Personal riding style - Mick Jones 

·     Defensive riding. What does this mean to me and how do I personally adjust my riding style. I actually do regularly ask the question ‘what if ’and adopt the safest position for dealing with that hazard. This often means putting as much distance between the two of us, as I can. Whether it be following vehicle, moving away from a car emerging from a junction, all the time I’m trying to maintain a safe environment around the bike. Subject to the speed and nature of the hazard, this environment is increased or decreased. I always try to ride within that protective buffer zone and believe it is the single most important aspect of defensive riding.

·     Anticipation. Where I wouldn’t encourage continued riding with fingers poised covering the front brake, there is nothing wrong as a potential hazard develops, to move your fingers to cover the brake. Valuable time can be gained through this action

·     Braking. One, two or four finger braking. Modern bikes have excellent brakes and to 'kiss off' a little bit of speed can easily be achieved, with one finger braking. Through experience I have found that when that slight reduction of speed changes into an emergency stop, difficulties can occur. The brain tells you to apply the lever harder, but through the same digit/digits which are on the lever at the time. It doesn’t tell you to now apply four fingers, which will give you maximum leverage and maximum braking that you now need. I now tend to brake with four fingers the majority of the time.

·     Prioritising hazards. Whilst you do need to raise your vision and search the horizon, the more pressing issues are obviously those nearer to you. Your vision therefore has to be split to cover both aspects, as well as what is going on behind you. Within the scope of that vision you then need to prioritise the hazards and it doesn’t always follow that their priority is on the basis of their approach order. By example, 50 yds up the road a child is playing on the pavement, whereas 75yds away is a loose horse running down the middle of the road. Having, prioritised the hazards you can then often link them together and adopt a safe position and speed to deal with them.