Is it safe to cycle on UK roads? - interested in people's opinions

MacPingu1986

Addsdiystarter7 said:

It would be a lot safer for all riders if they wore hi-vis, a helmet, had a bell, lights etc, and followed the highway code.
As others have said it also depends on where you are/ride etc and time of day etc etc.
I passed my test at 18 which was around 40 years ago and I'm not sure how much is taught re other road users safety but more would help

Just wearing a hi-vis top in the day time would reduce accidents IMO.

Some riders take the p as well as some drivers. So if you are a rider, see my first paragraph and if you are mainly a driver, slow down etc and look carefully for smaller objects and give them plenty of space as you pass.

Lights are already a legal requirement, hi-vis and helmets don’t make any material difference to cycling safety for normal everyday utility cycling (there’ve been various studies comparing head injury rates in different jurisdictions). Exactly the same reason you don’t wear a walking helmet or a driving helmet). My winter jacket that I use for cycle commuting is fluoro yellow, couldn’t be brighter and doesn’t seem to make any difference to the close & punishment passes. Again - exactly the same reason we don’t demand all motor vehicles are given a full body hi-vis wrap or that all pedestrians wear hi-vis vests.

Norman_Castle

Martin_the_Unjust said:

I wonder when cyclists will start to give other road users at least 5ft clearance as it currently seems to only work one way.

Martin_the_Unjust said:

Nofinway said:

Martin_the_Unjust said:

I wonder when cyclists will start to give other road users at least 5ft clearance as it currently seems to only work one way.

Is it beyond your wit to understand why?

I struggle to understand though why cyclist don’t believe that they should give me the same room (for their own safety) when we are both in slow moving traffic.

Perhaps you could explain it to me?

Personally I don't mind being closer to vehicles in slow moving traffic and I suspect other cyclists are the same. In slow traffic problems are likely to develop slowly and be easier to avoid. The 5 feet rule applies at up to 30 mph with a larger gap at speeds above that. In slow moving traffic common sense should apply and I doubt driving closer than that would be penalised as long as a safe distance was left.

mjm3346

For a while about 14 years ago I commuted to London by coach - some of the cycle lanes were shared with coaches, if a slow cyclist was holding us up then one of the drivers used to take "appropriate" action, if they got past them they made sure there was no room to cut down the inside and get back past us, one cyclist wasn't happy to greet the kerb and when we were stopped in traffic chased after the coach, banging on the door when he caught up - driver was a big lad and he had the door open and was out of the coach in seconds and it took the intervention of several passengers to stop it becoming properly violent.

MacPingu1986

mjm3346 said:

For a while about 14 years ago I commuted to London by coach - some of the cycle lanes were shared with coaches, if a slow cyclist was holding us up then one of the drivers used to take "appropriate" action, if they got past them they made sure there was no room to cut down the inside and get back past us, one cyclist wasn't happy to greet the kerb and when we were stopped in traffic chased after the coach, banging on the door when he caught up - driver was a big lad and he had the door open and was out of the coach in seconds and it took the intervention of several passengers to stop it becoming properly violent.

Cycle lanes are not “shared” with coaches - they’re cycle lanes - not for coaches.  Driver of 4 tonne coaches shouldn’t be pulling sideways to force cyclists into kerbs at significant risk of death to the rider - carrying out violent actions against other road users with a real risk of death because you feel they are delaying you isn’t “appropriate action” - it’s psychotic.

EDIT - having read Norman's post below OK hadn't thought that these could be shared bus/cycle lanes - *but* that doesn't justify pulling into to force a cyclist into the kerb - in exactly the same way the coach driver shouldn't use their vehicles to force a car off the road or into a concrete barrier. + as Norman points out the whole overtake was pointless because the rider will simply re-overtake whilst the coach is stuck behind other motor vehicles which are far larger and cause far more delays than bicycles.

Norman_Castle

mjm3346 said:

For a while about 14 years ago I commuted to London by coach - some of the cycle lanes were shared with coaches, if a slow cyclist was holding us up then one of the drivers used to take "appropriate" action, if they got past them they made sure there was no room to cut down the inside and get back past us, one cyclist wasn't happy to greet the kerb and when we were stopped in traffic chased after the coach, banging on the door when he caught up - driver was a big lad and he had the door open and was out of the coach in seconds and it took the intervention of several passengers to stop it becoming properly violent.

Presumably cyclists were allowed to use the bus lanes rather than coaches allowed in the cycle lane. Its highly likely the coach being close to the kerb was due to the size of the coach rather than intentionally blocking the lane. I suspect the cyclist was understandably annoyed at being forced towards the kerb after the coach failed to pass fully before cutting back in. Thats poor driving.  Its quite telling how people nit pick at cyclists behavior then consider using a coach to cut up a cyclist as "appropriate"

The fact the cyclists caught up demonstrates the overtake was pointless. No need to "chase" a coach caught in traffic, it'll just be sitting there filling the lane.

[Deleted User]

diystarter7 said:

It would be a lot safer for all riders if they wore hi-vis, a helmet, had a bell, lights etc, and followed the highway code.
As others have said it also depends on where you are/ride etc and time of day etc etc.
I passed my test at 18 which was around 40 years ago and I'm not sure how much is taught re other road users safety but more would help

Just wearing a hi-vis top in the day time would reduce accidents IMO.

Some riders take the p as well as some drivers. So if you are a rider, see my first paragraph and if you are mainly a driver, slow down etc and look carefully for smaller objects and give them plenty of space as you pass.

This is classic victim blaming. Helmets are not like motorbike helmets, they are primarily there for low speed spills if you bump your head, if someone drives into you at speed, helmet will not do squat. High viz is of little benefit when drivers ignore it. There is no law that says you have to have a bell on the bike (just has to be sold with one) and drivers cannot hear them anyway. Lights (at night) are a legal requirement so moot point as any rider breaking the law is at the least, going to be found partially at fault. 

It would be a lot safer for all drivers if they had a crash helmet and 6 point multi harness rally style seatbelts too. Doesn't stop accidents does it? Rich too for drivers to talk about following the highway code given the far more serious harm cars do vs bikes.

[Deleted User]

Martin_the_Unjust said:

Nofinway said:

Martin_the_Unjust said:

I wonder when cyclists will start to give other road users at least 5ft clearance as it currently seems to only work one way.

Is it beyond your wit to understand why?

Actually yes it appears it is.

I quite understand why I should give cyclists lots of room, it’s even more important when I’m driving a lorry.

I struggle to understand though why cyclist don’t believe that they should give me the same room (for their own safety) when we are both in slow moving traffic.

Perhaps you could explain it to me?

Go to a train station which has fast trains going through. When the train is stopped, walk alongside it in touching distance, do you feel in any danger? Now, when the next through train is coming, walk the same route at the same distance as the train goes through. Do you notice the difference?

If traffic is static or slow moving, if I filter, I control my speed, I judge the gaps, I can escape on the pavement if I really must.

If traffic is passing at speed, I cannot control their speed, the gaps the cars leave and have no visibility of what is coming up at what speed, how big they are etc. Even being passed by a bus or lorry 2m away at 50mph gives a huge wobble of wind

mjm3346

Norman_Castle said:

mjm3346 said:

For a while about 14 years ago I commuted to London by coach - some of the cycle lanes were shared with coaches, if a slow cyclist was holding us up then one of the drivers used to take "appropriate" action, if they got past them they made sure there was no room to cut down the inside and get back past us, one cyclist wasn't happy to greet the kerb and when we were stopped in traffic chased after the coach, banging on the door when he caught up - driver was a big lad and he had the door open and was out of the coach in seconds and it took the intervention of several passengers to stop it becoming properly violent.

Presumably cyclists were allowed to use the bus lanes rather than coaches allowed in the cycle lane. Its highly likely the coach being close to the kerb was due to the size of the coach rather than intentionally blocking the lane. I suspect the cyclist was understandably annoyed at being forced towards the kerb after the coach failed to pass fully before cutting back in. Thats poor driving.  Its quite telling how people nit pick at cyclists behavior then consider using a coach to cut up a cyclist as "appropriate"

The fact the cyclists caught up demonstrates the overtake was pointless. No need to "chase" a coach caught in traffic, it'll just be sitting there filling the lane.

Yes it was a combined bus/cycle lane on a major route out of London and the driver was well known for his driving "skills" not just involving cyclists and other drivers. Passengers learned to be careful when getting off and always hold on to seat backs either side of the aisle as there would be little or no slowing down before applying the brakes when reaching a stop or most junctions/traffic lights.

Martin_the_Unjust

Deleted_User said:

Martin_the_Unjust said:

Nofinway said:

Martin_the_Unjust said:

I wonder when cyclists will start to give other road users at least 5ft clearance as it currently seems to only work one way.

Is it beyond your wit to understand why?

Actually yes it appears it is.

I quite understand why I should give cyclists lots of room, it’s even more important when I’m driving a lorry.

I struggle to understand though why cyclist don’t believe that they should give me the same room (for their own safety) when we are both in slow moving traffic.

Perhaps you could explain it to me?

Go to a train station which has fast trains going through. When the train is stopped, walk alongside it in touching distance, do you feel in any danger? Now, when the next through train is coming, walk the same route at the same distance as the train goes through. Do you notice the difference?

If traffic is static or slow moving, if I filter, I control my speed, I judge the gaps, I can escape on the pavement if I really must.

If traffic is passing at speed, I cannot control their speed, the gaps the cars leave and have no visibility of what is coming up at what speed, how big they are etc. Even being passed by a bus or lorry 2m away at 50mph gives a huge wobble of wind

…….but you are not controlling what the vehicle you are undertaking/overtaking is doing. You are relying on your reaction times when the vehicle driver has a momentary lapse of concentration or reacts to something that you cannot or didn’t see.

It is far safer for everyone if we all, drivers and cyclists use the 5ft rule, but I suspect cyclists won’t because it might delay them a bit (spookily enough that’s the same reason car drivers use)

Norman_Castle

Martin_the_Unjust said:

Deleted_User said:

Martin_the_Unjust said:

Nofinway said:

Martin_the_Unjust said:

I wonder when cyclists will start to give other road users at least 5ft clearance as it currently seems to only work one way.

Is it beyond your wit to understand why?

Actually yes it appears it is.

I quite understand why I should give cyclists lots of room, it’s even more important when I’m driving a lorry.

I struggle to understand though why cyclist don’t believe that they should give me the same room (for their own safety) when we are both in slow moving traffic.

Perhaps you could explain it to me?

Go to a train station which has fast trains going through. When the train is stopped, walk alongside it in touching distance, do you feel in any danger? Now, when the next through train is coming, walk the same route at the same distance as the train goes through. Do you notice the difference?

If traffic is static or slow moving, if I filter, I control my speed, I judge the gaps, I can escape on the pavement if I really must.

If traffic is passing at speed, I cannot control their speed, the gaps the cars leave and have no visibility of what is coming up at what speed, how big they are etc. Even being passed by a bus or lorry 2m away at 50mph gives a huge wobble of wind

It is far safer for everyone if we all, drivers and cyclists use the 5ft rule, but I suspect cyclists won’t because it might delay them a bit (spookily enough that’s the same reason car drivers use)

If cyclists are overtaking vehicles its normally because of the slower speed of the traffic where the risks are lower. I expect you fully understand why there is much lower risk at lower speeds making closer driving acceptable but are trying to make an issue of it as you just resent something you think is unfair.