Why would anyone cycle to work?

Stoke

brat wrote: »

If you can cycle to work you’d be daft not to!

Anyone can cycle to work? Whether you can cycle to work safely is a different matter.

Finally it happened today. A vehicle in front SMIDSY'd a young male cyclist (cycling perfectly safely in a cycle lane) as I travelled through Burnage/Longsight area in Manchester. Luckily, the cyclist had lightning reactions and turned his wheel slightly so he only caught the front wing of the car and bounced off slightly, instead of going head first over the car.

Although the drivers initial reaction was to ask if the cyclist was okay, he proceeded to accuse the cyclist of "undertaking him". Can you even undertake on a bike? Isn't this a term for cars on the motorway?

Luckily the cyclist was able to cycle away and there didn't look like any real damage to either the car or his bike, but my word..... I've been expecting this for the past 3 weeks and it's no surprise it's finally happened.

anto164

I cycle to work as we only have one car, and the wife needs it more than i do!

Nice leisurely 9 miles each way,

brat

Stoke wrote: »

Anyone can cycle to work? Whether you can cycle to work safely is a different matter.

Finally it happened today. A vehicle in front SMIDSY'd a young male cyclist (cycling perfectly safely in a cycle lane) as I travelled through Burnage/Longsight area in Manchester. Luckily, the cyclist had lightning reactions and turned his wheel slightly so he only caught the front wing of the car and bounced off slightly, instead of going head first over the car.

Although the drivers initial reaction was to ask if the cyclist was okay, he proceeded to accuse the cyclist of "undertaking him". Can you even undertake on a bike? Isn't this a term for cars on the motorway?

Luckily the cyclist was able to cycle away and there didn't look like any real damage to either the car or his bike, but my word..... I've been expecting this for the past 3 weeks and it's no surprise it's finally happened.

I'll take statistics over anecdote any day of the week...

House_Martin

So far in around a million miles of cycling in a lifetime from the age of 6 to 66 , only one car has knocked me off and that was in Switzerland when a car clipped my bulky pannier slightly in the busy centre of Geneva .Touch wood, no other impact from a motor car so far, but thousands of very close shaves and they seem to be getting closer and closer in an obvious attempt at intimidation.

[Deleted User]

Health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks by 7 times.

brat

320 miles a week, every week for 60 years.

Impressive...

somethingcorporate

brat wrote: »

320 miles a week, every week for 60 years.

Impressive...

It's only 45 miles a day for 21,900 consecutive days - what's wrong with you??

Stoke

brat wrote: »

I'll take statistics over anecdote any day of the week...

And I wouldn't expect it any other way. I think some places are easier to cycle than others. I've not seen this kind of problem elsewhere, but where I'm driving at the moment is lethal. That said, I saw the exact opposite today, cyclist with no helmet, taking risks going through red lights and at one point cycling down the centre of the road between two lanes of traffic (despite there being a cycle lane on the left)

brat

So, what cycling stats can you draw on from your area. How many cycling KSIs in Manchester each year? Do the stats back up your anecdotal experiences?

esuhl

Stoke wrote: »

That said, I saw the exact opposite today, cyclist with no helmet...

Tsk tsk! I saw a motorist without driving gloves the other day! It ought to be illegal!

Fair enough on your other points though. But he wasn't jumping red lights and riding dangerously because he's a cyclist. He's doing it because he's a nutter. You get the same thing with motorists. Some people drive sensibly; some don't.