There are a few simple truths that I, as a cyclist, wish all drivers knew, but before I begin please let me get a couple of things straight.

This is not about point-scoring smugness.

I am not looking to defend law-breaking cyclists who jump red lights and cycle on pavements.

And, yes, I do drive a car too.

I love cycling on the Welsh roads but sometimes drivers don't fully appreciate what's going through my mind

But most of the time, I commute to work in Swansea by bike, and shaking fists, obscene comments and beeping horns are just a normal part of my daily journey on two wheels.

I get it - as our roads get more congested, people are more frustrated as they battle through the traffic, especially in rush hour. There is probably nothing more frustrating than having to overtake me three times, because I catch up with you again and again in a traffic jam.

It's the same out in the lanes too, and on the main roads outside town and city centres.

But all drivers should know I have not chosen my road position just to annoy you or hold you up - I am cycling in the safest place for me and for you, I am avoiding potholes, the gutter, your blindspot and a dangerous junction.

The relationship between cyclists and drivers doesn't have to be so fractious.

Here are my top-ten things I'd love to explain to all drivers so they can understand what it's like to cycle on our uneven, potholed Welsh roads, alongside speeding cars, vans and lorries, in sunshine, wind, and rain.

10 things every driver needs to know about sharing the road with a cyclist:

    1. We’re not erratic

    While we try to keep close the left hand side of the road, there are many obstacles in the road which cyclists really should try and avoid but which drivers may not even register.

    Take a pothole for example. A pothole can damage a car – but for a cyclist – it can damage both the bike and the rider. Hit a pothole at speed on skinny road tyres, and you run the risk of bursting a tube and damaging the wheel rims. Worse, the impact can cause the rider to come off the bike.

    Potholes can really damage bikes when hit at speed

    And it's not just potholes; even small holes around drain covers or joins between old and new tarmac which have eroded over time are significant obstacles to navigate for a cyclist.

    Particularly hard are the crevices which run along the road for tens of metres sometimes - get your front wheel in one of them and you have little choice but to keep that course until it ends.

    So, while a driver may see a swerving cyclist as an erratic road hog, it’s usually for a good reason. It's why we tend to ride a little way from the kerb to ensure we have space to do so in case we come across a nasty crevice.

    2. Why we hate parked cars

    Picture the scene: a quiet, pleasant Sunday morning, cycling south on the A4054 through Cilfynydd, a long line of vehicles parked on the nearside as is the norm. Suddenly and without warning the driver's side door of a white van opens.

    Swerving to avoid it and crossing into the opposite lane, thanking God there were no oncoming vehicles, the cyclist is subjected to a torrent of abuse from the car behind.

    That is exactly what happened to one cyclist from south Wales earlier this year. It's why cyclists ride more centrally in the road in built up areas.

    It's not an intentional exercise to annoy the driver – cyclists need to leave a door’s width between themselves and parked cars, in case an unwitting occupant flings the door open in our path.

    Cyclists can be toppled by an unwitting occupant flinging their car door open in their path

    While I'm at it, I'd like those people who plan cycle lanes to know this, too – since cycle lanes that run along parking spaces are both extremely common, and extremely dangerous.

    Also, please don't be one of those people who parks in a designated cycle lane.

    3. Traffic islands narrow the road

    Traffic islands create a pinch point in the road. It means less room to overtake and they might even force a cyclist to move into the centre of the carriageway.

    There is a time and a place for drivers overtaking cyclists and next to a traffic island is simply not the place. Traffic islands generally last for about a metre.

    Waiting until both rider and driver have passed the traffic island will make little difference to overall journey time but could make a dramatic difference to the cyclist’s peace of mind.

    4. More space is always appreciated

    You probably need to leave more space than you realise when overtaking a cyclist. Speed, type of vehicle and weather all affect a cyclist being overtaken in different ways.

    Generally, when overtaking at lower speeds (20-30mph), leaving a car's width is plenty.

    A general rule of thumb is to leave at least 1.5m when overtaking a cyclist
    Police are using this graphic by Twitter user @lstwhl to explain how to overtake cyclists

    But at higher speeds, or when driving a lorry or any other large vehicle, you will create a strong draught which can actually pull a bike towards you.

    If it's raining, it's even harder to spot potholes and surface water tends to sit on the edge of roads.

    In high winds, gusts can cause cyclists to wobble, especially if they have been sheltered by a high hedge and then pass an open gateway. A sudden gust can really throw them off course.

    It's always appreciated when drivers leave the same amount of space as they would when overtaking any other vehicle.

    For Nick Leftly, it was all the near misses that caused him to give up cycling on the road altogether.

    He said: "The abuse wasn't the issue (mainly riding on rural roads where I find abuse doesn't happen very often) but many, many times I had cars passing me, doing well over 60mph (in my judgement) and leaving less than 1.5 metres between them and myself, often this would result in me being blown sideways by the draught caused by their vehicle."

    5. Please don't cut me up

    As a driver, I hate it when I get overtaken, only for the vehicle in front to cut in and suddenly turn left.

    It's no different when I'm on my bike.

    Sometimes, a driver will overtake, then turn immediately left which is dangerous as it cuts up the cyclist.

    In some cases, the cyclist is totally invisible to the driver’s blind spot. What usually happens is a driver brakes right in front of the rider. This often causes a sudden pull on the brakes, providing the rider has quick enough reactions.

    If the cyclist fails to brake in time, the results could be a lot more dangerous.

    6. Making the first move at junctions and roundabouts

    Approaching roundabouts and junctions means slowing vehicles and usually queuing traffic.

    On a bike, if I am going straight on or turning right, I can easily get trapped in the left lane. The hardest thing is to judge vehicles which cross my path to leave or join the roundabout.

    British Cycling advises cyclists to approach a roundabout in the same way you would if driving a car and to take control of the appropriate lane for their intended exit.

    What does the cycling instructor say?

    Gareth Thomas is a national standard instructor for cycling, with Cardiff Council.

    "We teach children and adults to use the primary position when it’s not safe for cars to overtake them.

    "This places them in the middle of their lane. It is useful for riding on narrow roads, passing a junction, turning at a junction, approaching a roundabout, on a bend, or when there are parked cars in the opposite lane.

    "The problem is that many drivers don’t understand why we are out there and there is a common misconception that cyclists should be over to the left. Many even believe the “over to the left” is in The Highway Code - it isn’t.

    "I have even had people drive past me beeping with the window open pointing and shouting I should be further over to the left. I have also witnessed drivers who believe they have priority over cyclists simply because they are in a motorised vehicle. This has even happened when we are instructing children."

    Many cycling organisations, including Cycling UK, would like to see cycle awareness training becoming an integral part of driver training and testing.

    It's why I might seem to make my move extra early, but I want everyone to see me and anticipate where I am going.

    And don't be alarmed if you see me trying to make eye contact with you. I'm not challenging you to a duel; eye contact is just the most effective way to register that you have actually seen me.

    7. I'm not trying to be all 'Tour de France'

    Please don't make fun of my lycra - I know you don’t have to wear lycra to ride a bike. But when I'm doing 50-100 miles, lycra and padded shorts really are essential.

    Cycling jerseys, cycling shorts and cycling shoes are actually functional – they’re not about looking like you think you’re in the “Tour de France” (because, firstly, there isn’t a women’s one) – they just make the rider more comfortable, and thus more capable, and safer.

    8. You will always win

    Have you ever driven down the M4 full of lorries and buses doing 60mph+?

    They’e behind you, they’re passing you, and they’re changing lanes and taking up a LOT of space - right next to you. You probably get a little sweaty and keep both hands on the wheel, right?

    Well, that’s how we feel riding alongside cars. Drivers are cocooned in a ton or more of steel, with reinforced roll cages, crumple zones, airbags, and seatbelts.

    We’re riding a 15-kilo machine in the open air, wearing little more than spandex and some flimsy foam on our heads. If we make contact, we risk life-changing injuries or death.

    You risk, well, mostly having to pay excess on your insurance. In any physical interaction, we’ll lose.

    It can be daunting cycling on the road with cars speeding past

    Fellow cyclist Kim Baker said: "If you've not yourself been pedaling along the road you won't have experienced what it feels to have a vehicle whizzing past at 30, 40, 50mph or more. As a cyclist and a car driver, I am much more aware.

    "Also, the perception from drivers that cyclists SHOULD be on a cycle path rather than a road is frustrating. There are many reasons to choose a road over a cycle path, and sometimes vice-versa. There are hazards on both (don't get me started about dog walkers and runners wearing earphones on a shared path, and not hearing my bell when approaching!)."

    9. When I get the wobbles
    It's actually quite tricky to reach for my drink or grab a snack from my pockets, while keeping in a straight line AND avoiding potholes. I might get a little wobble on.

    I try to judge the most appropriate time to eat and drink on my bike, but a momentary lapse of concentration can mean I veer a bit into the road.

    Also, I don't always manage to clip my shoes in my pedals the first time when I move off from junctions and traffic lights.

    I just want you to know, I am trying my best to get out of your way, and I am probably panicking a bit. A bit of space is much appreciated.

    10. Riding two abreast is legal

    There's nothing worse than a group of cyclists pootling along the lanes, two abreast, preventing you from overtaking right?

    But actually, cyclists riding in groups are not required to ride in single file and often ride two abreast on narrow and winding lanes in the interests of safety.

    Cycling two abreast is perfectly legal and is actually safer...for everyone

    By forming a long, single-file line, drivers may try to overtake only to find that they are forced to pull in dangerously. Riding two abreast is a way of deterring drivers from dangerous overtaking manoeuvres.

    This is probably the most misunderstood concept about road cycling. Think about it: cyclists riding two abreast are easier to overtake when in a large group.

    Ten cyclists, in a line, take up quite a lot of space, and they are hard to overtake because the driver needs to wait for a long stretch of clear road.

    Five riders, two abreast, are much easier to pass as the stretch available can be shorter.

    In the same way, cyclists should not ride more than two abreast, as this will cause them to take too much of the lane.