Do you feel that cycling is getting more dangerous

[Deleted member 121159]

Bad driving and disrespect for cyclists is ubiquitous on British roads. However, statistically cycling has not become more dangerous. It has actually become safer and remains pretty safe. See the chart below. They are cyclist casualty rates per billion miles travelled. Billion miles. So you can see cycling is a relatively safe activity even though it doesn't feel like that right after being close passed by a lorry or something. I think we should be wary of amplifying the message that the car industry propaganda machine propagates, namely that roads are dangerous places where only big SUVs can survive. This will be a self fulfilling prophecy if everyone ditches their bikes and rushes to buy the newest SUV. We can actually make the roads safer by first recognising that it is already safe as it is.

 

[Sallar55]

But for all that, some of the stats make for intruiging reading. Somme of the supposedly more enlightened - as regards cyclists at any rate - European nations actually have a higher casualty rate among that user group. Its worth a quiet hours googling.

You could give us the link, can't see that's actually true due to the European transport laws. Or is it just a total number, population of Europe v the UK ?

 

[HLaB]

On 3 separate occasions, I have only just evaded being run in to by cars from the side. One was a car approaching a roundabout far too fast and jumping on the brakes, front end of car in to roundabout.

Another was a car coming straight out of a give way on my right side. I booted the side of that car!!!

The 3rd incident was a car approaching the end of a dual carriageway too fast, he locked the wheels up snd skidded, he got some verbal!

I ride on the footpath as much as reasonably possible now. About 2 weeks ago I was cycling along the cycle lane in slow moving traffic and decent width roads both ways. There was this woman in a car wanting to share the cycle lane with me, both nearside wheels inside the white line.

I'm not really finding it getting more dangerous but more polarised highlighting the vindictive stuff.

 

[Jameshow]

It's so bad that I have bought a Wattbike and started using Zwift, and this is from someone who detests indoor exercise, but it's either that or don't cycle at all, apart from maybe getting up at silly o'clock in the middle of summer and trying to grab an hour or so before the traffic gets going.

You feeling ok? I'm worried for you!🤣🤣

 

[geocycle]

It’s useful to see data as otherwise it’s all down to perception which is highly subjective. The rural roads I ride are no more perceptibly dangerous than over the last decade. I do get a jolt when I ride midweek rather than Sunday or further south in the UK. That said 40 years ago I’d ride home from uni on an A road I’d not want to try and cross now!

 

[Mick Mudd]

If most cyclists wore helmet-mounted go-pros (or whatever they're called) on front AND back of the helmet I'm sure the word would soon get around motorists to give cyclists a wide berth rather than be captured on film causing an accident..

 

[Mick Mudd]

...40 years ago I’d ride home from uni on an A road I’d not want to try and cross now!

Roundabouts in particular have always terrified me, trying to negotiate them is like playing RR..-

 

[HLaB]

Wasn't it nice though cycling on the roads during lockdown..No traffic to worry about.I found myself using roads I wouldn't of dared to use.It felt so much more relaxed being out there ,and gave you the opportunity to enjoy your surroundings

For a bit it was then the neds/chavs realised that the empty roads let them drive more recklessy! One instance that particularly sticks in my mind is when I was glad I was on entering a large roundabout with a lot of deflection from the east and naturally went west. A reckless driver not worrying about being on the correct side of the road was approaching the roundabout from the other direction when it 'suddenly appeared without warning' and was 'forced' to navigate to where I had been skidding on two wheels and desperately trying not to flip the car. Being a large roundabout with a lot of deflection thankfully there was a lot between us.

 

[Brandane]

If most cyclists wore helmet-mounted go-pros (or whatever they're called) on front AND back of the helmet I'm sure the word would soon get around motorists to give cyclists a wide berth rather than be captured on film causing an accident..

Making something of an assumption about choice of headwear there, are you not? 😄. And even for those that do wear them, attaching snag points to them is really not a great idea.

 

[Mick Mudd]

I wish I'd had a go-pro when this bloke in a Morris Minor pulled out in front of me in the mid-1960's when I was about 16..
As a matter of interest do forum members think him or me was to blame?

With the aid of photoshop and a goog streetview of the actual scene, here's a dramatic reconstruction of the incident-
It happened almost under the Humberstone Road (Leicester) railway bridge on a dull drizzly day, I was on my bike at 'X' when he emerged slowly from a garage forecourt along the red arrow and stopped to wait for a gap in the traffic.
I hit my brakes (not very effective in the rain) and began turning left down the yellow arrow to avoid him, but failed by a few inches and shaved off his rearlight-

And to add to my embarrasment, my bike was JAMMED UPRIGHT in the narrow gap between his bodywork and bumper ! (below, this is a stock net image).
I'd gone over the handlebars and was sitting dazed in the road (no injuries) and the driver had to tug the bike out of the gap.
He was a decent chap, he suggested it was my fault without accusing me directly, and a young bloke came from the garage as a "witness" and said I wasn't looking where I was going, which was baloney, but I was too dazed to speak.
I gave the driver my name and address (no police were involved) and that evening he called round and my dad paid him for the damage to his rearlight with no hard feelings on either side.
(Incidentally my front wheel was mashed, and even the back wheel was buckled, but luckily there was a bike shop nearby so I'd carried the wreck there to have new wheels fitted).
BUT ever since then i've been wondering whether it really was my fault?
How do you think Judge Judy would have ruled?

 

[united4ever]

Roundabouts are the scariest junction for me. So much scope for human error. So many approach the roundabout not expecting to stop. The only time I got knocked off was at a roundabout so probably that stays with you.

There is not much you can do to mitigate the risk at a roundabout. You have to enter decisively and trust cars will give way.

I try to keep my cycling to trails/segregated cycle paths but there are some short sections on my commute it's unavoidable.

 

[craigwend]

If most cyclists wore helmet-mounted go-pros (or whatever they're called) on front AND back of the helmet I'm sure the word would soon get around motorists to give cyclists a wide berth rather than be captured on film causing an accident..

Or maybe like seat belts and airbags etc in cars a 'false' sense of safety and more accidents occurring?
And bad motor drivers tend to be bad motorists / momentary lapse of judgement leading to life ending or serious injuries regardless of what other road users do...

 

[Dogtrousers]

Depends what timescale really. I used to cycle in and out of central London to Camberwell in the early 80s and it was like the wild west. I was knocked off a couple of times. But I was a young hooligan at the time and had rubber bones. I relished the chaos. Some years ago I tried a return to commuting by bike. That didn't last long. It was still like the wild west but I don't have the stomach for it any more.

I avoid cycling in central London these days as much as possible. The burbs are OK.

In short, no I don't think it is.

 

[Alex321]

It's a been a long rant, I've had a good long squwark, I 'll settle down and chew on my sunflower seeds.

This all seems to make sense, but the statistics just don't show it to be the case.

The numbers killed on UK roads and the numbers seriously injured have both fallen almost every year since 1970 according to official figures. There was a slight blip in 2021, almost certainly due to COVID causing the 2020 figures to be lower than they would otherwise have been.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reported_Road_Casualties_Great_Britain

Since 1990, Killed, seriously injured and slightly injured have all fallen to well under half what they were. And that is with way more cars on the roads, and significantly more miles driven overall. (1993 256 Billion vehicle miles, 2022 323 Billion vehicle miles - https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/summary)

The reasons for this undoubtedly involve a number of different factors, but it doesn't really matter much what the reasons are, the fact is that our roads are safer now than they have ever been.

 

[grldtnr]

I wish I'd had a go-pro when this bloke in a Morris Minor pulled out in front of me in the mid-1960's when I was about 16..
As a matter of interest do forum members think him or me was to blame?

With the aid of photoshop and a goog streetview of the actual scene, here's a dramatic reconstruction of the incident-
It happened almost under the Humberstone Road (Leicester) railway bridge on a dull drizzly day, I was on my bike at 'X' when he emerged slowly from a garage forecourt along the red arrow and stopped to wait for a gap in the traffic.
I hit my brakes (not very effective in the rain) and began turning left down the yellow arrow to avoid him, but failed by a few inches and shaved off his rearlight-
View attachment 717218


And to add to my embarrasment, my bike was JAMMED UPRIGHT in the narrow gap between his bodywork and bumper ! (below, this is a stock net image).
I'd gone over the handlebars and was sitting dazed in the road (no injuries) and the driver had to tug the bike out of the gap.
He was a decent chap, he suggested it was my fault without accusing me directly, and a young bloke came from the garage as a "witness" and said I wasn't looking where I was going, which was baloney, but I was too dazed to speak.
I gave the driver my name and address (no police were involved) and that evening he called round and my dad paid him for the damage to his rearlight with no hard feelings on either side.
(Incidentally my front wheel was mashed, and even the back wheel was buckled, but luckily there was a bike shop nearby so I'd carried the wreck there to have new wheels fitted).
BUT ever since then i've been wondering whether it really was my fault?
How do you think Judge Judy would have ruled?

View attachment 717219

I am inclined to think 6 of one, half dozen the other , but then the motorist should not have stopped in the middle of the road.
Given the braking ability of bikes then ,in moist weather you had little chance to stop ,and tried to avoid the car , I would absolve you .....but I am a cyclist, do that's not strictly fair and unbiased, in mitigation it is fifgicult yo have a good veiw of the road