Curve Practice

Curves are hard.  I've gotten much better after much more practice.  I'm still not perfect and still have more to learn, but I'm way better than when I started.

Back in the school parking lot, I found an empty lot and went around in a big track.  I kept doing that to get the hang of it.  Then once I was good with that, I stepped up the speed and took it faster.

Once I started going out on the roads, I found this awesome for practice road that connects two schools.  It is a 20 MPH road.  Not much traffic, pretty good visibility for most of it.  Some curves, but two, count em' two 90 degree curves one right after the other.  I don't know who designed this road.  It makes a strange cut out around a park or something.  "With a little more thought, you think someone may have said, hmm, maybe we could just go straight or curve the road out."  To which the other person must have said "Nah, two quick 90 degree bends is the way of the future."  Again, don't know what they were thinking.

But on the upside, this makes for an awesome practice road.  I'm still going back to it every now and then.  I'm pretty good at it.  Thus, if your trying to practice curves, that's what I suggest.  Start in an empty parking lot, work up there, make sure you can do it at a faster space.  Once you are comfortable on the road, see if you can find a good badly-designed-for-traffic, but good-for-practice road out there.

My advice to fellow new riders:

Every curve is easier at a slower speed.  Those signs with numbers on them right before the curve are suggested speed for the curve.  The curve is easier at that speed and lower.  Of course, it is a bit distressing to go along at 30+ and then come to a corner that says 15, but do it anyways.

As advised in the course, slow down before the curve, and then accelerate once your in it.

Oh, and my general rule of thumb is for a right turn, be in the left-third of your lane.  And for a left turn, be in the right-third of your lane.