How do you feel safer cycling in traffic?

Traffic is the thing that keeps most people off their bikes. The good news is that confidence on the road is a skill, built from a handful of habits and the right routes, rather than a personality trait you either have or do not.

The specific rules vary by country, so treat what follows as general habits and check your own national road code. We refer below to the UK's Highway Code rules for cyclists because they are clearly written and openly available.

Road position: be where you can be seen

Many nervous riders hug the kerb, hoping to be out of the way. That often has the opposite effect: you are riding through drain covers and debris, and drivers may squeeze past too close.

The Highway Code's rule 72 sets out two positions. On quiet roads, in slower traffic and approaching junctions or narrow sections, it suggests riding in the centre of your lane, where you are most visible. On busier roads where vehicles are moving faster than you, it suggests letting them overtake where it is safe, while keeping at least half a metre from the kerb, and further where that is safer.

The idea is simple. Where it would be unsafe for someone to overtake you, ride where they cannot try. Where it is safe, let them pass.

Look around, all the time

Rule 67 of the same Code advises looking all around before you move off, overtake, turn or stop, and leaving room when passing parked cars in case a door opens. A quick look over your shoulder is also a signal in itself: drivers behind notice when you turn your head.

Many experienced riders also try to catch the eye of drivers waiting at side roads. You cannot be sure they have seen you, so ride as if they have not, but a look does help you judge.

Lights and clothes

Under rule 60, bikes ridden at night in the UK must have a white front light and a red rear light, plus a red rear reflector. Rule 59 notes that light-coloured or fluorescent clothing helps in daylight and poor light, and reflective clothing or accessories help in the dark. Daytime lights are optional, but many riders use them anyway.

Junctions are where it matters

Most tricky moments happen at junctions and roundabouts. A few habits:

• Take your position early, before the junction, not in it.
• Signal clearly and then put both hands back on the bars before you turn.
• Never undertake a large vehicle on the inside at a junction. Lorries and buses turning left (or right, in countries that drive on the right) may not see you. Wait behind.
• Walking is allowed. Rule 73 says that if a junction does not feel safe, you may prefer to get off and wheel your bike across. There is no shame in it.

Choose the route, not just the technique

The biggest single change most people can make is the route. Quiet back streets, cycle lanes, canal paths, parks and residential roads often add a few minutes and remove most of the stress. Try new routes at a weekend when you have time to spare. Our guide to cycling to work covers that test-ride approach.

Building confidence

• Practise in quieter traffic first, such as Sunday mornings, and build up.
• Ride with a confident friend who can show you the positions on real roads.
• Book a cycle training session. Many councils and cycling organisations offer adult lessons on real roads, often at low cost.
• Choose an upright bike with good brakes and visibility. A comfortable city bike makes it easier to look around.