Great ideas everyone - always new tips to pick up

Hey Pooks I can relate to the U turn - hit the sidewalk trick. I did the EXACT same thing. The BF was along and we hadn't been dating for long

I have fallen a couple of times around him and when I decided to go clipless his only comment was "Are you sure that's a good idea? you fall"

Well I went clipless and have only fallen once and even then it wasn't so bad

A drill I like is to weave in and out of something like you are a slalom skier, put sidewalk chalk circles in the parking lot in varying patterns

another idea is to draw a line (or use a parking spot line) and ride up to it at varying speeds and try to stop exactly at the line.

if I am coming to an iffy situation (no matter what type of pedal) I stand on one foot, get off the seat, hang my other foot so it is ready to come down in an instant if I make it through whatever, (gate, gravel, sharp turn, stop light) I can just hop back on the seat and start pedaling again. Sometimes I have slowed enough I have to put my foot down and push off again, but I feel better safe than sorry