Lucky escape!

[jesusbuiltmycar]

This guy must be the this weeks luckiest cyclist alive!

https://road.cc/content/news/cyclists-nearly-flatt...

[Rough101]

I seen the original on twitter, at least half the posts were berating the rider for riding in poor conditions and putting himself at risk

And several repeats of Bartons words.

Edited by Rough101 on Saturday 8th November 10:39

[Galibier]

Rough101 said:

I seen the original on twitter, at least half the posts were berating the rider for riding in poor conditions and putting himself at risk

And several repeats of Barton s words.

Outstanding. The usual Twitter cesspit then.

Imagine looking at that and having a go at the rider.

[gangzoom]

Makes me question how any of us who cycle on public roads process the risk/danger of been on a pedal bike surrounded by 2ton lumps of metal often travelling at crazy speeds with people who are often at best barely paying any attention.

[Tabs]

Cycled along that road many times, and know exactly where it happened. If you look at the hedge on the other side, you'll notice a car sized gap, just after the van overtook them.
The scene follows after a fairly straight length of road, followed by a shallow right hand bend, then about 50 metres of straight at the junction of the white house. There is then another shallow right hand bend with the gap in the hedge. If you get the first bend wrong, you will inevitably end up going through the gap, as many others have.

[P-Jay]

That would cure any constipation I was having at the time!

Twitter is a den of s, always has been, aways will be.

[Daveyraveygravey]

P-Jay said:

That would cure any constipation I was having at the time!

Twitter is a den of s, always has been, aways will be.

It's not just Twitter, several Facebook posts have this and almost everyone tries to blame the cyclists ! Hardly anyone even mentions the driver, or how exactly he managed to be going sideways out of control at high speed...might have had a medical episode

[Robertb]

gangzoom said:

Makes me question how any of us who cycle on public roads process the risk/danger of been on a pedal bike surrounded by 2ton lumps of metal often travelling at crazy speeds with people who are often at best barely paying any attention.

I recall riding up a col in France with a friend when a driver coming down inexplicably drove completely onto our side of the road coming through a hairpin. Luckily there was grass to the side so we just swerved off the road and continued without drama. Had it been higher up by barriers etc it could have been a completely different outcome.

So short answer, yes I process it all the time, but either we accept it and ride, or spend our time on Zwift as to be frank, beyond not putting yourself in danger at junctions etc, and being well-lit and visible there's nothing else you can do.

But according to the main stream media, its red-light-running cyclists that are the real danger to humanity!

[gangzoom]

Robertb said:

So short answer, yes I process it all the time, but either we accept it and ride, or spend our time on Zwift as to be frank, beyond not putting yourself in danger at junctions etc, and being well-lit and visible there's nothing else you can do.

Probably totally subconscious (or the weather) but have done zero commuting this week on the pedal bike, and have just ordered another rear light (will be running 4 of them on the commuter bike).

The one saving grace is if you do get wiped out like in situation OP posted it'll be almost instant and you will have no knowledge of it. The pain will be with the family, death comes to us all in one form or another anyways.

Psychologically I think that's really the only way to deal with cycling on public roads in the UK.

[Robertb]

gangzoom said:

Robertb said:

So short answer, yes I process it all the time, but either we accept it and ride, or spend our time on Zwift as to be frank, beyond not putting yourself in danger at junctions etc, and being well-lit and visible there's nothing else you can do.

Probably totally subconscious (or the weather) but have done zero commuting this week on the pedal bike, and have just ordered another rear light (will be running 4 of them on the commuter bike).

The one saving grace is if you do get wiped out like in situation OP posted it'll be almost instant and you will have no knowledge of it. The pain will be with the family, death comes to us all in one form or another anyways.

Psychologically I think that's really the only way to deal with cycling on public roads in the UK.

Statistically I’d be surprised if cycling was any more dangerous than driving, it just feels it sometimes!

Partly because accidents involving cyclists tend to get reported. Sadly, many people are killed or seriously injured every day on the roads in cars and go unmentioned.

[irc]

Robertb said:

Statistically I d be surprised if cycling was any more dangerous than driving, it just feels it sometimes!

Partly because accidents involving cyclists tend to get reported. Sadly, many people are killed or seriously injured every day on the roads in cars and go unmentioned.

Be surprised. Per billion miles travelled cycling is around 10 times more dangerous than driving. Motorcycling is more than 40 times more dagerous than driving.

Table 4 at

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-...

As for cyclists a surprising stat (to me anyway) is that around 1 in 6 cyclist fatalities have no other vehcle involved. 1% are collisions with other cyclists.

Table 6 at

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-...

My takeaway from the stats is than on average with one death every 42 million miles cycling is safe.

Secondly at the stats include cyclists having perfectly avoidable fatalities like putting yourself in the position to be crushed by a left turning HGV. As an experieced rider my personal risk is lower than average. No injury accidents in over half a century cycling.

[gangzoom]

irc said:

No injury accidents in over half a century cycling.

In 3 decades of cycling I've only being hit by a car twice both times were cars running red lights, and probably only a 'proper' close call like in OPs video 3-4 times max. I've also been in a reasonably big accident as a driver getting T boned at a junction, I wouldn't be here if I was on the pedal bike that day.

However what ever you do as a cyclist nothing will stop you from been wiped out in an instant if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Cars are getting heavier, faster, easier to drive, and safer for people inside, but the laws of physics haven't changed.

A 2.5 ton EV these days will get to 60mph quicker than F1 cars Aryton Senna drove, but the human drivers behind the wheel get distracted by phones, passengers or generally aren't paying attention, and most almost certainly have zero appreciation for the carnage they can cause with the kinetic energy their metal boxes can build up in a literal blink of the eye.

Ironically I find commuting in traffic the safest part of the ride. All the metal tin cans are stuck doing 0mph, even if you get swipped by someone it's a graze at worst. The bit of my ride on a NSL B road can be terrifying for the uninitiated, people doing easily near 3 digit speeds passing within cms.

I'm sure we all cycle past road kill on every ride, the only reason as a cyclist you don't end up like the poor rabbit, badger, fox etc is because of the fellow human controlling the tin can.......does that make you feel assured??

However personally I'm not too bothered about the fatality bit as I'll be dead so wouldn't care, but the rest of the family would be devastated and ask why did I cycle when I could drive to work etc.

I think I'll stick to communiting by car next week .

Edited by gangzoom on Sunday 16th November 07:17

[gangzoom]

irc said:

Be surprised. Per billion miles travelled cycling is around 10 times more dangerous than driving. Motorcycling is more than 40 times more dagerous than driving.

Table 4 at

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-...

That's some really solbering data.

Does make you wonder why as a man between the age of 30-49 you would get on a Motorbike!!

[fooman]

gangzoom said:

irc said:

Be surprised. Per billion miles travelled cycling is around 10 times more dangerous than driving. Motorcycling is more than 40 times more dagerous than driving.

Table 4 at

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-...

That's some really solbering data.

Does make you wonder why as a man between the age of 30-49 you would get on a Motorbike!!

Pedestrians high also which everyone is at some time including car drivers, and considering it is based on an estimated total miles walked not just on roads. I don't believe the cycle / walking distance estimates would be accurate though, so actually the figure could be a lot higher. Or lower. Who knows?

[gangzoom]

fooman said:

Pedestrians high also which everyone is at some time including car drivers, and considering it is based on an estimated total miles walked not just on roads. I don't believe the cycle / walking distance estimates would be accurate though, so actually the figure could be a lot higher. Or lower. Who knows?

For fatalities none M-way, NSL roads have to be the most dangerous - As in OPs video. How many times do any of us see pedestrians walking on such roads versus cyclists?

From a fatality pointed view, human drivers on NSL have to be biggest danger to cyclists, it’s a shame we don’t yet have a reliable technology to replace them……..yet .

[Fastpedeller]

gangzoom said:

Robertb said:

So short answer, yes I process it all the time, but either we accept it and ride, or spend our time on Zwift as to be frank, beyond not putting yourself in danger at junctions etc, and being well-lit and visible there's nothing else you can do.

Probably totally subconscious (or the weather) but have done zero commuting this week on the pedal bike, and have just ordered another rear light (will be running 4 of them on the commuter bike).

The one saving grace is if you do get wiped out like in situation OP posted it'll be almost instant and you will have no knowledge of it. The pain will be with the family, death comes to us all in one form or another anyways.

Psychologically I think that's really the only way to deal with cycling on public roads in the UK.

I rode to our local town a few months ago, chained the bike, walked along the pavement towards a shop and noticed a car from behind was scraping the kerb as it went past. 'Odd' I thought - then a guy on scaffolding on the other side of the road shouted to his colleague "crikey, that car was driving on the pavement and only just missed that guy walking along"
Not even safe on the pavement these days! My fault -I should have had a helmet on and a mirror so I could see them approach and leap out of the way.

Edited by Fastpedeller on Sunday 16th November 11:29

[gangzoom]

Despite all the doom and gloom on road safety I've been tidying up the garage today....I think it's safe to say my love for pedal bikes is 100% > than for cars.

Now what next to get for the n+1 rule .