Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

hugheskevi

I'm a bit surprised that other cyclists seem to have had incidents caused by other cyclists.

In over 10,000 miles of commuting in central London I've only ever had 1 near miss with another cyclist, and that was primarily due to silly infrastructure design.

Few non-obvious things I've found worth thinking about for new cyclists:

• Beware complacency - it is very easy to concentrate less on quieter roads which can lead to bad things happening
• The dangers are different at speed than they are for slower cyclists. I cycled very slowly a few days this year due to cycling after rowing in the gym and the roads feel completely different than if you are riding fast
• Vehicles never stop for no reason in the road - always be extremely cautious if there are odd road conditions and you don't know why
• Even if you don't do any other maintenance, make sure your brakes are always in top condition and you understand how they work and are adjusted
• If you notice a driver making a poor decision, stay well away from them. Most likely they will continue to make poor decisions/drive aggressively/chat on their phone, etc
• Adjust your speed according to conditions - faster acceleration can avoid issues such as cars squeezing past inappropriately
• Research winter cycling gear well and work out what you want most (different folks seem to feel cold in different places). Spending more on some pieces of gear will be well worth it.
• Don't underestimate just how much worse wet conditions can make your braking
• Speed bumps can be lethal - cars will overtake you and immediately brake and swerve left into your path to go around them, be ready for it
• Don't argue with drivers/cyclists/pedestrians. There really isn't any point.
• If you are a slow cyclist, that's fine. Just don't go 10 yards past the stop line at lights and force everyone to go around you :mad:
• In wet conditions, avoid all paint on the road as it can be extremely slippery. Red lines seem particularly bad.

Kite2010

Cyclists' biggest threat is bike registration plates if the government decides enough is enough and want to clamp down on anti-social cycling. Each bike to have it's own number plate in which to track the owner so if it gets spotted jumping a red light or riding on a pavement a fine can be sent out.

Freedom will be lost

Marco_Panettone

Kite2010 wrote: »

Cyclists' biggest threat is bike registration plates if the government decides enough is enough and want to clamp down on anti-social cycling. Each bike to have it's own number plate in which to track the owner so if it gets spotted jumping a red light or riding on a pavement a fine can be sent out.

Freedom will be lost

No it won't.

Firstly, it'll never happen. It hasn't ever happened anywhere in the world and it's unlikely this country will take any lead where cycling is involved. Secondly, to make it happen is prohibitively expensive will little gain or change in behaviour. There are plenty of cars with registration plates that are driven dangerously, let alone anti-socially, with no actual enforcement of most laws.

Also, freedom isn't gained from being able to behave like an idiot on a bike - it's gained from being in control of your journey. You very rarely sit in traffic. Journeys almost always take the same time no matter when you make them (give or take 2 minutes) and once you own you bike there are no additional payments to make.

Cycrow

Marco_Panettone wrote: »

No it won't.

Firstly, it'll never happen. It hasn't ever happened anywhere in the world and it's unlikely this country will take any lead where cycling is involved.

actually, thats not entirely true, it has happened in other countries, the swiss did but has since been scrapped, because it was unworkable and too expensive to run.

Marco_Panettone

Cycrow wrote: »

actually, thats not entirely true, it has happened in other countries, the swiss did but has since been scrapped, because it was unworkable and too expensive to run.

I stand corrected.

Anything that's too expensive and difficult to administer for the Swiss has no chance anywhere else!

Norman_Castle

Kite2010 wrote: »

Cyclists' biggest threat is bike registration plates if the government decides enough is enough and want to clamp down on anti-social cycling. Each bike to have it's own number plate in which to track the owner so if it gets spotted jumping a red light or riding on a pavement a fine can be sent out.

Freedom will be lost

In the unlikely event of this happening it would only effect anti social cyclists. Cycling on the pavement is accepted if done safely.

On 1st August 1999, new legislation came into force to allow a fixed penalty notice to be served on anyone who is guilty of cycling on a footway. However the Home Office issued guidance on how the new legislation should be applied, indicating that they should only be used where a cyclist is riding in a manner that may endanger others. The then Home Office Minister Paul Boateng issued a letter stating that:
“The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.”
Almost identical advice has since been issued by the Home Office with regards the use of fixed penalty notices by ‘Community Support Officers’ and wardens.

matelodave

I don't think most people have any issue with youngsters riding on the footway is the head-down bum up brigade who try blatting their way through the pedestrians and those that swerve off the road to nip across junctions at pedestrian crossings that should have their wheels confiscated. Like wise those who cycle through pedestrian areas without using a bit of common sense and keeping their speed down and expecting everyone else to get out of their way should expect a large swinging fine.

mochynbach

I'd say some of the biggest threats to cyclists are (there are many, but these are the ones that come top of my list at the moment):
a. non-cyclist car drivers who are ignorant to cyclists vulnerabilities on the road and how their driving can be a danger, don't care about their vulnerability on the road because they are a hindrance or don't treat a cyclist like a legitimate road user

b. Bad (inexperienced), and dangerous cyclists (those who choose to ignore the rules), they give the rest of us a bad name and those are the ones non-cyclist car drivers remember

c. Pot holes :mad:

007stuart

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Six months ago I was cycling downhill, pass parked cars and a junction at 25 mph on a 30 mph road with a car six feet behind me. Very dangerous for me. The following car then insisted on overtaking despite it being obvious they would only be joining the back of a traffic queue where I passed them seconds later. Too many motorists fail to understand the duty of care expected when driving. The UK driving licence is to easy to get and keep.

I hope you could safely stop at that speed. Perhaps cyclists over estimate their ability. Remember most cars can go faster than the speed limit but the limit is there for safety of all road users.

Norman_Castle

^ I hope I could stop at that speed. I checked today, 18 mph is normal for me on that road. 99% of my rides will be at probable 8-10 mph. I was doing 25mph because I was aware of the car behind and was trying to avoid slowing them. I know if I had braked the car would not have any time to react.
I had a similar problem this weekend. Another daft woman trying to overtake and undertake. Six feet behind me at 25-30 mph for 1/4 mile. This time it was just a distraction as I had 8 feet of car behind me. Some drivers have little interest in driving safely.