When I was living in Adelaide I took advantage of every opportunity I could to use my bike or skates instead of the car.  I only used the car when I needed it for my work.  I always felt safe on the bike.  I never thought about how I should try to fall off and I don't think it would have helped me if I did.  When I know I'm about to collide with something the only thing that's going through my head is ''Fiddle dee dee, I believe this will hurt" but perhaps not in those words.
Skates are a bit of a different story.  I will only skate somewhere if I know the roads that lead there are skater friendly and sometimes that might mean I go a slightly longer way.  I always wear wrist guards when I skate and try to make sure I fall on them, which generally happens automatically anyway.  As for stopping I put one foot behind and perpendicular to the other, forming a T shape.  Many skates come with a rubber brake on the back but I find them a bit of a nuisance so I've taken mine off.

what is race/ultra walking?  is that like that one episode of malcom in the middle where the dad wears the blue suit and everyone walks with him?   

Hi,

I mainly ride everywhere, though I do also walk occasionally, especially when I combine it with bus or trains.

In regards to safety on the bike, keep to the backroads, it might be a little longer than the main road, but you can always find a nice quite road that goes near the same place as the main road. I also find riding through quite suburban streets is a great way to find those untended fruit trees to snack on! also, just ride confidently, but cautiously, dont take risks, and its ok to get off an walk if the traffic is too crazy.

bikes rock. i even know a family whom doesnt own a car!
its not an option for everyone but is for most.

cars are great , its just the belief that they are to be used every trip, that isnt so great.

my life goal is to never own a car. im 30 this year and still havent got a license.

people said i couldnt do it, i would never meet chicks, i would get sick from the cold air, i would get laughed at..
but the reality is im meeting fit chicks, laughing and riding up mountains to cold alpine air..

there is a fun magazine called 'carbusters'. the money we save from being car free raw vegans..its ruthless. i like the cartoon of the dude sitting in traffic saying ' i hate driving but gotta get to work!" then at work he says " i hate this job but gotta make car payments"

go to a bike shop, find a dude over 40( cos usually they have fitted thousands to bikes) and ask em what size to get. trek make a great bike called the 7.0. it retails about 400$ aus and has lifetime frame warranty. it comes with rack mounts for panniers to carry shopping and mudguard eyelets to ride whatever the weather.

grab a cycling specific gore tex jacket and your set. a lock and heaps of 'go vegan' stickers all over your bike will keep the theives at mcdonalds.

i go backroads but ive cycled paris, seattle, los angeles, bangkok, singapore, london, sydney...its all good. cycling is extremely safe. motorists breath in more fumes than cyclists, well maybe except in bangkok..lol!

any excuse to live more of the athlete lifestyle. bike riding lets us see things we wouldnt see before, save cash for air tickets to exotic locations or a better bike or whatever, we meet other crazy cyclist crew(most of my friends now are bike nuts).

its a whole different world being carfree. youll see.
i dont even know what the price of petrol is?
i just turn up to the farmers market, organic shop or tree and fuel up there. different month or location means i get a different fuel.
foraged oranges in beverly hills, keet mangoes in alajuela or cane juice at fox studios in sydney.

harley- Awesome post!

aguacate- you can also get a basket for the front of your bike, they can be good for easily putting the shopping in, but arent so cool. If you dont mind the image, it might also help keep the bike theives away.

Australia has pretty thorough testing so any helmet will protect your head. But make sure you get one that fits and wear it properly. That probably makes the biggest difference for  safety. Go to a decent bike shop and they will help fit it for you. I cant stress how important this is. you might as well not wear it if its not on your head properly.

Helmets can range in price from $20-300. the main difference is the number and size of air-flow holes,  to keep your head cool. Theres also differences in quality, but unless your a serious racer, you dont need to pay too much.

And then theres the importance of looks. generally the more you spend the nicer it looks.

Anyone guess what my job is? ...teaching bike ed to school kids

In Bali Piers and I biked for two weeks, sometimes in HUGE traffic with 30+ scooters + many cars around us. I found especially in countries like Thailand and Bali they seem more used to bikes and you just go with the flow and it works perfectly. I think I would be more careful in Australia or Canada... funny isn't that.

helmet is vital..and todays helmets are fashion statments in there own right. try on a few and grab the lid that fits..

save your brains from doing a tarmac skid
by always slapp'n on ya lid!