BBC Breakfast and cycling safety

[trampyjoe]

Just been watching the BBC Breakfast bit on cycling safety (Tim Moffat is at the Cambridge GBW - feel free to run him over!).

They talked to a lady who was knocked off her bike on a rural road. List of injuries including the ones that mean she's now in a wheelchair and the next thing they talked about was the helmet she was wearing.

Some guy (didn't catch who, daughter kicked off) was discussing cycle lanes and how good they are but in the countryside they wouldn't work. What was needed was the cyclists being 'moved off the road' even 'seperated by a verge'.

Can't find a link to a video yet but no doubt there'll be one later.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Yes, I caught this too. Couldn't find the Breakfast video but I did find this related topic:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20433594

The Breakfast report was OK, the gist of which is that where possible, seperate tracks should be constructed but this requires investment and probably isn't possible on all rural roads. The bloke from Sustrans said that it needed a change in driver attitude and behaviour as they drive too fast and pass too close.

Really shocking about the lady who was knocked down by some 4x4 idiot that they still haven't found!. Astonishing really,you'd think that someone would have got the reg plate. The driver apparently passed too fast and close, throwing her into the air. Shots of the helmet illustrated that it took a battering but was still intact.

I thought that she was so calm and collected despite the fact that she's now in a wheelchair.

The report stopped short of stating that cyclists shouldn't be on country roads. They did say that about 75% of cycling accidents happened in urban areas, but as cycling is higher in towns and cities, it statistically is expected.

 

[summerdays]

The presenter of course had a helmet on to cycle 2 metres, but no gloves, but for once it actually looked as if the helmet was done up fairly well. However that wasn't the point of the piece - I only raised it as it annoys me that they stick a helmet on the presenter normally and then don't bother to do it up or wear it correctly, or if they don't then half the public ring in to say he wasn't wearing a helmet. Worse still I'm noticing

They stated that for the number of accidents that happen whilst lower were more likely to be a Killed or Seriously Injured due to the speeds involved. The problem would surely be how many rural roads that there are, many of which don't even have pavements let alone a cycle path. I'm not sure where you start either.

 

[MontyVeda]

...
I only raised it as it annoys me that they stick a helmet on the presenter normally and then don't bother to do it up or wear it correctly, or if they don't then half the public ring in to say he wasn't wearing a helmet. Worse still I'm noticing

...

It's probably part of their insurance that helmets should be worn... rather than fear of the general public complaining.
...or possibly union/equity rule, if the presenter doesn't wear a helmet then they'll need to find a stunt double!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I ended up shouting at the telly it hacked me off so much. Especially as the lovely Helen was watching it with me and I don't need black propaganda against rural riding over the porridge.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

That hit and run 4x4 plonker needs to be locked up

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I ended up shouting at the telly it hacked me off so much. Especially as the lovely Helen was watching it with me and I don't need black propaganda against rural riding over the porridge.

I only do lanes in the rurals unless I'm forced otherwise. IMHO it is much safer as there are very few cars and they are generally slower (except at night when the absence of oncoming headlights is taken as a sign that there is nothing about )

 

[Over The Hill]

Whenever cycling is mentioned, there seems to be a safety lecture with it. But it seems to me the problem is 90% down to motorists and 10% down to cyclists. Once we have a helmet and high viz on we have just about done all we can do - assuming we are sensible.

Problem is car drivers. Many of them (not all) go round the back roads too fast and rarely slow down to pass a bike.

The concern I have is that this constant raising of the safety issue does not change drivers habits (which is needed) but just puts people off cycling.

 

[Globalti]

Statistically motorways are the safest places to drive a car because vehicles are all moving in the same direction at similar speeds and separated from opposing traffic. In the same way towns are the most dangerous for cyclists because of all the changes of direction and speed and the big disparity in speed between motorised vehicles and bikes.

So yes, the only real answer would be to separate bikes and motors completely but Britain has the densest and oldest road network in the world and one of the most crowded too, so there isn't room.

I agree on rural drivers... have been in cars with two friends who regularly drove at up to 70 mph on their local lanes, even when hemmed in by high hedges with nowhere to go and no sight lines.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I only do lanes in the rurals unless I'm forced otherwise. IMHO it is much safer as there are very few cars and they are generally slower (except at night when the absence of oncoming headlights is taken as a sign that there is nothing about )

Used to love the lanes when I started in this job but the winter of 08/09 put me off. I got rear ended twice, once on an uphill blind bend, car came around it too fast and found a bike in the way, took avoiding action but clipped me, and once whilst stopped at a T junction. SMIDSY(ourthreehalfwattrearlights). Speed limits and safe speed routinely ignored and cars driven recklessly down twisty singletrack or very narrow roads. Ghastly climbs, short steep but still ghastly were a factor then as I wasn't as bike fit, along with floods, potholes and loads of leaves. Difficult at night without uber-bright 'car impersonating' lights as folk coming the other way tried to drive straight through me.

Much prefer single carriageway A- and B- roads for the lions share of my route these days. Whilst the speeding is (still) a problem they carry more traffic and one law abiding citizen up front slows everyone else down plus most of the stooopid overtakes put the overtaker at more risk (of a head on) than me. The downside is a lot of close passes which a very assertive secondary discourages and primary seems to eliminate, in both instances at the risk of a horn and a finger. Or a bottle in the front wheel. (Yes really)

 

[Gary E]

The thing that annoyed me most was the fact that despite it being a piece about bike safety they thought it was OK to have a whole film crew stood in the cycle lane

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Used to love the lanes when I started in this job but the winter of 08/09 put me off. I got rear ended twice, once on an uphill blind bend, car came around it too fast and found a bike in the way, took avoiding action but clipped me, and once whilst stopped at a T junction. SMIDSY(ourthreehalfwattrearlights). Speed limits and safe speed routinely ignored and cars driven recklessly down twisty singletrack or very narrow roads. Ghastly climbs, short steep but still ghastly were a factor then as I wasn't as bike fit, along with floods, potholes and loads of leaves. Difficult at night without uber-bright 'car impersonating' lights as folk coming the other way tried to drive straight through me.

Much prefer single carriageway A- and B- roads for the lions share of my route these days. Whilst the speeding is (still) a problem they carry more traffic and one law abiding citizen up front slows everyone else down plus most of the stooopid overtakes put the overtaker at more risk (of a head on) than me. The downside is a lot of close passes which a very assertive secondary discourages and primary seems to eliminate, in both instances at the risk of a horn and a finger. Or a bottle in the front wheel. (Yes really)

Greg - Worcestershire isn't like that in the lanes and Herefordshire has hardly any traffic in the lanes at all. I can ride for an hour or more and not see anything sometimes. I suspect West Sussex has too many people so the lanes are all "rat runs". If you desire pleasant cycling I'd suggest you move.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Greg - Worcestershire isn't like that in the lanes and Herefordshire has hardly any traffic in the lanes at all. I can ride for an hour or more and not see anything sometimes. I suspect West Sussex has too many people so the lanes are all "rat runs". If you desire pleasant cycling I'd suggest you move.

The problem in West Sussex (East is markedly quieter) is not that there are too many people, but rather there are too many people so addicted to using their cars they think they have no choice in the matter.

 

[User482]

Shots of the helmet illustrated that it took a battering but was still intact.

I managed to crack my helmet last year in a very minor spill, so I doubt she hit her head hard if the helmet was still in one piece.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

The problem in West Sussex (East is markedly quieter) is not that there are too many people, but rather there are too many people so addicted to using their cars they think they have no choice in the matter.

Yes - we have those addicts here too. Fortunately most of 'em can't read a map so don't know the lanes exist. Take care out there!!