I took advantage of the free cycling lessons in Hull…

You'd think more people would be cycling in a city as flat as Hull but the perceived danger is putting them off. Statistically, more cyclists die per billion passenger miles travelled than car drivers (23 deaths for cyclists versus two for car occupants). Cycling is still safer than riding a motorcycle (114 deaths per billion passenger miles) but not nearly as safe as being cocooned in a vehicle with a crumple zone. Women are much less likely to cycle to work than men and fear is the number one reason. But I'm truly fed up with “bus life” and have made it my mission to get used to the roads of Hull. READ MORE: Careless driver left man seriously injured – Hull court round-up Your beautiful pictures of aurora borealis as Northern Lights shine over Hull Fortunately, there is a lot of help at hand. “Rusty Riders” by First Steps Sports offer free lessons for total beginners or more experienced riders who want to build up their confidence. Impressively, instructor Dan Currie can teach someone how to ride a bicycle in a single session even if they've never touched a bike in their life before. First Steps Sports have bicycles to loan free of charge for the lessons – so if you haven't bought one yet, it's no problem. Sofie Jackson pictured with instructor Dan Currie at a Rusy Riders lesson in Hull (Image: Hull Live) Because I'd done a fair bit of cycling in childhood and had the basics down, what I wanted help with was riding on the roads. I particularly wanted to learn about “defensive cycling” and safer positioning at junctions. Instructor Trevor Watts took me and another cyclist on a very fun journey through east Hull, sticking to the well-maintained cycle path that leads to the P&O ferry port. I noticed what a difference it makes when a cycle path isn't as pockmarked as the moon – it's a shame the Hornsea trail in Hull is so uneven because I could otherwise use it for my commute into the city centre. Trevor said it is OK for cyclists to use the pavement when they perceive hostile conditions on the road. This surprised me because I'd believed the law on cycling on the pavement was black and white. I can foresee examples of when using an empty pavement might be safer – s
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