Am I the only one who's not in a hurry?

[Amanda P]

I was being very careful not to accuse anyone of anything. But it's hard to argue with the fact that less speed usually means more time to react to other idiots' behaviour (be they drivers, cyclists, pedestrians or whatever).

You don't have to spend long browsing YouTube before you'll come across a collision or near miss that could have been avoided if the cyclist was moving a bit more circumspectly. Granted, most of these incidents are not of the cylist's making - but it takes two to have a collision (and the cyclist has more to lose).

There's a time and a place for speed, and I would contend that, for example, filtering down the outside of slow-moving motor traffic with oncoming traffic, dozy pedestrians crossing and so on, is not it.

I have no problem with anyone going flat out - just thought I'd balance the picture by inviting comments from others who don't always. (Wouldn't want newcomers getting the wrong impression!)

 

[MacB]

I was being very careful not to accuse anyone of anything. But it's hard to argue with the fact that less speed usually means more time to react to other idiots' behaviour (be they drivers, cyclists, pedestrians or whatever).

You don't have to spend long browsing YouTube before you'll come across a collision or near miss that could have been avoided if the cyclist was moving a bit more circumspectly. Granted, most of these incidents are not of the cylist's making - but it takes two to have a collision (and the cyclist has more to lose).

There's a time and a place for speed, and I would contend that, for example, filtering down the outside of slow-moving motor traffic with oncoming traffic, dozy pedestrians crossing and so on, is not it.

I have no problem with anyone going flat out - just thought I'd balance the picture by inviting comments from others who don't always. (Wouldn't want newcomers getting the wrong impression!)

I thought it was a fair point and well made Phil. I try to cycle like I drive, speed(or my version of it) where it's appropriate. Giving it hell for leather on a flat, clear road, you know well and with no side roads is one thing. Trying to maximise your speed in heavy traffic, round sharp bends and so on, will naturally increase the risk aspect. I have the same thoughts you do when reading some of the accident reports on the web........I know I just wouldn't have been in said position, at that speed, in the first place.

 

[John the Monkey]

I do think that there's a benefit to moving with the traffic though - I get fewer marginal overtakes at pinch points &c if I'm above 20mph than I do if I'm below, personally.

That may just be a Manchester thing, but if the drivers don't feel you're "holding them up" you tend to get more leeway, ime.

 

[eldudino]

Following on from John the Monkey's post: is it safer to ride closer to the speed of traffic or closer to the speed of slower cyclists (POB's or otherwise)?

I much prefer to be moving at the speed of traffic as I did on my commute this morning. Convertible Beember with (dare I say?!) a lady driver stayed behind me for a good few hundred yards then safely overtook, giving me plenty of room. I like to think this is due to being seen as another road user rather than an inconvenience close to the gutter.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

On the commute, there's bits where I can push as hard as I can. Which doesn't say a lot, granted. A good example of that is the first climb out of the village where I live: it's a quiet lane that ends in a bridleway (so no through road to motor vehicles) after about a mile, with about 15 houses along it. There's hardly any traffic and the drivers of what vehicles there are generally "know" me and so are tolerant of me. I tend to time myself up here and see if I can beat my previous bests.

There's other bits of the commute involving more traffic where I tend to be focusing more on what others are up to rather than concentrating on going as fast as I can, although the point about keeping up with the traffic in other posts is well made: there's an estate I cross where the main drag through is traffic calmed (speed humps) and I have little trouble keeping up with the four-wheelers.

And then there's the bit in the woods. That tends to be slower 'cos it'll either be wet and muddy, or the blue bells will be out, or there'll be wildlife to look at, or horses to avoid, or peds to stop for, or whatever. So that's where I just take it easy.

So, in answer to your question: it depends. I like to go as fast as I can* where it's safe to, and be more careful where appropriate.

One off in my year and a bit, and that I do put down to me going a bit too fast, but more to me being blase: there's a standard smallish cross-roads style roundabout that I cross just before getting to work. I have a hill behind me on the approach so would generally be doing a nice easy 20-25 mph . I was in the habit of slowing down quite a bit before the roundabout, 'cos the visibility to my right on the approach wasn't the best so I couldn't be sure if anything was coming or not. Then, there comes a point where I can see it's clear and have to get a move on before anything comes along .. the road joining the roundabout to my right is not ever so busy but goes into an industrial estate so the vehicles coming out of there tend to be trucks. In this particular week, there'd been hardly anything coming so I'd got faster and faster on the approach and was just carrying speed through, all blase .. on the last day of the week, I spotted a tipper lorry about to hit the roundabout from my right just before I got to it: his priority. And he was going much faster than most vehicles do coming from that direction - he obviously didn't care if anything was coming from his right!! I could see I wouldn't make it through before him and so had to stop .. big brakes and off. Lucky I didn't roll under him!!

I've gone back to slowing down a bit on the approach to that roundabout.

* not very!

 

[Jim_Noir]

I go flat out for my fitness and to beat myself, don't get the scalping thing but there is a joy of being on a flat and knowing it's your own body that is getting pushed to it's limits

 

[Origamist]

I was being very careful not to accuse anyone of anything. But it's hard to argue with the fact that less speed usually means more time to react to other idiots' behaviour (be they drivers, cyclists, pedestrians or whatever).

You don't have to spend long browsing YouTube before you'll come across a collision or near miss that could have been avoided if the cyclist was moving a bit more circumspectly. Granted, most of these incidents are not of the cylist's making - but it takes two to have a collision (and the cyclist has more to lose).

The downside is that you increase the level of exposure. If it takes me 30 mins to cycle 10miles and it takes you 1 hour - you're on the road for twice as long as me. That is not to say that you are twice as likely to be involved in an accident though...

 

[MacB]

The downside is that you increase the level of exposure. If it takes me 30 mins to cycle 10miles and it takes you 1 hour - you're on the road for twice as long as me. That is not to say that you are twice as likely to be involved in an accident though...

I'd be curious how the comparison worked out in reality, if you took a 15 mile commuting stretch and compared a rider doing at 30mph to one doing it at 15mph. Though taking double the time I'd suspect that travelling within yourself at 15mph would be safer than all out at 30, but it would be a guess.

 

[Amanda P]

The downside is that you increase the level of exposure. If it takes me 30 mins to cycle 10miles and it takes you 1 hour - you're on the road for twice as long as me. That is not to say that you are twice as likely to be involved in an accident though...

Interesting point. Does halving the exposure time also halve the risk of accident, or is any reduction in exposure time balanced by the increased risk due to less reaction time?

 

[hackbike 666]

I don't really go fast although I have my "Inter City" runs at 4am using the lighter bike.

As my normal commuter weighs a ton normally im poodling along and I don't do my fast runs while there are loads of peds/cars around..

 

[Origamist]

Interesting point. Does halving the exposure time also halve the risk of accident, or is any reduction in exposure time balanced by the increased risk due to less reaction time?

No, it doesn't halve the risk. I remember a piece that stated if you double the exposure you increase the accident risk by 30%. This applied to motorists, however.

Reaction time is not always a factor in collisions.

 

[Dan B]

Following on from John the Monkey's post: is it safer to ride closer to the speed of traffic or closer to the speed of slower cyclists (POB's or otherwise)?

I much prefer to be moving at the speed of traffic as I did on my commute this morning.

+1, definitely. I feel much happier when speed differentials between me and heavier traffic are minimised

 

[Amanda P]

Reaction time is not always a factor in collisions.

But you'll agree that it sometimes is.

 

[hackbike 666]

+1, definitely. I feel much happier when speed differentials between me and heavier traffic are minimised

Normally I am as they are moving at 5mph.

 

[Amanda P]

I much prefer to be moving at the speed of traffic as I did on my commute this morning.

I have no quarrel with that; I do it myself.

What about when the motor traffic is generally moving rather slower than you're capable of, though?

I think that's when it gets risky to be going flat out - as I hinted by alluding to filtering in complicated conditions.