Is road cycling more dangerous than mountain bikeing

[Ningishzidda]

All bicycle riding is dangerous. Better not do it, eh?

 

[Licramite]

All bicycle riding is dangerous. Better not do it, eh?

everything is dangerous - being alive is statistically the most dangerous it has a 100% death rate.

 

[Andrew 14]

Thanks for all the input also any opinions about riding in groups do cars give you more room I taged on with a cycle club the other week for 50 miles and this seemed to be the case . however I must say I live in rural north Yorkshire and the roads don't have as much trafic as towns ect .

 

[Pale Rider]

I feel safer in towns than on the open road.

Towns have more traffic, but it's slower and I can more or less keep up.

On the open road the speed difference is very high - too many idiots in cars (like me) taking advantage of the space to press on.

 

[Andrew 14]

I feel safer in towns than on the open road.

Towns have more traffic, but it's slower and I can more or less keep up.

On the open road the speed difference is very high - too many idiots in cars (like me) taking advantage of the space to press on.

Good point I didnt think about the speed difference

 

[Radchenister]

Let's remind ourselves of what you can do if you're a 'skilled and in control' MTBer:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUhBllz1iFI

Let's remind ourselves what can happen when you're on the road:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9zQJLmPLrA

Carry on!

 

[wiggydiggy]

Good point I didnt think about the speed difference

Thats the main issue for me - in town/commuting I'm fine and actively enjoy it. Out of town thanks to silly speed limits (70 on country roads ) or people simply speeding means I prefer off road.

 

[Radchenister]

So we're now onto preferences and not being comfortable that people drive fast on roads, what's wrong with that though, as long as they don't hit you - good job this isn't a scientific study?

I'm new to road riding and can only report good drivers to date (touch wood), I live on the A38, in a busy rural spot in between Gloucester and Bristol; people drive past me fast on occasions yes but they have all given me lots of space to date ... you sure you're not imagining things?

 

[Pale Rider]

Thats the main issue for me - in town/commuting I'm fine and actively enjoy it. Out of town thanks to silly speed limits (70 on country roads ) or people simply speeding means I prefer off road.

Same here.

Some of the most fun I've had cycling was on the Brommie in congested York and on a Boris Bike in even more congested London.

 

[Andrew 14]

So we're now onto preferences and not being comfortable that people drive fast on roads, what's wrong with that though, as long as they don't hit you - good job this isn't a scientific study?

I'm new to road riding and can only report good drivers to date (touch wood), I live on the A38, in a busy rural spot in between Gloucester and Bristol; people drive past me fast on occasions yes but they have all given me lots of space to date ... you sure you're not imagining things?

Someone points a gun at you and pulls the trigger the bullet misses you by three feet is this a safe thing to do after all it didn't hit you ?
I don't think anyone would think this was safe and if you gave them a gun and told them to do it they wouldn't but sit them in a car and all the rules change
Am I imagining things NO

 

[Radchenister]

Nice analogy ... I'll carry it on : but if that gun is wafted around in an urban area (or on a dirt track) ...

 

[wiggydiggy]

Nice analogy ... I'll carry it on : but if that gun is wafted around in an urban area (or on a dirt track) ...

I hear firearms being discharged on my country bimbles, but thats not my point lol

I'm definately not imagining things. Take my sunday ride - on the quiet B roads and unclassified roads I had to listen hard every time a car approached from behind for a slight change in engine noise (to signify slowing down) and then hope it would pass sensibly,, its no way to enjoy a ride IMO When I got to the track/trail the worst I had to worry about was finding a nice bench for my dinner!

Whats worse almost are those that pass sensibly, but with no consideration for whats coming the other way forcing it to swerve or slow down. Dont get me wrong, for every bad pass or near incident there's those that wait behind you for an age (or wave when you've pulled over into the passing place for them) but outside of commuting for me it seems for every good driver, there's two bad un's and it takes away the enjoyment.

 

[Radchenister]

I hear firearms being discharged on my country bimbles, but thats not my point lol

Quick, someone change the thread name to 'are all drivers bad?'

While we're onto firearms et alii, if cars are like guns ... then is a bike like a catapult?

What are trees? ... man traps?

 

[wiggydiggy]

Quick, someone change the thread name to 'are all drivers bad?'

While we're ono firearms et al, if cars are like guns ... then is a bike like a catapult?

What are trees? ... man traps?

Whats your point?

 

[Licramite]

I do regard cycling off road as safer and more relaxed than cycling on main roads. - off road you are in more control, most of the clips of off road crashes were youngster pushing the envelope of what you can do on a bike - to its obviouse conclusion- but in the first case, he was going to fast - you can control the speed you go off road and avoid danger.(see previous posts)
On road you have little or no control of the cars around you. - but to be fair, not all crashes involve other drivers , most involve people loosing control of the bike and crashing, it skids (as happened to me) , you don't make a bend , hit a pot hole - statistically your more likely to injure yourself without anyone elses help.

I've only crashed a couple of times on the road , had a few near misses but I have that in my car on a daily basis so why should I expect it to be any different on the bike. how many cars have overtaken me in my car and nearly taken the wing mirror off.

I would say if you want safe cycling - stick to your turbo bike - and try and avoid a heart attack.