BBC R2 again 12.30pm - Cyclists on pavements because roads are so dangerous.......

[Crankarm]

Yep, BBC R2 again at 12.30 this lunchtime. Apparently some one wrote a letter to the Times, I think if it is the same letter(s), I posted a link to it(them) last weekend, that actually it would be more sensible to allow cyclists to cycle on pavements as the roads are simply so dangerous - 820 of us killed on the roads so far this year according to JV. I shall listen to see if the tone is different to all the DM style cycle hating people that this programme has previously allowed on air.

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=48366

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jeremy-vine/

 

[rh100]

Don't expect too much common sense coming from that show, I stopped listening to that when Jimmy Young left

 

[Crankarm]

Is ......... any one listening to this programme, are any cyclists from here going to try to get on the show, does anyone care?

 

[gaz]

i would listen, but at work and don't have the opertunity to do so.

 

[upsidedown]

Is ......... any one listening to this programme, are any cyclists from here going to try to get on the show, does anyone care?

No


The last time i listened to that crap was when Steve Berry did his anti-cyclist bit, vowed never to get suckered into listening to it again.

 

[Crankarm]

They have the chap Bob Roper on speaking who wrote the letter to the Times, he comes across very well I think.

He has mentioned that there is very little tolerance on the roads or pavements and that car drivers are responsible for most intolerance on the roads against other road users whether cyclists, pedestrians, caravans, slow lorries, milk floats.

 

[BearPear]

I am listening... the old lady who was knocked over from behind, sounds like the bloke who hit her was out of order.

 

[numbnuts]

820 of us killed on the roads so far this year according to JV.

The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured has soared by a fifth as more people have taken to two wheels during the recession. Between April and June the total was 820,

 

[Arch]

I am listening... the old lady who was knocked over from behind, sounds like the bloke who hit her was out of order.

Well, without hearing her story, I can pretty much assume he was out of order, because you don't hit someone from behind unless you are going to fast for the conditions and can't stop.

Personally, I don't want to ride on the pavement, because to do so safely and politely, I'd have to stick to a slow speed (that's slow in my terms, I realise that my top speed is what some of you call slow). It would be nice if the general population could be trusted to behave like that, but some of them can't, so there has to be a blanket ban.

I'm not sure what would happen if pavement cycling was allowed (ignoring shared paths for the moment). Those who want to ride on the pavement out of fear of traffic would presumably (and it's a bit of an assumption) be the more gentle riders. Those who are irresponsible are already riding on the pavement, it seems, and those who want to ride fast and obey the law as it stands are probably confident enough to prefer the road. But I suspect that if you put more bikes and peds together, there will be more collisions, and maybe you end with less cyclists killed, but more old people with broken hips or who are afraid to walk anywhere.

It depends on the pavement too. Riding a bike down a city centre pavement thick with tourists would be a nightmare for all, but a suburban pavement with few people on would be ok (except for the need to cross driveways etc)

 

[Crankarm]

I think the real issue is not cycling on pavements, but the fact that the roads are too dangerous for cyclists due to the Government doing little in terms of road safety for cyclists. The major change they could make for little cost is to change the law that if a vehicle collides with any other road user not in a vehicle driving ie pedestrian, cyclist or horse rider then the presumption is that the driver is at fault unless they can prove otherwise. Also drivers that kill or seriously injure, excessively speed, use mobile phones whilst driving and drive without insurance, should receive massively increased fines, much longer driving bans and if they kill/seriously injure much longer prison terms. At the moment the people who prosecute cases the CPS and the judiciary are pathetic.

So if car and other vehicle drivers were a lot more cautious because of these changes in law this would improve 100% cyclists' safety on the roads and thus there would be far fewer on the pavements.

 

[Crankarm]

Don't expect too much common sense coming from that show, I stopped listening to that when Jimmy Young left

How old are you?! That was years ago.

Actually there was quite a bit of common sense spoken on this occasion.

Bob Roper still didn't really really push home the reasons for some cyclists being on the pavements in the first place although he did say yoofs would cycle on pavements what ever the regulations. He did highlight that collisions between car and cyclists are generally fatal or result in very serious injuries where as those between cyclists and pedestrians, as inevitably there will be some, would on the whole be cuts and bruises. So on this basis the pavements, where suitable and appropriate, would be preferable to cycling on the roads. He also mentioned the large amount of education of various road and pavement users to be more tolerant of each other. Wise words indeed. I thought he was good.

 

[numbnuts]

According to THIS"statistics show that the UK has some of the safest roads in the world"
Yeah right dream on

 

[Crankarm]

According to THIS"statistics show that the UK has some of the safest roads in the world"
Yeah right dream on

+1. Well you know statistics can be fixed to support what ever argument is flavour of the week .

"Some of the safest" - which one? There's a few small out of the way Fen roads that have fewer than 1 car a month on them. It's probably one of those that is the UK's safest road .

 

[ChrisKH]

According to THIS"statistics show that the UK has some of the safest roads in the world"
Yeah right dream on

Compared to Helmand Province in Afghanistan, I'm sure we do.

 

[Crankarm]

Compared to Helmand Province in Afghanistan, I'm sure we do.

Or down town Mexico City ..........