Questionnaire Regarding Bike Safety

[Paddy Francis]

Cycle Safety Questionnaire


http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=864ympu5dszzcna972916

 

[Paddy Francis]

Im currently studying product design at Salford University, and for my first assignment I have to create a product that will help with bicycle safety. This questionnaire is instrumental to my research and any responses would be greatly appreciated, thank you for your help.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Can you provide any info about the reasoning behind this questionnaire, like what it is going to be used for, and what any conclusions may inform?


Question 13 seems the most important.

It may also be worth asking people who drive or ride motorbike etc what problems they face when sharing the road with cyclists, especially in during poor weather, or with low light levels (dusk onwards)

 

[Bicycle]

Cycle Safety Questionnaire

I will answer as for the recent past, when I was a March-October cycle commuter. Non-commuting answers still apply.

1) Do you commute to work/university etc, using abicycle? If yes, what are your reasons for doing so?

Yes. It is more enjoyable than driving. There is a Draconian parking system at the office and I am 2 miles away with no public-transport link. I can eat more if I cycle. It wipes all my stress away. There are fabulous shower/changing facilities at the office and wardrobe space for clean clothes.

2) When commuting do you primarily use roads orpavements, and why is this?

Roads. Always roads. Only roads.

Pavements are (as I see it) for pedestrians.


3) Please select the duration (Underline) of hours it takes youto cycle to and from work/university/school etc in an average week. Put a ringaround the appropriate answer.



Less than one (4-6)





4) Do you ever cycle for recreational purposes? Ifso why?


Yes. Because I enjoy it and I have children who cycle. I live in a beautiful part of the country and I am happier when I ride frequently.


5) Do you ever take your bicycle on publictransport when commuting? If so why?


Yes. Train to Paddington once or twice monthly. It allows me to get between meetings more easily than I could by tube, bus, taxi or foot. I also love the buzz of cycling in London traffic.

6) What type of bicycle do you use? And what wouldbe your reasons for choosing this particular type of bicycle?

Commute: 20-speed alloy/carbon road bike. Reason: It is fast.

London: HT MTB with slicks, higher gears, narrowed bars. Reason: Good in traffic and hard to damage.

Recreation: Steel fixed-gear road bike. Reason: I giggle when I ride it and it improves my technique.

7) Are you happy with the roads you use on yourcommute? If not explain why?

Very happy. Good tarmac, or passable where not good. Considerate drivers. OK weather.


8) When cycling do you ever use safety gear such asa helmet? If not explain why you don’t?

I always wear gloves, sunglasses (clear or dark) and bright clothing.

I always use lights in poor visibility.

I sometimes wear a helmet. When I don't it's because I forget it, or prefer a cotton cap or woolly hat.

Also, I grew up not wearing one and it still sometimes feels odd when I do.



9) What age group do you fall under? Please put aring around the appropriate answer.



40+





10)Have youever been involved in an accident of some sort whilst riding your bicycle? If yes please explain whathappened.

Yes. Lots over many decades. Two basic types:

1. Lose control of bicycle at speed over pothole, ice, diesel or similar. Fly through air, land like broken Action Man doll.

2. Nudged or walloped by car. Fly through air, land like broken Action Man doll.


11 Do youthink there is anything that could improve bicycle safety on the roads? If yeswhat would you do to improve safety?

There is plenty that could be done, but I am OK with things as they are. There is little broad public will to change things and it is the public who pay for change (through the Exchequer).

I abhor the notion of a risk-free environment. I accept the risks that are currently there.

One thing that might improve cycle safety a little is more publicity about well known figures who ride bicycles. Not cheap shots of politicians looking for votes, but people who do it for the fun of it and let it be known that they do.

This might bring a greater awareness of cyclists by osmosis where proposed legislation and pressure groups often fail.



12) Ingeneral do you feel safe on your bicycle when commuting? If not what factors doyou fear most?

In general, I feel just safe enough but not too safe.

My greatest fear is being eaten alive by a large predator, but we have none in the UK.


13)What frequent problems do you encounter on aregular basis? Please explain.

None. My bicycles are reliable (regular maintenance) and my tyres are usually OK (kevlar in carcas).



14) When commuting do you ever experience traffic in peak hours?

Is the Pope Catholic?

Do bears shoot in the wood?

Did Rose Kennedy own a black dress?

If so, how do you find this experience andwhat problems do you face?

Peak-hour traffic in urban areas is one of the thrills of cycling. There are no real problems. A cyclist is generally faster than a car, but needs to be aware that he/she may be hard to see.

 

[ianrauk]

Cycle Safety Questionnaire

1) Do you commute to work/university etc, using abicycle? If yes, what are your reasons for doing so?
yes, because I want to and I enjoy it.

2) When commuting do you primarily use roads orpavements, and why is this?
Roads, because that's were cyclist should ride and riding on pavements is illegal

3) Please select the duration (Underline) of hours it takes youto cycle to and from work/university/school etc in an average week. Put a ringaround the appropriate answer.
Less than one 1-3 4-6 6+
6+

4) Do you ever cycle for recreational purposes? Ifso why?
Yes, because I enjoy it.

5) Do you ever take your bicycle on publictransport when commuting? If so why?
No

6) What type of bicycle do you use? And what wouldbe your reasons for choosing this particular type of bicycle?
Drop bar road bike, because It's what I want to ride.

7) Are you happy with the roads you use on yourcommute? If not explain why?
The majority are pretty good, but ther can be plenty of pot holes, especially after a hard winter

8) When cycling do you ever use safety gear such asa helmet? If not explain why you don’t?
No helmet. Cycling is not dangerous.

9) What age group do you fall under? Please put aring around the appropriate answer.
12 orunder 13-18 19-25 26-32 30-40 40+
40+

10)Have youever been involved in an accident of some sort whilst riding your bicycle? If yes please explain whathappened.
Yes,
Left hooked by car with myself going over the bonnet
Doored by car driver.
Sideswiped by car driving to fast round blind bend.

11 Do youthink there is anything that could improve bicycle safety on the roads? If yeswhat would you do to improve safety?
Get rid of cycle lanes, especially those leading to ASL's with a turn to the left.
Any bike/car accident/coming together is automatically the car driver fault until proven otherwise as in other European countries.

12) Ingeneral do you feel safe on your bicycle when commuting? If not what factors doyou fear most?
Yes, very safe.

13)What frequent problems do you encounter on aregular basis? Please explain.
Close passes by cars, but that's part and parcel of commuting in London.

14) When commuting do you ever experience traffic inpeak hours?
If so, how do you find this experience andwhat problems do you face?
Yes, and it's no problem. You soon learn to deal with the traffic.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

1) Do you commute to work/university etc, using abicycle? If yes, what are your reasons for doing so?
Yes - health, cost of alternates, environmental credentials, not contributing to congestion

2) When commuting do you primarily use roads orpavements, and why is this?
Roads, because it's illegal to cycle on a pavement unless specifically designated as a cycle path

3) Please select the duration (Underline) of hours it takes youto cycle to and from work/university/school etc in an average week. Put a ringaround the appropriate answer.
Less than one 1-3 4-6 6+
^ unclear question; I have answered on an overall WEEKLY basis (so 10 seperate cycles to and from work)

4) Do you ever cycle for recreational purposes? If so why?
Yes, it's a great way to see the countryside, more fun than the alternatives (driving/walking) and it's good for your health

5) Do you ever take your bicycle on public transport when commuting? If so why?
Yes, for a while I had a strange commute involving long-distance trains; and in winter I sometimes trained home because of the snow/darkness etc after having cycled in in the morning

6) What type of bicycle do you use? And what would be your reasons for choosing this particular type of bicycle?
A Brompton (folding) because at the time I had no place to store a full size bike. Now I would choose the same again, but because of the flexibility it offers when combining with other forms of transport from busses, trams, trains to other people's cars.

7) Are you happy with the roads you use on yourcommute? If not explain why?
Some, others less so. Some are poorly designed even though there are cycle lanes on them (in the door zone, for instance); others could do with some smoothing of the surface or pothole filling; others could benefit from street sweeping where there are short seperate cycle lanes; and yet others would be greatly improved if the drivers obeyed the yellow lines (etc). I'm lucky that there are alternate roads on my route so I can avoid the worst options.

8) When cycling do you ever use safety gear such as a helmet? If not explain why you don’t?
I do use a helmet although I accept arguments for and against. What other safety gear do you have in mind?

9) What age group do you fall under? Please put aring around the appropriate answer.
12 or under 13-18 19-25 26-32 30-40 40+

10) Have you ever been involved in an accident of some sort whilst riding your bicycle? If yes please explain what happened.
I have manged to fall off my bicycle all by myself on a few occasions.... leaves/damp/other!

11) Do you think there is anything that could improve bicycle safety on the roads? If yes what would you do to improve safety?
Awareness of cyclists by motorists

12) In general do you feel safe on your bicycle when commuting? If not what factors do you fear most?
Yes

13)What frequent problems do you encounter on a regular basis? Please explain.
Usually the behavoir of other road users (either ignorant or (rarely) agressive); and occasionally road surface issues (especially if wet / dark etc)

14) When commuting do you ever experience traffic in peak hours?
If so, how do you find this experience and what problems do you face?
yes, it is normally alright although in my experience afternoon traffic is worse than morning traffic as drivers pay less attention and are less considerate.

 

[Alan B]

Cycle Safety Questionnaire





1) Do you commute to work/university etc, using abicycle? If yes, what are your reasons for doing so?
Yes, 24 miles, fitness and financial.









2) When commuting do you primarily use roads orpavements, and why is this?
Roads, there are no pavements on most of the roads I use









3) Please select the duration (Underline) of hours it takes youto cycle to and from work/university/school etc in an average week. Put a ringaround the appropriate answer.



Less than one 1-3 4-6 6+

6+



4) Do you ever cycle for recreational purposes? Ifso why?
Yes, fitness and enjoyment









5) Do you ever take your bicycle on publictransport when commuting? If so why?
Very rarely, did once when took by train to Plymouth for coast to coast ride









6) What type of bicycle do you use? And what wouldbe your reasons for choosing this particular type of bicycle?
Electric bike and mountain bike. So I don't arrive at qwork all sweaty









7) Are you happy with the roads you use on yourcommute? If not explain why?
Yes









8) When cycling do you ever use safety gear such asa helmet? If not explain why you don’t?
No, don't like wearing helmet

















9) What age group do you fall under? Please put aring around the appropriate answer.



12 orunder 13-18 19-25 26-32 30-40 40+


40+


10)Have youever been involved in an accident of some sort whilst riding your bicycle? If yes please explain whathappened.
No













11 Do youthink there is anything that could improve bicycle safety on the roads? If yeswhat would you do to improve safety?
Car and lorry drivers giving more room when passing, they need to understand we can't ride 6" from the edge of road because of drains, debris, etc. Educate these people by appropriate means













12) Ingeneral do you feel safe on your bicycle when commuting? If not what factors doyou fear most?
Yes











13)What frequent problems do you encounter on aregular basis? Please explain.
Vehicles passing to close, wish I could catch up with them and have a word !!!













14) When commuting do you ever experience traffic inpeak hours?

If so, how do you find this experience andwhat problems do you face?

Yes, it's not a problem

 

[Theseus]

Done. Q13 & 14 are repeats of 10 & 11