Kitap: Cyclecraft "Skilled Cycling Techniques for Adults"
Yazar: John Franklin
ISBN: 0-04-440210-4 (1988 baskısı)
ISBN: 0-11-702051-6 (1997 baskısı)
Kitap hakkında 2 not:
* İngiltere (ters) trafiğine göre yazılmış. Sağ-sol kafanızda yer değiştirerek (veya resimlere aynadan bakarak

) okumanız lazım.
* Kitap, trafikte pozisyon/inisiyatif alma noktasında "Etkin Sürüş" (effective cycling) ekolünü takip ediyor. Büyük kabul gören bir yaklaşım olsa da, azınlıktaki "Çekimser Sürüş" (defensive cycling) taraftarları bazı EC tavsiyelerini reddediyorlar. Dolayısıyla kitaptaki öğretiler pro görüşüdür, ama neticede kanun değildir.
Arka kapak:
Cyclecraft is the first book to describe in detail advanced cycling techniques for coping with traffic and road conditions of every kind.
Starting with advice on the bike itself and basic skills such as accurate steering and gear changing, it moves on to explain how best to carry out difficult manoeuvres at junctions, gyratories and slip roads and how to ride in traffic situations of increasing complexity.
Treating the cyclist as the equal of other road users it recommends a more positive attitude and incorporates many rarely taught techniques. Its aim is to show the everyday cyclist how to ride confidently, efficiently and with maximum safety in today's traffic.
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Stewart C. Russell'ın kitap hakkındaki yorumu:
( (link) )
John Franklin’s CYCLECRAFT is a
very sensible book. By this I don’t
mean that Franklin advocates
pootling around on a staid Raleigh
Superbe, but that everything in it
makes sense.
It even comes with a
recommendation from RoSPA, the
UK’s Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents.
Considering RoSPA’s reputation as
the society for the prevention of
anything and everything, some of
the statements made in the book are
very radical indeed.
Subtitled “Skilled Cycling
Techniques for Adults”, it’s similar to
the UK motor vehicle manual
“Roadcraft” in that it teaches you to
pilot your vehicle assertively and
predictably. This way, you can avoid
getting into or causing dangerous
situations by being outside the
victim mentality.
The book is attractively laid out,
with many simple colour drawings
in the style of The UK Highway
Code. These provide the clearest
possible illustration of a situation,
without unnecessary detail. They
are also, unlike the other two books,
the “right” way round for us left-
hand riders. The rest of the world
will just have to hold the book up to
a mirror, as we do with the others.
Cyclecraft starts out by specifying
what makes a safe and efficient bike,
moves on to basic road skills, and
works up to advanced handling
techniques for town, country and
cycle paths. Like most skilled
cyclists, Franklin emphasises the
bicycle as traffic, taking road space
where required, yet not
unnecessarily holding up other
vehicles.
What’s refreshing about Cyclecraft
is that John Franklin doesn’t let any
personal bias get into the text. The
nearest thing to a rant is a short
piece on bicycle helmets, explaining
how effective they aren’t in many
situations. I guess this was a bit that
RoSPA didn’t see, as they seem to
want to cut out accidents by getting
people off those kiddie things and
into a nice wee car. (These words,
alas, are repeated all too often to me
by my mum, who is convinced I was
born with something missing in not
wanting to drive everywhere).
There’s even a chapter on
‘alternative’ bikes – tandems,
tricycles and recumbents – which
goes through their pluses and
minuses without claiming them to
be either evil or panaceas. Like
cycling, balance is the key.
You might think that, in being even
in tone and balanced in view,
Cyclecraft lacks conviction. Far from
it; Franklin holds these truths to be
self-evident, and preaches them with
confidence, without raising his voice.
It’s a book that generates sales by
word of mouth. I lent my copy to a
local GP, who now seems to
prescribe a bicycle and Cyclecraft to
many of his patients.
Cyclecraft
John Franklin
£9.99
Paperback – 199 pages,
Revised Edition (June 1997)
The Stationery Office
ISBN: 0-11-702051-6
...
In conclusion, then, which book
would I recommend? Cyclecraft I
would say is as essential in every
home as the bicycle itself. It’s not
too weighty, covers everything you
need, and doesn’t condescend or
patronize the reader. Rather than
fiddling with legislation about bike
bells or pavement cycling, the UK
government should require that
every bike sold come with a copy.