Biggest Threats to Cyclists?
Options
Comments
-
If you're referring to the large blue, allow overtaking sign posted by Hamish they're on single track roads with passing places and refer to all road users.SerialRenter wrote: »It implies "where safe" after, by the looks of it, in designated laybys,
They include a diagram for the hard of thinking.0 -
Its a point all road users should remember. Not just cyclists.HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »You're a road user, not a traffic vigilante, a point many cyclists would do well to remember.0 -
SerialRenter wrote: »It implies "where safe" after, by the looks of it, in designated laybys, not just anywhere on the side of the road. Rejoining a road presents its own dangers too.
cyclist's should only take the primary for safety reasons, but that's not as rare as you make out.
A few examples:
Traffic islands
roundabouts
traffic lights
turning right
thin one way streets
thin roads with significant traffic oncoming
passing parked cars that may open their door.
Stopping myself from getting run over is significantly more important to me than shaving seconds off a motorists journey.
As i also drive in surrey, i encounter a lot of cyclists and i've never felt the need to be frustrated by their speed. You simply have to wait for a gap in oncoming traffic to safely overtake by a cars width, it never takes long.
no no. You must pass any cyclists within 2.2 seconds.
Its the law
0 -
SerialRenter wrote: »
Stopping myself from getting run over is significantly more important to me than shaving seconds off a motorists journey.Hamish_McTavish wrote:You should do as the Police advise, and pull over to allow him to pass.....
Your life I'm afraid, has little or no value to some road users. To them, you're an inconvenience, no more.
It makes sense to be as considerate as you reasonably can to other road users. If a rural road is too narrow to allow safe overtaking I'll usually take the centre of the lane to prevent an overtake, then, when the road widens a little, I'll pull in slightly, and slow if necessary, with a thumbs up to let the motorist pass.
Occasionally, a motorist's impatience is too dangerous, and it's less safe to try to control that. One occasion last year I was cycling along a narrow rural road when I passed a junction from which a tractor and trailer was about to emerge. After half a mile I was caught by this tractor who decided to follow me at 20 to 25 miles per hour within two metres of my back wheel. He was obviously !!!!ed off by being behind me. He had no chance to pass. I was only doing a few miles per hour less than his max speed anyway. I had no chance to pull over safely at an appropriate point because he was so close. The road was pot holed and rutted, and I started to feel very unsafe. The only option I had was to slow down gradually to a stop with him behind me, then pull over to let him pass.
I popped round to see him later for a chat, during which he learned a lot about courtesy and consideration.
Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.0 -
Contributors to this thread may be interested to note the contents of the new Transport Select Committee report on Cycling Safety. Positively (from my point of view at least) is a focus on training (for cyclists and drivers) and advice encouraging all road users to share the road safely.
The full document can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/transport-committee/news/report-isolated-communities/
The conclusions are as follows (pasted from the link provided):- Road safety measures should aim to curb the number of cycling casualties while increasing the overall number of cyclists on the road. Achieving both these goals will require steps to improve actual and perceived levels of safety for cyclists on the road.
- Central government, regional and local authorities, should use all the tools at their disposal to promote the safer sharing of the road between drivers and cyclists.
- Safe cycling should be made an integral part of the design for all new infrastructure projects. Local authorities should be required to demonstrate that cycling was considered and incorporated into the design of new roads at the earliest stage, and that local cyclists were consulted as part of this process.
- The disproportionate number of HGVs involved in collisions with cyclists demonstrates that the industry must improve its road safety record.
- Cycle training should be available to all cyclists: children in primary and secondary school, adults seeking to gain confidence, and those looking to refresh their road skills.
- DVSA must ensure that drivers are tested—in the practical test if possible, and certainly via the theory test—on their approach to sharing the road with cyclists.
- Government should reassess its approach to road safety awareness and set out, in its response to this report, the steps it will take to ensure a clear and consistent message of mutual respect between all road users and compliance with the law by cyclists and drivers.
- Government should consider amending the Highway Code to promote cycle safety and ensure that it reflects the rights of cyclists to share the road with drivers.
0 -
SerialRenter wrote: »cyclist's should only take the primary for safety reasons, but that's not as rare as you make out.
A few examples:
Traffic islands
roundabouts
traffic lights
turning right
thin one way streets
thin roads with significant traffic oncoming
passing parked cars that may open their door.
Good list. Just to add an important one that's often overlooked: when passing side roads on the left (because it makes you visible to traffic coming out, and discourages people overtaking and turning left into your path).[/QUOTE]0 -
[take primary] when passing side roads on the left (because it makes you visible to traffic coming out, and discourages people overtaking and turning left into your path)
On my commute, there is rarely a choice as usually there is a car with its snout 2 or 3 foot past the give way line waiting to turn into the road (particularly if there is a cycle lane). You certainly wouldn't trust a car to pull up behind the give way line, so even if the road isn't partially blocked as you approach it is best to take a central line anticipating that any car which might be approaching the junction will fail to stop behind the line.0 -
The original post asked the question "biggest threat to cyclists" and, after cycling regularly on Midlands roads since the late 70s and now riding quite a bit both on and off road, I'd say the following:-
1/ Drivers getting out of their car and into the road without checking behind (this never gets any better!)
2/ Vehicles overtaking too close, although this is not a daily occurrence
3/ Pedestrians walking along listening to their iPod/concentrating on their phone and stepping into the road
4/ Abysmal road surfaces forcing me to choose between either falling off by hitting said pothole or else swerving into the path of motor vehicles to avoid hitting pothole
5/ Work vehicles, driven mostly by young guys, are the most aggressive drivers, not necessarily aimed at cyclists; we're just collateral damage!
I generally find the standard of driving from HGVs and buses to be good and definitely better than a lot of car drivers.
Overall, though, following on from the exploits of Wiggins, Cavendish, Froome and our Olympic teams, motorists are generally much more aware of cyclists now than 30 years ago. Back then, having verbal and even occasionally physical, abuse aimed at you, purely for being a cyclist, was a fairly regular occurrence. The road surfaces haven't improved though!
My advice for staying safe: ride in a group where possible on a well-maintained bike and bright clothing; plus learn the art of having eyes in the back of your head. Oh and NEVER ride with headphones (I really cannot understand the logic of that!)0 -
[/QUOTE]Good list. Just to add an important one that's often overlooked: when passing side roads on the left (because it makes you visible to traffic coming out, and discourages people overtaking and turning left into your path).
Pretty any sort of junction is a potential hazard to cyclists so I tend to take primary when passing through most junctions as there are several risks if you hug the curb through a junction:
1) Overtake & "Left Hook" (an obvious one)
2) Oncoming vehicle turning right across your path - they often start to turn before you have actually cleared the junction
3) Vehicle turning right out of a side road on your left - again often will pull out just as you are passing rather than waiting
4) Vehicle turning left out of road on left to go same way as you - many junctions are designed with large slip-road like splays to discourage vehicles from actually stopping before turning.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.7K Spending & Discounts
- 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.1K Life & Family
- 247.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards