safety in a crash

[young Ed]

think this is the right section, if not mods please move

anyway got talking to a lad at school today about cycling and car safety
he reckons being on a bike in a bike on car brash is a lot more dangerous than being in a car in an identical crash in a car
in this instance we were applying it to a very real incident a few years ago where a lost a very good friend of mine at 13 years young when she got T boned crossing a road and a driver fiddling with phone or satnav pulled away from lights without looking, my friend flew 50 metres in the air and landed on the hard tarmac road. she saw no more

both going very slow of course, would a car be much safer in a square on T bone if driver hitting is pulling away sharply and accelerating quickly? i am guessing in most crashes being in a modern car where the steering wheel and column won't impale your chest/face etc is going to be a fair bit safer than being on a bike? is there any sensible situation where it is safer on a bike?

just interested really, always knew that cycling is going to be more dangerous than sitting on my arse in an arm chair all day but then again everything i do is either dangerous or potentially dangerous
cycling, running, farm working (google farm death), building, shooting, lots of knife and axe work, always playing with big whirling machines and power tools etc etc etc
Cheers Ed

 

[Spinney]

Def safer in a car - look up 'crumple zones' if you haven't done it in physics! Even a cheap car without side bracing etc still effectively has some kind of crumple zone by virtue of having a shell and doors etc.

There is also the fact that dozy twonks are more likely to notice something the size of a car than something smaller like a person on a bike. They still don't always notice those, though!

The only 'benefit' to being on a bike is that you are unlikely to have to be cut out of it. But you are far more likely to be KSI.

 

[ScotiaLass]

I really don't know the answer to your questions, but wanted to say I'm sorry about your friend

 

[shouldbeinbed]

just interested really, always knew that cycling is going to be more dangerous than sitting on my arse in an arm chair all day

kind of, in terms of being badly hit by a vehicle or suffering a bad fall doing both, but your likelihood of a horrible old age and premature death from being an obese, diabetic, gasping, wheezing, heart attack burden on the NHS, is far greater for a life in an armchair than a life in the saddle. Theres a small chance you'll suffer life changing medical problems or untimely end on a bike, its a near certainty spending your leisure time sprawled on the settee.

sorry to hear about your friend too.

 

[Ern1e]

The car is most certainly the safer mode of travel compared with the bicycle , in the kind of impact you mention the cars bodywork will win over flesh and bone but give me my bike anytime lol. Spent years riding around in the old tin box but no more ! I am also sorry about your very young friend that is such a waste.

 

[mjr]

is there any sensible situation where it is safer on a bike?

Yes. When you see the swines coming and use your greater manoeuvrability to get out of the way. Basically, the War Games tactic: the only way to win is not to play.

Learn how to do the moves on http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/chapter5a.htm and watch a few of the endless Traffic Cops shows so that you can better forsee what the nutters might be about to do. Above all, remember that cycling's still relatively safe.

Sorry to hear about the friend. There isn't much anyone can do in that situation. Even the side of a vehicle might not offer protection a side-on T-bone, depending whether the vehicle has side-impact protection.

 

[ayceejay]

A huge factor in what type of car to buy, maybe including your choice of a Land Rover, is personal safety and the ability to intimidate according to research *I'll see if I can locate it later. A cyclist does not have this option and a helmet is inadequate protection against any attacking chariot. Avoidance is the only positive. Motorists SHOULD take care of cyclist because of this disparity but the almost daily reports of near misses or deaths on this forum attest to the dangerous reality.

 

[ufkacbln]

Depends upon the vehicles involved

One of the arguments against the massive SUVs is that their taller profile and higher chassis actually hits small family cars abve the protective sub frames.

In the US the level of injury received and the type is far more serious when hit by one of these than a large sedan or estate

 

[Racing roadkill]

I've had both type of accident, I'd rather have the accident in the car, it hurt less (although did cost the other driver's insurance company more).

 

[Bobby Mhor]

car...
as I once bounced off a car (I was on a motorbike), my helmet def saved my pretty looks....apart from a chipped tooth..

My wifes car now has airbags everywhere..including her

 

[young Ed]

interesting, @ayceejay i never chose the landy because i wanted all the latest air bags and crumple zones etc or to intimidate other road users but because it will see fields often every day or at least several times a week and i need to tow a livestock trailer and other heavy trailers

i knew about air bags obviously and the crumple zones and that the old landrovers that i am looking at of course don't have these but wasn't al that aware of the special side bracing. the old landrovers have a single skin aluminum door so nothing there but do have the pretty normal 'B pillar'
Cheers Ed

 

[Ern1e]

interesting, @ayceejay i never chose the landy because i wanted all the latest air bags and crumple zones etc or to intimidate other road users but because it will see fields often every day or at least several times a week and i need to tow a livestock trailer and other heavy trailers

i knew about air bags obviously and the crumple zones and that the old landrovers that i am looking at of course don't have these but wasn't al that aware of the special side bracing. the old landrovers have a single skin aluminum door so nothing there but do have the pretty normal 'B pillar'
Cheers Ed

From my experience of the old landy the drivers/passenger door area is about the weakest spots on the old girls + on the series 1 to three shorts the driver is usualay sat just above the fuel tank ! so my choice would be a 110 (long wheelbase) rather than any of the short versions,plus if I am remembering correctly they also have a slightly larger towing capacity.

 

[young Ed]

From my experience of the old landy the drivers/passenger door area is about the weakest spots on the old girls + on the series 1 to three shorts the driver is usualay sat just above the fuel tank ! so my choice would be a 110 (long wheelbase) rather than any of the short versions,plus if I am remembering correctly they also have a slightly larger towing capacity.

interesting, thanks for that
i know the series 1 has the fuel tank under the drivers seat as you lift up the seat base to access the fuel filler inside the cab, very strict health and safety in those days!
not sure on the series 2 and 3 but sounds about right!

will see what comes up at the right time in the right place and at the right price but preference would be a series 2 or 3 LWB pickup, as you say the LWB are better at towing i believe and might even offer a smoother more stable ride especially when towing? but also i can fit 2 lambs in a LWB compared to 1 in a SWB, and 2 sheep dogs is snug in a SWB
Cheers Ed

 

[Banjo]

Allways going to win in a car , landrover or even robin reliant. No good dwelling on it just be as safe as you can. Old landies had a seperate petrol tank under each front seat with a change over valve down near the footwell from memory.

Wouldnt fancy a major collision in on eof those fire bombs.

Couldnt give a ship how many sheep fit in, will it take a 56 cm road bike is the important issue

 

[Levo-Lon]

Ask this question on motorcycle forums.....
Cagers, which is what bikers tend to call the surrounded in steel and safty stuff car drivers who spend their time on phones looking everywhere bar where their going are quite safe bless em..

heres a typical example of a mad world we have.
my neighbour "she is a deputy head teacher' was Stationary in her car and a pizza delivery moped rider hit her car ..
the moped rider was quite hurt and had to go off to hospital.
the car needed a new door mirror and there was a scrape on the drivers door No glass broke.

She claimed for whiplash and got £2500 dispite no injuries...just went to Dr and said bla bla bla..
bit off topic I guess but people just seem to see things as an earner these days..


sorry you lost a friend like this ,its always a shock , selfish drivers pee me off.