Cycling accidents soar, time for segregated cycle lanes?

[WalkleyIan]

I fully support the idea of on the road training for cyclist, both my kids did this at school and they tell me off for cycling too close to the kerb, but over 80% of adult cyclists have already passed a driving test (according to the 2010 national travel survey) and after the Wiggo / Sutton incidents British Cycling announced that 95% of their members held a driving licence.

 

So large numbers of adult cyclists in the UK have already undertaken an intensive road training course, albeit in a different vehicle type. Then again my driving licence (pre 2001) also allows me to ride a moped without taking a CBT or bike test.

 

Look at it another way, 100 % of motorists should have passed a test, yet this forum is full of threads about poor driving standards / drivers jumping red lights etc. Clearly training isn’t the simple answer. It just means somebody can drive / ride to a certain standard for an hour on a given day. For the next 50 years you can pretty well carry on with the minimum of checks.

 

The accident stats recorded by the police (report in 2009) showed that about 3/4 of incidents involving a cycle and a vehicle the driver was solely to blame. If you look into the 100 or so cyclists who have been killed this year, and then check how many of the drivers have subsequently been arrested and charged with causing death by dangerous driving it paints a disturbing picture of some driving standards in the UK (but let’s remember it’s still a relatively small number killed compared to the number of cyclists on the road)

 

So yes to training for cyclists, but there needs to be significant changes to the driving test so that motorists realise the dangers they present to all vulnerable road users, pedestrian, cyclists, horse riders , motorbikes.

 

Accident stats show that our roads are getting safer than ever but they do mask the real situation. The roads have become very safe for drivers (car design must help here) but not safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Numbers of pedestrians killed by cars has started to go back up. Against these stats we still have some of the lowest numbers of people walking or cycling to school / work in the whole of Europe.

 

This is not a situation we should be proud of, especially with the increasing burden of obesity, diabetes and heart disease on the NHS.The Dutch as a nation are far healthier and fitter than we are, Danish Women have the lowest BMI figures in Europe, British Women have the highest.

 

People of my generation (wrong end of 40s now) probably walked to school, graduated via the Raleigh Chopper then maybe real road bike, at 17 some, moved onto a moped or even a 250cc (remember you could ride one on a provisional licence in the 80s) long before they drove a car. You now have a situation where many drivers have little or no experience of using other modes of transport. Some may even have been driven to School throughout their entire education.

 

The Dutch do have fantastic cycle facilities, but that these were largely constructed in the early 70s while the country was still rebuilding. They took a decision to build this infrastructure given a clean slate to start from (against the wishes of the Dutch car lobby it should be noted). Those countries with strong cycling / walking culture such as the Dutch / Danes and some extent the Germans /French also have some form of strict liability law in place. Some in the UK argue that we don’t need such a provision if only the CPS would use the existing laws we have.

 

The concept of strict liability as applied by the Dutch / Danes also gives some protection to the pedestrians, both from cyclist and cars. Any plans to align the UK with the rest of Europe were pretty much hounded out by a very vocal car lobby and certain elements of the UK press so the idea has been shelved as a waste time and effort.

 

Current campaigns amongst pedestrian and cycling groups are much more focused on residential 20mph areas as these seem to be supported by large numbers of the population, as well as local and national politicians.

 

The national cycling organization, the CTC, accept that good quality segregated lanes, the sort that don’t stop ever 100m and have right of way over side roads, should be encouraged in new developments.

 

This is all well and good but without demolishing large areas of our cities, especially those like Sheffield that expanded rapidly in late 19th early 20th century, we wont achieve the Dutch / Danish style utopia. Even in Holland you have to cycle on the road at some time.

[molly44]

Who mentioned money ?? I'm no rich 4WD driver, just a bloke who sees untrained, unsafe cyclists taking their lives in their hands. Training should be compulsory. Who says it should cost money ??

Motorcyclists are trained to ride defensively.

Assume all other road users are morons. DONT expect them to give way to you. Stay safe and enjoy your riding.

 

well why does the word insurance, taxation of cyclist always crops up??.. why does charging people make any difference to safety on the roads as a cyclist?.

its the vehicle drivers who have to have a change of attitude. ( and the mad sort of cyclists). its not about more money

[kermit103]

HELLO EARTH CALLING:loopy::loopy:

Uk debt rises, government to make cuts, councils have to cut millions and so on..

So where will this money come from and don't we have to get our priorities sorted people!!!!

[llamatron]

no they do not. PLI is for businesses to insure against if a customer or member of public suffered a loss or injury as a result of its business activities. there is no requirement for PLI for those who own a horse. you are very much mistaken and who ever told you that was barking up the wrong tree.

 

I would assume most horses that are ridden on the road are insured. Just because there is no requirement it does not mean that people aren't doing it. There aren't many people that could afford to not insure their horse.

[Cyclone]

An anecdote from this morning, on the M1, not a cyclist, a motorcyclist, travelling along, minding his own business. For about 10 miles I followed an older car which was driving within 5 to 10 metres of the motorbike at between 70 and 30 mph... The motorway wasn't flowing well, we were periodically breaking heavily, yet, he was driving right on top of a motorcycle. I was leaving a breaking gap of 5 times as much, and I reckon my car would stop a lot quicker than his and wouldn't kill him if it all went wrong. He however can have had no thought for the life of the motorcycle rider, as any mistake would have probably killed him.

 

With drivers like this, cycle insurance has to be a very low priority.

[WeX]

I would assume most horses that are ridden on the road are insured. Just because there is no requirement it does not mean that people aren't doing it. There aren't many people that could afford to not insure their horse.

 

you can assume if you like, but I know people who own horses do not have specific public liability insurance for when they ride on the road.

[willman]

you can assume if you like, but I know people who own horses do not have specific public liability insurance for when they ride on the road.

 

Funnily enough we insure our horses and dogs - 'cos of cyclists and mountain bikers in the countryside.

[Penistone999]

Yep, they should be everywhere. Can't see any downside at all, everyone's a winner.

 

I'd certainly use my bike more.

 

If this was to happen it should be made law that cyclists HAVE to ride in them ,and would not be permitted to use any other lanes to make sure they dont get in the way of us motorists .

[Rand Hobart]

As a little aside on insurance.

My missus, my two little girls and I are all insured to ride our bikes on any road that cyclists can use legally. That's all four of us on anything short of a motorway, £10,000,000 of liability to third parties for the princely sum of £60.00. (inc CTC membership) That's just over 28p a week each.

Insurance companies aren't charities and set premiums on the level of risk, both frequency of accidents and level of damage inflicted. Ask any 17 yr old driver.

I think this sums up nicely the difference between drivers and cyclists and the amount of times and level of injury that they inflict on others through their stupidity.

[Isabelle]

 

The Dutch do have fantastic cycle facilities, but that these were largely constructed in the early 70s while the country was still rebuilding. They took a decision to build this infrastructure given a clean slate to start from (against the wishes of the Dutch car lobby it should be noted). Those countries with strong cycling / walking culture such as the Dutch / Danes and some extent the Germans /French also have some form of strict liability law in place. Some in the UK argue that we don’t need such a provision if only the CPS would use the existing laws we have.

 

The concept of strict liability as applied by the Dutch / Danes also gives some protection to the pedestrians, both from cyclist and cars. Any plans to align the UK with the rest of Europe were pretty much hounded out by a very vocal car lobby and certain elements of the UK press so the idea has been shelved as a waste time and effort.

 

 

I visited Amsterdam a few years back and I remember seeing the large multi storey bicycle park. I think I saw more bicycles than cars in the city. They are everywhere, and I saw quite a few 'parked up' with no chain on.