Just how dangerous is cycle commuting?

[Keith Oates]

That's a good idea, beanz, but even if that can't be arranged due to lack of bikes, compulsory lessons on the highway code with a written test at the end would be another step in the right direction!!

 

[HJ]

Hairy, it is a bit more dangerous as people in cars REALLY want to get somewhere !

I've done it on and off ove the years but've recently done it quite alot BUT the last time cost an new pair of wheels + £30...

They're not messing around - waiting for things to happen that shouldn't (like we all know how you should approach the road)...

Still, you've got to watch it if you do commute...!

If you read the report referenced you will see that "With one cyclist death per twenty million miles of cycling, the absolute level of risk is clearly a small one. The average cyclist is scarcely more likely to be killed per year than the average driver,... but the risk is low at 0.0083% per year... The life-extending
benefits of cycling are taken to compensate this burden 10-20 times over. This cyclist will be ten times less likely to kill another road user than a driver." ... "The belief that British cyclists face high actual risks is not sustained by the evidence; the actual risks are very low in everyday terms." ... "Perceived
danger is not revealed by casualty data."

The one factor which has been show to decreases the risks to cyclist on the road is an increase in the number of cyclist on the road. However the the biggest factor keeping people back from cycling on the road is the danger myth!

 

[col]

Col - which is why I think, if sport/p.e. is compulsory in schools up to a certain age, why not build in compulsory cycle training as an element? Admittedly there would be logistical problems to overcome (equipment cost - assuming situations where own bikes couldn't be used - for one) but surely the benefits would be worth it in health/safety/environmental and cycling promotion terms - even maybe starting off some in the sport?

when i was at school we were given a choice at pe,weights or track,obviously we picked weights(good skive) but if we had been given cycling know how as a choice im sure we would have jumped at it,most kids have a bike that they could use if they wanted to ,until funds supplied a few for the school,but even theory as mentioned by Keith could be cheaply incorporated,and would give some knowledge on the subject,as for the sport side,they dont need to have special facilities built as the grass track would do for grass racing,which iv seen at richmond some time ago,so really it wouldnt be that difficult to get something started for the schools,just need to convince who ever we need to,afraid im not sure who?but the pe teacher may be a good start?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I've never felt commuting was dangerous at all. Irritating maybe, at times downright annoying. But never dangerous and most of the time, invigorating and a lot of fun. But then again, I've never commuted in London and it does seem to be more of a situation of open warfare down there...

 

[yenrod]

If you read the report referenced you will see that "With one cyclist death per twenty million miles of cycling, the absolute level of risk is clearly a small one. The average cyclist is scarcely more likely to be killed per year than the average driver,... but the risk is low at 0.0083% per year... The life-extending
benefits of cycling are taken to compensate this burden 10-20 times over. This cyclist will be ten times less likely to kill another road user than a driver." ... "The belief that British cyclists face high actual risks is not sustained by the evidence; the actual risks are very low in everyday terms." ... "Perceived
danger is not revealed by casualty data."

The one factor which has been show to decreases the risks to cyclist on the road is an increase in the number of cyclist on the road. However the the biggest factor keeping people back from cycling on the road is the danger myth!

And that danger myth contributing to the amount of kids being ferried to and from school - largely uneccessarily !

 

[P.H]

That report makes interesting reading, but it should be renamed The Risk of Death from cycling as it doesn’t deal with the many other risks. Even if you don’t have any personal experience, you only have to read the forums for a while to realise how common cycling injuries are. The reports positive findings could lead to complacency, an acceptance that things are OK when they’re far from it.

 

[Tynan]

thundering traffic more or less keeps riders off the roads that can't handle it

I had some bike lessons for free from the army when I was about ten (my dad was in the army not me)

It was done by their driving instructors

I was asked to demonstrate a left hand turn signal, when I stuck my left arm out, the instructor said 'and knock your wife's hat off?'

which rather threw me on two different levels

 

[Arch]

You shouldn't be on the road if you don't know the rules

Good point. Cyclists are one exception to mandatory training for road users. (So are horse riders though, and I don't think there's compulsory training for them is there?).

I think in most cases, horseriders aren't on the road unless they are experienced, or have a lead rider who is. The school I go to, if we go on a hack, we have an experienced rider with us, and for kids doing courses, they have lessons specifically to learn road use. And we all wear hi-vis jackets.
Just as a cyclist, adult or child, can take part in cycle training, horse riders can do courses. But don't have to...

I suppose it would be possible for a kid who'd only learned basic horse control to have their own horse, be over-confident and go out on the road without experience, just as a cyclist can.

I think compulsory roadcraft/cycle training at school would be a good idea - not only would it make sure kids knew about the rules and so on, but it might provide a better platform for learning to drive. And it should include practical and theory aspects.

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Talking about horse riders...........
A few years back I went to a country pub, after my two pints ( honest officer ) I left to go home, When I got in my VW Beetle a horse decided, as it passed, to try and jump on the roof. The rider berated me (okay fekin swore), for driving a car in a colour that scared her horse !
It was orange (the car, not the horse).
Took me months to sort out the bloody insurance