beanzontoast said:
I cringe every time the subject of 'is it dangerous' is debated. To suggest that cycle commuting isn't dangerous would be to gloss over the true situation and risks lulling people into thinking it's easy.
Each of us can only speak from our own experience of commuting, and yet there seems to be a pervading attitude that if you are careful enough/skilled enough, you will be fine.
People get hurt all the time commuting by cycle. The bottom line is, you can be doing everything right and still end up getting hurt. Fact, not opinion.
I'm not sure anyone here has suggested it
isnt potentially dangerous beanz...
But walking
can be dangerous, driving
can be dangerous, and of course, cycling
can be dangerous.
You're absolutely right, you can do everything right...and still end up in trouble, but that's true of everything in life, not just cycling.
From my POV, the purpose of the post is not to gloss over the potential dangers, but to let wannabe commuters know that commuting can be, and very often is, very very rewarding.
Again, i'm not suggesting that the 'negative' post's shouldnt be there. They have great value. Ive learned from them myself, even after years of cycling, i believe i've improved my safety and awareness accordingly. Looking at the helmet cam footage posted here at times has helped me learn the potential dangers and solutions.
No, the only point of the post is to encourage new commuters NOT to be put off by the posts that highlight the dangers we face. They form only a small (albeit important) part of the whole commuting experience.