On our driving school blog, we often talk about road safety, regulations, and good driving practices; but today we're not driving, we're pedaling to understand what the road is like from a bike.

We spoke with Javi Bolloque González, from Burgos, who travels around the city and its surrounding areas by bike and roller skates. His experience is twofold, and he gives us invaluable insight into what mobility on wheels is like outside of a car.

Javi has already been six years on skates and five on a bike, although it is on the bike where he has begun to take it more seriously since October of last year, when he joined the team CCB Norpetrol from Burgos. Also, skate with Rolling Lemons, a team from Valladolid. As he himself tells us, what began as a hobby has become a way of life:

“I like the tranquility of this sport, sometimes to unwind from a bad day or just to train. I take my bike everywhere I need to go in the village. And if I need to go somewhere out of town, I put it in the car and get around Burgos by bike.

That connection created when riding a bike or skates isn't about miles, it's about sensations, although enjoying the journey doesn't mean there aren't things that cause concern.

Javi says it bluntly when he talks about road safety:

“It's all kinds. You might encounter respectful people who maintain a 1.5-meter distance, but there are always those who stick close to you and don't care. The road is safe if people respect it. If not, it's not. It's because of the people, not because the roads are bad.

A tough but honest reflection. Ultimately, infrastructure helps, but the human factor is decisive. When we asked him about the elements that help him ride more calmly, he was clear that the visibility It is the first and most important thing.

“"I always go out with a fully charged light. If I don't have light, I don't go out on the road."

 

Being well equipped is a responsibility, not an option. For Javi, the helmet It is the most important piece of equipment, both when traveling on the road and when traveling in the mountains, where a fall can be more dangerous than it seems.

“In the mountains, falling and hitting your head is likely. Gloves are also important. People don't give them enough importance, but I fell once, and what gloves do... it may seem silly, but they save you from a lot.

 

And we are not talking about large investments or elite equipment, but about the gestures and elements that really can make a differenceWhen you ride a bike or skate, your body is completely exposed, so anything that contributes to your safety is important.

Also when we talk about sharing the road, Javi tells us that the perception changes a lot depending on whether you're riding in a group or alone.

 

“In the city, I ride on bike paths, which are safer. On the road, I try to go where there are few cars if I'm alone. If I'm with a group, there's more of us, and we're more visible.

 

The group visibility It becomes a form of protection. A car seeing an isolated cyclist isn't the same as a well-organized pack. Even so, it's still a temporary solution. For him, it would be necessary to rethink how some roads are designed:

“I'd try to make narrow roads have longer shoulders, so you can ride single or double, but still safely. But shoulders are often full of rocks, gravel, and so you can't squeeze in. It's dangerous.

 

It's a technical observation, and also a matter of common sense. That's why he shares with us that “Cyclists are often singled out for invading the road, when in reality The secondary road offered to them is in poor condition or simply impassable..

Between pedals and skates, Javi's experience has taught him that moving like this, in addition to the feeling of freedom, should also be a constant exercise in attention and coexistence. Therefore, when we asked him what it means to him, share the road, sums it up in one word: security.

““In the end, it’s about safety and how it affects a cyclist on the road.”

 

Sharing the road shouldn't be a battle between vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, MPVs, or skates. It should be a place where we all respect each other's times and spaces., and of course, the needs of others. And that's achieved with effective road safety education, empathy, a good helmet, and a well-charged headlight.

Thank you so much, Javi, for reminding us that the road belongs to everyone and that each of us has the power to make it a friendlier place.