danger while on the road. This may partly be due to the weather conditions I choose to cycle in as these do have an impact on riders and drivers; in short I admit I am in a vulnerable position while I am on my bike and I will not cycle if I don't feel up to the challenge. Being safe on the road on two wheels requires the cyclist to be sensible about the dangers they will face. Its no good saying its the driver's fault; it may well be the driver's fault but the cyclist will probably come off worse for the driver's mistake(s) so it pays to be more attentive to your own as well as other people's potential faults.

Mostly drivers just don't know how to deal with cyclists- they either have no idea what cycling involves or have problems judging the space and speed of a very small, man-powered vehicle. Motorists need to be trained to be aware of other more vulnerable road users. As cyclists we need to be aware of that and not push them to make difficult decisions. In short, all road users should take responsiblity for their own safety as well as that of others.

I have been annoyed by cyclists as a pedestrian so feel that cyclists have little right to adopt a holier-than-thou attitude in relation to motorists; they are just as bad at ignoring the safety of more vulnerable road users. I am wary at pedestrian crossings if I see a bike approaching because cyclists often don't stop for crossings. Cyclists also often don't stop for lights with the same discipline expected of motorists. I have seen cyclists using the pavements and crossings on their bikes when they should get off their bikes and push their bikes along; under these circumstances they are pedestrians, not cyclists, and what they are doing may be dangerous to people walking on the pavement. Some cyclists argue that they will obey the rules when they have more dedicated cycle lanes to make travelling on bikes safer. Is it O.K. to terrorise more vulnerable road users to get your way? Do you think people will be sympathetic to your plight if you adopt that attitude?

We can make things safe for everyone with a bit of common sense. Its not always about asserting your rights and asking what other people can do for you, but rather what you can do for others.

Commuter rage

Leaving home at the last possible minute is probably a common practice for most commuters. On the one side of the commute there is the comfort of home and on the other side there is the office; the latter is not necessarily uncomfortable but it is not home. When time is limited, the stress of travelling may increase quite dramatically when things don't go according to plan. Some people might enjoy the exhiliration of not knowing and find it all a great big adventure. Most people would probably want a smooth ride to work without having to think about it too much because they are still trying to wake up, or in some cases still continuing with their sleep, while on whatever mode of transport they happen to be on. Dangerous if you are driving but otherwise, perhaps, quite pleasant with the gentle (?) rocking of the vehicle.

People often get angry at each other when things go wrong. Most of the time it is because they have left themselves too narrow a time margin with which to get from A to B, so it is their own fault even if they don't want to admit it. It is so much easier to blame it on the guy who was stuck at the ticket gate for the extra minute it took to get from that to the train. Of course plans should work to the minute-margin and one missing the train with that built-in margin is obviously the fault of the idiot at the gate.

There are times when no amount of planning is adequate, e.g. when someone jumps in front of a train and paralyses the line during rush hour, which seemed to happen quite a bit in the aftermath of the banking crisis. Annoying as the delay may be, taking it out on train station staff, as some people do, is not constructive and could result in you being taken away for aggressive behaviour. Yes, sometimes things go wrong because the service providers are incompetent but that is, more often than not, not the fault of the people on the ground and taking it out on them is just silly.

There are a few simple ways to avoid the stress. Leave yourself plenty of time to travel. This may involve leaving the house just that bit earlier but could save you plenty of grief, and you can still have that extra cup of coffee that you were going to have at home if you do get to the office a bit earlier than planned. Think about what you would need to do if your preferred route were not available and factor in the time needed for an alternative. Just knowing an alternative route in advance can help avoid the panic one feels when things go wrong.

Going to bed earlier and allowing oneself enough sleep is an important factor. Modern life is busy and we all want to do ten zillion things all at once but at some point we just have to admit that we can't do them all and it is perhaps more important to get enough rest. Its about choice. You can choose to go to bed an hour earlier so you get that extra hour of sleep or you can choose to spend it at a bar with your mates. Both are pleasant things to do and neither are right or wrong, as long as you are prepared to accept the consequences of those actions. Don't blame the stress of having to deal with less sleep than needed, or having to rush to work because you overslept, on someone else if you made the decision to spend the time in the bar instead.