Cycling Accidents In Urban Areas

[WeeE]

Wester - another problem with junctions is that that's exactly where cycle-lanes and cycle paths disappear into thin air, dumping cyclists into traffic that doesn't expect a cyclist to suddenly enter the stream of traffic.

 

[marinyork]

Wester - another problem with junctions is that that's exactly where cycle-lanes and cycle paths disappear into thin air, dumping cyclists into traffic that doesn't expect a cyclist to suddenly enter the stream of traffic.

There are good reasons for that though. There are junctions that quite literally magnetically attract people to skim inches from the give way lines and smack they are dead . Cycle lanes on more minor roads often suffer from this.

 

[Theseus]

It is a reference to this video, did you see the dancing (moon walking) bear?

I knew someone would be along to post a link.

 

[WeeE]

There are good reasons for that though. There are junctions that quite literally magnetically attract people to skim inches from the give way lines and smack they are dead . Cycle lanes on more minor roads often suffer from this.

I'm thinking of a shared-use cycle path near me, located at a major edge-of-town shopping/leisure complex. It directs you through a gap in the barrier onto the road right at the give-way line of a major roundabout.

Another I can think of runs right up to a pinch-point of traffic-calming and disappears up a kerb. If you didn't know this, you could easily get run right into the kerb by the inevitable race-you-to-the-pinch-point numpty.

Funny thing is, what got me riding was the prospect of cycle lanes & paths: now they make me more nervous than anything.

 

[WeeE]

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downlo...al-cyclist-fatalities-in-London-2001-2006.pdf

A qualitative study by the met, recently published. They studied 92 of the 108 deaths of cyclists in London 2001-2006 (the ones they had data for). Haven't read an awful lot of it so far, but some interesting snippets: it seems London is risky in some different ways to the rest of Britain.

Analysis of Police Collision Files for Pedal cyclist Fatalities in London 2001-2006 by Keegan Cuerdan & Wheeler

(p7) "The analysis considered the pedal cyclist fatalities, the environmental factors, and the other vehicles and drivers (or riders) involved. A collision typology was developed to categorise the collisions and propose interventions. The collisions were categorised into 11 types. The most common (23) of these [out of 92] was when the pedal cyclist fatality was struck by a large vehicle changing lane to the left or turning left."
(p11) The distributions for London and Great Britain are ...significantly different...
The most frequent type of vehicle in collision with pedal cyclist fatalities in Great Britain was a car/taxi and in London this was a heavy goods vehicle....
Heavy goods vehicles (>=7.5 tonnes maximum gross weight) accounted for 23% of pedal cyclist fatalities in Great Britain and 39% in London. 60% of London's pedal cyclist fatalities had a collision with a goods vehicle or large passenger vehicle (bus or coach), compared with 40% for Great Britain.​

 

[WeeE]

Interestingly, the TfL stats on cyclists killed at junctions include several who rode off the pavement into the path of a car. And one gentleman who died after riding into a bollard.

I've been wondering exactly what it is they meant by that - whether it refers to kids playing on and off the pavement, idiots who should know better sailing oblivious into the road, or people obeying cycle-path signs - like the ones that route you up over the pavement and round the corner to avoid traffic lights.
Or is it all of those?

 

[HJ]

Wester - another problem with junctions is that that's exactly where cycle-lanes and cycle paths disappear into thin air, dumping cyclists into traffic that doesn't expect a cyclist to suddenly enter the stream of traffic.

A good example of why cycle lanes are dangerous, particularly for the novices riders who are supposed to use them. Sadly they are often put in with the best intentions by people who don't understand cycling. Sadly a charge of Corporate Manslaughter is very unlikely to stick, or somebody would have taken one out against Sustrans by now...

Look at your sig line WeeE, you are a slow reader surly you have gotten past chapter one by now

 

[fossyant]

OK...my view.......

SMIDSY.... easy in a car to do... - your body isn't doing anything, same with a ped...... low HR, same with a pob........ half asleep.......

Get on a bike, and actually ride it (e.g exercise..get sweaty.....your HR and responses are fast...........

Most folk are half asleep driving/crossing roads/riding bikes etc.......

 

[weevil]

Is anyone here aware of the concept of "motion camouflage"? A forum search for the phrase returned nothing, so maybe not.

Well, in the interests of safer cycling...

http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentGeneric.twhhyjzpxapzkouq&pageId=146841

I suppose it's easier for motorcyclists to perform the "look at me" weave in traffic without creating conflict, because they're more likely to be travelling at the same speed as the rest of the traffic.

That said, if you're on a bicycle and have traffic overtaking you, the presence of that traffic means there's little chance of Mr. Myopia pulling out, so perhaps the weave is only necessary when there's no traffic behind/beside you

If anyone has employed this technique, do let us know whether you've found it useful.

 

[Origamist]

Is anyone here aware of the concept of "motion camouflage"? A forum search for the phrase returned nothing, so maybe not.

Well, in the interests of safer cycling...

http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentGeneric.twhhyjzpxapzkouq&pageId=146841

I suppose it's easier for motorcyclists to perform the "look at me" weave in traffic without creating conflict, because they're more likely to be travelling at the same speed as the rest of the traffic.

That said, if you're on a bicycle and have traffic overtaking you, the presence of that traffic means there's little chance of Mr. Myopia pulling out, so perhaps the weave is only necessary when there's no traffic behind/beside you

If anyone has employed this technique, do let us know whether you've found it useful.

Yes, I often change position as I approach a junction - not hugely, but enough to catch the eye. This is my "serpentine weave". I also do the "meerkat head bob". Wisdom of the wild...

 

[marinyork]

Yes, I often change position as I approach a junction - not hugely, but enough to catch the eye. This is my "serpentine weave". I also do the "meerkat head bob". Wisdom of the wild...

Yeap. Got honked for it before by traffic coming the other way sometimes too.

 

[magnatom]

Is anyone here aware of the concept of "motion camouflage"? A forum search for the phrase returned nothing, so maybe not.

Well, in the interests of safer cycling...

http://www.motorcycleinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?fa=contentGeneric.twhhyjzpxapzkouq&pageId=146841

I suppose it's easier for motorcyclists to perform the "look at me" weave in traffic without creating conflict, because they're more likely to be travelling at the same speed as the rest of the traffic.

That said, if you're on a bicycle and have traffic overtaking you, the presence of that traffic means there's little chance of Mr. Myopia pulling out, so perhaps the weave is only necessary when there's no traffic behind/beside you

If anyone has employed this technique, do let us know whether you've found it useful.

That is very interesting. I think I will investigate the literature further. I know some psychologists who work in visual perception, so I wonder what they know about this...

 

[Origamist]

That is very interesting. I think I will investigate the literature further. I know some psychologists who work in visual perception, so I wonder what they know about this...

There's some ineresting stuff here:

Review of the 'looked but failed to see' accident causation factor (No. 60)

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafet...edbutfailedt/ewofthelookedbutfailedto4755.pdf​

 

[magnatom]

There's some ineresting stuff here:

Review of the 'looked but failed to see' accident causation factor (No. 60)

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafet...edbutfailedt/ewofthelookedbutfailedto4755.pdf​

Not a light read, but I'll certainly have a look. Ta.

 

[cyberknight]

I find they just do not understand that a cyclist can be moving that fast and complety misjudge their maneuver, thats assuming they saw you in the 1st place