The intimacy and joy of biking in traffic

The useful part

Buses squeezed past office buildings, cars zoomed past on the quays and when it rained, water sprayed behind wheels. I knew this, of course, because I was biking everywhere: to parties at my friend's flat, to the library, to cafes, to university, to my job nannying. While I had known how to ride a bike since I was a child, biking was an occasional fun activity – a complicated game of tag on wheels in the holidays, or riding to a restaurant for lunch on a weekend.

How it works

• I wasn't in the habit of signalling my turns or wearing hi-vis clothing.
• I kept a bike lock in my backpack, so the bike would stay safe while I was at university or staying the night at my friend's place.
• Without experience riding on busy roads, it often seemed scary to be so close to the traffic.
• As the days got shorter and rainier I bought some lights for my bike, so I could be seen on the road when biking home after parties.
• In time, the movement of looking behind me to check for cars while riding became less awkward, and more automatic.

Details worth keeping

Wellington, biking through the city seemed terrifying. Wellington was a jumble of grey streets, meeting at odd angles. I didn't have much money: if I needed to get somewhere, I rode there.