Europe's most dangerous roads for cyclists

[smith4188]

UK number two (or possibly three). Would you agree with this?

 

[thecube]

Not sure where he got his facts from, I can't find the figures for numbers of cyclist deaths per year in each country listed. Do all countries report such data as well as the UK? I would take it with a pinch of salt.

 

[smith4188]

Not sure where he got his facts from, I can't find the figures for numbers of cyclist deaths per year in each country listed. Do all countries report such data as well as the UK? I would take it with a pinch of salt.

It isn't the number of cyclist deaths being used. It's the % of road deaths that are cyclists. Obviously this is going to be higher in countries where bikes are used more often, and lowest where they are not used at all. So that's why the figure is divided by the % of people in each country whose primary transport is a bicycle. Total deaths divided by cycled kilometres would have been more accurate but I couldn't find those figures.

 

[thecube]

I would imagine a figure for % of people that use bikes as primary transport is going to be a little vague? What does that include, riding to and from work and pleasure riding? As for a figure for cycled kilometers, this is never likely to be accurate. Or should I say it will be more accurately recored in some countries and less so in others. I think generalising a country is not so useful either, would I compare commuting thought London with a ride around my local part of rural leicestershire? No, of course not.
I'm not saying I agree or not, I have only really cycled in the UK, but I would be worried about some of those other countries more.

 

[smith4188]

I would imagine a figure for % of people that use bikes as primary transport is going to be a little vague?

As long as the figures have been collected in the same way - however vague the definition - then it is still a measure of cycling's popularity in a particular country. Of course, if in the UK it is considered to be primary transport if someone travels 80% of the time by bicycle, and in France it is only 51% of the time, then the raw data, let only what I did with it, is shot.

I'm not saying I agree or not, I have only really cycled in the UK, but I would be worried about some of those other countries more.

It's that kind of comment that inspired me to do this. Often on forums people worry that cycling abroad is going to be dangerous. Generally it isn't. Generally - in my experience at least - the UK is one of the most dangerous countries to cycle. People shouldn't be worried about places just because they are abroad. I reckon if you've survived Britain then nowhere else in Europe (except perhaps Russia) should give you cause for concern.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Not surprised the UK is right up there...compared to other palces I've been lucky enough to cycle in UK roads are appalling dangerous for Cyclists, not because of the surfaces but because the the attitude of British drivers towards cyclists.

 

[thecube]

I'm not shocked to see Portugal top, I worked there for a while and the drivers were crazy. I think I drove on the road with one of the worst accident rates in Europe, it went from Lisbon to Estoril.

 

[jay clock]

Every country I have cycled in the locals will be telling you how their drivers are the worst!