Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

brat

armyknife wrote: »

What about the possible pedestrians who'll be needing those red lights to safely cross the junction/road?

There are two hours of video here and here that some london cabbie has filmed from which he edited out all the bad driving to show a minute of bad cycling..
Please let me know if any pedestrians were even slightly endangered in that two hours of video. I'm taking a slight chance here because I haven't watched all two hours of it, but I feel sure that it would have been one of the major highlights in the one minute clip.

However much you want to paint cyclists like masochistic crash hungry lemmings, the facts and the evidence just don't support it.

Strider590

brat wrote: »

The danger for all cyclists is created because cyclists who jump red lights annoy and frustrate other road users to such a degree that they retaliate by driving too close. They get a sense that, if the cyclist won't look after himself why should I? It's a bad attitude, but some people are easily wound up.

Ok, that's one factor in this equation... BUT I believe the biggest problem is drivers who don't see cyclists as being "road users" and don't afford them the same courtesy as they do other vehicles.

90% of drivers drive comparable sized cars, they/we all complain about 4x4 and van drivers who think they own the road. Many of them think they own the road because they're driving bigger vehicles.

When the average driver comes across a cyclist, the same becomes true, the natural reaction (at a subconscious level) is that this person is less important because they're much smaller and THIS is where the danger to cyclists begins.

armyknife

brat wrote: »

There are two hours of video here and here that some london cabbie has filmed from which he edited out all the bad driving to show a minute of bad cycling..
Please let me know if any pedestrians were even slightly endangered in that two hours of video. I'm taking a slight chance here because I haven't watched all two hours of it, but I feel sure that it would have been one of the major highlights in the one minute clip.

However much you want to paint cyclists like masochistic crash hungry lemmings, the facts and the evidence just don't support it.

Brilliant!

I'm actually a cyclist in that it's my only form of transport.

I don't know know what caricature of my position you've decided on in your head, but it won't be accurate.

'We' have to get on with all road users and look out for/defer to the more vulnerable ones, which is why I don't jump red lights, not out of self preservation, but out of consideration for pedestrians.

How exactly are pedestrians to know that you in your wisdom has decided when it's appropriate for them to cross?

silverwhistle

armyknife wrote: »

How exactly are pedestrians to know that you in your wisdom has decided when it's appropriate for them to cross?

Are pedestrians really that bothered anyway?

In fact, let's all gang up on jay-walking pedestrians!

Nagme

On the subject of "not seeing" the cyclist, this makes an interesting read. It takes a few minutes to read the whole article but if it saves a life... (ps I'm a motorist and a cyclist, and DH is a motorist and a biker)

http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/

custardy

silverwhistle wrote: »

Are pedestrians really that bothered anyway?

In fact, let's all gang up on jay-walking pedestrians!

dawny10

It's a pretty messed up world if its thought the only way to make drivers give any consideration to cyclists is to put a number plate on them so they might get caught if they go through a red light!

Heycock

brat wrote: »

This sums up the stereotypical misconception that people have over red light jumpers. They incorrectly assume that the cyclist blindly trundles over the junction causing all others to take evasive action.

I've seen many cyclists go through red lights, but those who do so and put themselves at the mercy of motorists are extremely few and far between. Research exists to show that it may actually be safer for cyclists to jump red lights. It's certainly not dangerous to do it carefully at certain junctions.

The danger for all cyclists is created because cyclists who jump red lights annoy and frustrate other road users to such a degree that they retaliate by driving too close. They get a sense that, if the cyclist won't look after himself why should I? It's a bad attitude, but some people are easily wound up.

Hey, Brat. I'm also a cyclist. I cycle more than i drive now.
Going through a red light is stupid and dangerous AND ILLEGAL. It puts everyone else at the junction at risk. The example I quoted could just have easily been a car swerving, mounting the pavement as much as slamming on brakes to avoid an irresponsible cyclist. To try and justify a cyclist doing this is ludicrous....95% of drivers could argue exactly the same point. There is NO defence. It's an immature argument to throw up some stupid car driver's behaviour to justify cyclist stupidity. Stupid is stupid. The difference being a stupid driver will walk away from an accident. A stupid cyclist probably won't.

And for all the bad behaviour seen from drivers the fact remains that the first time in 40 years I was knocked off my bike, it was by another cyclist.

brat

armyknife wrote: »

'We' have to get on with all road users and look out for/defer to the more vulnerable ones, which is why I don't jump red lights, not out of self preservation, but out of consideration for pedestrians.

How exactly are pedestrians to know that you in your wisdom has decided when it's appropriate for them to cross

I cycle through a pedestrian zone every day, against the normal flow of traffic, and hardly any pedestrians look out for me. I have no problem avoiding those pedestrians who cross the road or step out in front of me. They're predictable, and you can see them about to cross.

These pedestrian don't look to me for accord. They cross in the belief that the road is clear for them to cross. I do their thinking for them, and it works.

Legalising RLJing for cyclists at certain junctions would reduce the confrontational issue between cyclists and pedestrians, and cyclists and motorists. And it would probably make everyone a little safer.

Norman_Castle

Legalising RLJing for cyclists at certain junctions would reduce the confrontational issue between cyclists and pedestrians, and cyclists and motorists. And it would probably make everyone a little safer.

If cyclists moving away before other vehicles is safer, a delayed green light for motor vehicles is the obvious option (I'm not promoting this!). Legalising red light jumping for cyclists invites accidents through indifference and poor judgement.