Every tragic accident is different but certain common themes run through the recent deaths: turning left, roundabouts and women.
But why would gender affect the likelihood of being killed on the roads? Barry Mason, a cycle safety campaigner with
Southwark Cyclists, speculates that this is because women are less assertive riders and therefore tend to be less visible. "You see more women cycling very close to the kerb than you do men. They don't take the lane, or overtake lorries on the outside. They sneak up on the inside, which is fatal, literally."
Mason recommends that everyone should have cycling training before taking to their bikes. "Every adult makes errors. A good trainer will iron out all sorts of bad habits." It makes sense, it's a long time since most of us did our cycling proficiency tests at primary school. CTC has a
list of accredited trainers.
There's one simple piece of advice for dealing with lorries - don't be intimidated by them. Mason says: "If you cycle in the gutter they'll treat you accordingly."