improving safety

[pooly1uk]

a lot has been said with regards accidents involving cyclists, there seems to be a lot of blame put on the motorist.
Though I cycle to / from work, half of my working day involves driving, I regularly see cyclists riding in the dark with no lights and wearing dark clothing, this really does make me cringe!! a lot of cyclists also wear high vis clothing but dont use lights, this is fine in day light, but come darkness high vis clothing is no substitute for good quality lights.
I said half my working day is spent driving, the other half is spent in the back of an emergency ambulance, sometimes dealing with an increasing amount of injured cyclists who for one reason or another choose to ride without lights in the dark, but who insist it was the drivers fault! sadly, some do not get a chance to blame anyone.
Not every accident involving a vehicle and cyclist is the drivers fault, as the dark nights are aproaching, consider your own safety and how you can improve it, a few quid spent on simple improvements, lights, helmet etc, can make a big difference to your own safety, and make you more likely to get to your destination in one piece.

 

[akb]

Well said; cue the rabble with the 'Helmet' debate...!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

a lot has been said with regards accidents involving cyclists, there seems to be a lot of blame put on the motorist.
Though I cycle to / from work, half of my working day involves driving, I regularly see cyclists riding in the dark with no lights and wearing dark clothing, this really does make me cringe!! a lot of cyclists also wear high vis clothing but dont use lights, this is fine in day light, but come darkness high vis clothing is no substitute for good quality lights.
I said half my working day is spent driving, the other half is spent in the back of an emergency ambulance, sometimes dealing with an increasing amount of injured cyclists who for one reason or another choose to ride without lights in the dark, but who insist it was the drivers fault! sadly, some do not get a chance to blame anyone.
Not every accident involving a vehicle and cyclist is the drivers fault, as the dark nights are aproaching, consider your own safety and how you can improve it, a few quid spent on simple improvements, lights, helmet etc, can make a big difference to your own safety, and make you more likely to get to your destination in one piece.

 

[dawesome]

I don't doubt your experience pooly, but cyclists not having lights is rarely cited as a factor in RTCs:

A tiny proportion of accidents involving cyclists are caused by riders jumping red lights or stop signs, or failing to wear high-visibility clothing and use lights, a government-commissioned study has discovered.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/15/cycling-bike-accidents-study


It's nowhere near a major factor, far more often is the behaviour of DRIVERS the main cause of collisions. Want to improve safety? Focus on the cause of most accidents- drivers, not cyclists.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I don't doubt your experience pooly, but cyclists not having lights is rarely cited as a factor in RTCs:

A tiny proportion of accidents involving cyclists are caused by riders jumping red lights or stop signs, or failing to wear high-visibility clothing and use lights, a government-commissioned study has discovered.


http://www.guardian....accidents-study


It's nowhere near a major factor, far more often is the behaviour of DRIVERS the main cause of collisions. Want to improve safety? Focus on the cause of most accidents- drivers, not cyclists.

Studies have found just about everything about everything. If you make yourself visible at night you are less likely to be hit than if you are dressed in black with no lights and reflectors.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

poorly1uk has a very good point. We are the most vulnerable of all the road users and so we should do everything in our power to stay safe. I get really infuriated when I see a cyclist without lights - and here in France cycling at night without lights seems to be a national sport. But dawesome is right - cyclists are less likely to be at fault than motorists, but spending a couple of quid to make your life safer seems like a bargain to me.
Now, where's Twigman?

 

[dawesome]

Studies have found just about everything about everything. If you make yourself visible at night you are less likely to be hit than if you are dressed in black with no lights and reflectors.

Sure, although it's puzzling so many people claim to have seen unlit cyclists:

"I saw this invisible thing!"



But when unlit bikes are the cause of just 2% of accidents, whereas the driver is to blame in 70% of accidents, I know where I would rather resources were devoted.

 

[BentMikey]

The reality is that most cyclist vs motor vehicle collisions tend to be the driver's fault. Not all, mind. The most common cyclist crash is one done all by ourselves with no other vehicle involved.

Still, looking at ourselves and our riding habits is always good. Decent lights, good conservative vehicular riding style, and that'll avoid most driver mistakes, and likely a few of our own as well.

 

[dawesome]

There's no excuse for riding unlit, in fact I feel safer with my 6000 candlepower Cateye at night than I do riding in daylight. May I post a bargain here?

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/smart-lunar-25-item147160.html

£50 a year ago, I can vouch for them, I have no connection with the company!

 

[Jimmy Doug]

Sure, although it's puzzling so many people claim to have seen unlit cyclists:

"I saw this invisible thing!"

Not invisible - just not visible enough. I see most of them in town, when I'm walking. But occasionally they're on the main roads too. You see them when you're driving at the last fraction of a second.

 

[John the Monkey]

And yet, running three lights up front, and two in back, a woman still managed to run into the side of me while entering a roundabout before I had exited it.

Similarly, a "professional" (bus driver) managed to manouevre into me on a clear, bright July day, despite the hi-vis rucksack cover & gilet i had on at the time.

Yes, make yourselves visible. Don't kid yourself that it means drivers won't hit you though. They know full well that they face sod all physical or legal consequence for doing so, and so some will, regrettably, continue to be impatient and inattentive around you, whatever you wear, or put on your bike.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Sure, although it's puzzling so many people claim to have seen unlit cyclists:

"I saw this invisible thing!"



But when unlit bikes are the cause of just 2% of accidents, whereas the driver is to blame in 70% of accidents, I know where I would rather resources were devoted.

What resources are you talking about? It is up to the individual to purchase lights and clothing for their bike.

Also just looking at the figures quoted we have no way of knowing if many of those "driver at fault accidents" were "I didn't see the cyclist until it was too late".

 

[4F]

Well said; cue the rabble with the 'Helmet' debate...!

I must resist, I must resist

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Whilst lights and hi-viz are cheap, common-sense is free...

 

[Angelfishsolo]

But sadly not common.