How can we avoid cycling casualties?

[glenn forger]

I wonder if cruiser's ignorance has been reinforced by the blame-fest on the Beeb this week, possibly thousands of other credulous idiots have similarly had their dumb prejudice bolstered.

 

[snorri]

Lower speed limits for motor vehicles on roads shared with vulnerable users , presumed liability to bring UK into line with the rest of Europe, reduce the size of roof support pillars in cars in order to improve visibility, realistic penalties for bad driving, improved infrastructure to segregate motor vehicles from vulnerable travellers, restrict access of vehicles with limited visibility to urban areas, introduce mental aptitude testing for young drivers as part of the driving test.

 

[glenn forger]

75% of drivers admit speeding, the same number admit texting at the wheel, this is because the chances of detection are tiny and the penalties risible.

 

[classic33]

What about the 22.8% of vehicles that use the UK roads, illegally, every year.
Clear 1/5 of the motor vehicles off the road & you'll have more time to watch for those using them legally!

 

[Cruiser]

That, Firestorm, is my next intended move. But let's hear it from the cyclists first, then I can tell the motorists what you think. So far, I'm afraid, it doesn't sound too encouraging. (Don't forget I'm a cyclist too.) Motorists don't (generally) deliberately hit cyclists (or other vehicles) but collisions happen and we're the least protected. Just as vehicle occupants have physical protection, we could to look at ways available to us to give ourselves protection. That is the essence of my original post.

 

[glenn forger]

"So far, I'm afraid, it doesn't sound too encouraging. "

Stop posting mendacious rubbish then, where on earth did you get that codswallop about drop bars from? You don't know what you're talking about

 

[4F]

That, Firestorm, is my next intended move. But let's hear it from the cyclists first, then I can tell the motorists what you think. So far, I'm afraid, it doesn't sound too encouraging. (Don't forget I'm a cyclist too.) Motorists don't (generally) deliberately hit cyclists (or other vehicles) but collisions happen and we're the least protected. Just as vehicle occupants have physical protection, we could to look at ways available to us to give ourselves protection. That is the essence of my original post.

Having read your original post now twice, neither time without laughing, I think that you can "tell the motorists" that if they drove with more care and attention then they would reduce cycling casualties.

 

[classic33]

Philip/Cruiser, why are you doing this?
This isn't the only cycling site you've done this on!

 

[John the Monkey]

The OP never came back so you are just arguing amongst yourselves....again.

Oh no we're not.

 

[Origamist]

Philip/Cruiser, why are you doing this?

A lonely man living a life of quiet desperation, perhaps?

 

[roadrash]

1/ you say.... As a driver, I tense a lot when I come up behind a cyclist.

I say ....you shouldnt be driving a ton of meatal

2/ you say....Bikes with drop handlebars force the rider to look at the front wheel,

I say ... i have a neck , it allows me to look up,

3/ you say...So we have the most vulnerable of road users, cyclists, on a potential suicide mission,

I say ... bollox

4/ you say...vehicles do hit things for one reason or another.

I say theres only one reason

5 you say ...Would you stand in a road with your back to traffic doing 60mph? 'No'? 50? 40? 30? 20 even? Well, that is in effect what we're doing on our bikes. Say we're riding at 20mph on a road with 60mph traffic, that is the same as standing in a road with traffic at 40mph. the fact that we're moving doesn't give us protection.

I say .... i cant be arsed any more there is only a certain amount of crap that i respond to in a day,, i have gone way over todays quota..........

 

[Mugshot]

I have drop bars on my Dawes. My Dawes has carried me over thirty thousand miles and over the highest main road in Europe. I have only died seven times.

Game, set, match.

In fairness glenn this is a serious point about drop bars, just take a look at this years TDF alone, how many crashes? Lots! Arguable Britains two top cyclists, crashed out, the common demoninator, drop handlebars!
Just look at this idiot

Is it any surprise he keeps falling off? See HERE for more idiocy.
I've taken the time to email the UCI to get them to ban drop handlebars, I can't see they could have any argument against it, the knock on effect to the consumer should be instantaneous, the sooner these deathtraps are removed from our roads the better!

 

[glenn forger]

Thinks drop bars force the rider to stare at the front wheel.

Reckons he's a diplomatic conduit between cyclists and motorists.

Is a doofus. A lurking doofus at that.

 

[User6179]

I personally use Deflector Shields to keep me safe on the roads , sometimes I forget to turn them on though

 

[Firestorm]

Generally the best action plan for anything is to concentrate on the easy option to adress the majority issue first.
As the vast majority of 4 wheels vs 2 wheels accidents (cycle or motorcycle) are smidsy (sorry mate I didnt see you)
Educate car drivers to look and concentrate more, discourage passengers from distracting drivers, clamp down on texting, drink driving, illegally tinted windows, then see how that goes for 6 months.
then once that is being seen to be done, add unlit cyclists, red light jumpers , cyclists on pavements into the plan. After a year report the accident reduction figures for 6 months and 12 months.
that said it will require a sizable increase in the numbers of police on the road etc to act as a deterant as wuthout a visible enforcement presence people will still take a chance