AS a new cyclist the pavements seemed the only safe option.

The cycleways from Sankey into town are great, but everywhere else was up and down kerbs and across junctions, as I was too scared to head for the road.

But not only was this slow and annoying (and illegal!) but I was terrified up bending the frame of my fancy new bike.

So bit I bit, I mingled with the traffic.

A couple of times it was very scary. I shudder at the first time I went through the lights from Sankey Green roundabout and downhill as lorries went past at more than 30mph.

And only last night that two idiots, one a boy racer in a modified hatchback, the other an MGF probably driven a PR girl or a man with a mid life crisis, raced past me from Penketh towards Fiddlers Ferry.

But overall it's been surprisingly easy.

Before I knew it I was so focused on riding, or just on thinking about life/work, that I barely noticed the cars coming past.

Most give you a wide birth and are very considerate.

I try and keep about one metre from the kerb - it's enough to stop me drifting into the kerb, enough so cars can't miss men, and enough to let cars come past as long as they slow down.

I read a good bit of advice - don't panic about the traffic. You ARE traffic, and have the same rights on the road.

And, what's more, sticking to the road reduced the journey time by almost a third instantly!