Cyclist on the A11

[Jaded]

The accident stats need to be presented along with usage stats to be of any real value.

[Greenbank]

The accident stats need to be presented along with usage stats to be of any real value.

They are. If you read back in the thread you'll find links to the usage stats, i.e. accidents per 100 million km travelled.

[EDIT] Oops, no it was in the Cycle to work info thread, but the same PDF I've linked to.

"
Table 9 (page 106) gives casualty rates per 100 million vehicle kilometers.

For 2006 there were 3.1 deaths per 100 million cycling kilometers, 53 killed or seriously injured per 100 million cycling kilometers and 349 casualties (of any severity) per 100 million cycling kilometers.

For cars it was 0.3 deaths per 100 million cycling kilometers, 2.3 killed or seriously injured per 100 million driving kilometers and 29 casualties (of any severity) per 100 million driving kilometers.

To put these in context:-

If I commuted by bike every day (12km each way) I'd do about 5000km a year. It would take me 20,000 years to rack up 100 million kilometers, or 6451 years to reach the distance where there is, on average, one fatality.

For any casualty (down to slightly injured) whilst cycling it's still one per 286533km. That's 57 years worth of my commute.
"

Or, if I commute for another 34 years I've got a 1 in 189 chance of being killed. I'll take those odds any day, especially when compared to the big killer diseases.

[Nick H.]

Fascinating figures, thanks. Do you think you could compute the motorcycle ones too? For the same mileage? It would be good to have them all in the same thread.

[Greenbank]

Fascinating figures, thanks. Do you think you could compute the motorcycle ones too? For the same mileage? It would be good to have them all in the same thread.

Motorbikes:-

11 killed per 100 million kilometers.

5000km a year is 20,000 years to rack up 100 million kilometers, or 1818 years to reach the distance where there is, on average, one fatality.

For any casualty (down to slightly injured, there were 429 compared to 349 cyclists) whilst riding a motorbike it's still one per 233100km. That's 46 years of that commute.

If I commuted that distance by motorbike for the next 34 years I'd have a 1 in 53 chance of being killed.

(Based on stats you understand, and assuming that accident/casualty rates stay the same as 2006).

[Jaded]

Thanks GB

[Mr Larrington]

I was a bit apprehensive about the bit of the South Then North 600 which runs up the A1 to Blyth services, but the only problem with it was the rebuilding work going on at the Blyth roundabout, which had left a veritable cornucopia of cones and utter confusion about how to get into the services at all.

[Nick H.]

I'll take those odds any day, especially when compared to the big killer diseases.

And those are just averages. If you take all the intelligent measures to reduce your risk - looking around you, concentrating, road position, visibility - the odds ought to swing more in your favour.  Of the many accidents I've had I think I can look back at nearly all of them and  say, 'OK, so-and-so was driving negligently and the law would blame him for what happened. BUT I could have anticipated it.'   

If you take responsibility for other people's bad driving you can increase your survival chances enormously. I wish I had some stats to prove it.

[MikeFromLFE]

A question for the jury.  If I get wind that a major A road scheme is to have "Cycling Prohibited" signs installed at the entrances, should I be objecting?

Yes! Or at the very least find out why the proposal is being made. Where is it (or is that TMI)?

As at the moment it's not at the detail of planning re signage etc.   I am however preparing myself...

There was a successful campaign to prevent prohibition  on the A563 Leicester Ring Road a good few years ago - I may be able to rustle up a name or two who might remember the campaign. It's a nasty single carriageway road between high barriers, with no way out either end, and a nominal 40mph limit.
There is a section of road (A130 ?) in Essex that looks emminently rideable, but is prohibited to cyclists.

[Valiant]

I likes cycling down the A12

[Nick H.]

Saw a cyclist pulled over by the police on the Westway yesterday - it looked as if he was being given a ticket.  According to wiki it's no longer the A40(M), just the A40, but cycling is still prohibited there.

[Jethro]

The only roads that cyclists are prohibited from using are motorways and which need to be clearly marked as being a motorway at every entry point.

Cyclists CANNOT legally be barred from using any other road and any road sign indicating that cyclists are prohibited from using any road other than a motorway is ILLEGAL.

[ronstrutt]

The only roads that cyclists are prohibited from using are motorways and which need to be clearly marked as being a motorway at every entry point.

Cyclists CANNOT legally be barred from using any other road and any road sign indicating that cyclists are prohibited from using any road other than a motorway is ILLEGAL.

Highway authorities can make an order that bans any particular type of traffic from any particular stretch of road. If it is lawfully ratified then it becomes a legal ban.

I like cycling the A3 in the Guildford area, particularly where it crosses the M25. Only wimps go down to the roundabout and use the cycle-lights to get across. Real cyclists dash across the slip roads and take the flyover!

[mr magnolia]

A cyclist crossing the (long) section between slip road and main road is in a prime position to be flattened.

couldn't agree more.  The only safe way across these is to go left at 90 degrees at the start of the on slip markings and then follow the left side of the slip onto the main road again.  There are a lot of these junctions in new towns where the roads are urban in nature , but trunk road in design.

[Jaded]

All the A14 junctions have lanes laid out for cyclists.

I've seen one cyclist on the A14 in 14 years.

[Jethro]

A very recent discussion at the club night made me remember an incident which I believe was reported on Local BBC news regarding a cyclist who was prosecuted in Court for riding his bike around a roundabout in Telford.

Although the cyclist was travelling at a reasonable speed (on a roundabout) the cyclist was prosecuted for obstruction as there was a cycle path at the side of the road which cyclist ignored and was duly fined.

Living about 30-miles away from Telford, I have used roads and cycle-paths around Telford from time to time and have found some of the cycle-paths in a very poor state of repair including broken glass and other debris.

I just hope the poor cyclist that was prosecuted appealed with the help of a decent solicitor and if it had been me I would have not been happy with their judgement at all.

[PhilO]

A very recent discussion at the club night made me remember an incident which I believe was reported on Local BBC news regarding a cyclist who was prosecuted in Court for riding his bike around a roundabout in Telford.

Although the cyclist was travelling at a reasonable speed (on a roundabout) the cyclist was prosecuted for obstruction as there was a cycle path at the side of the road which cyclist ignored and was duly fined.

Living about 30-miles away from Telford, I have used roads and cycle-paths around Telford from time to time and have found some of the cycle-paths in a very poor state of repair including broken glass and other debris.

I just hope the poor cyclist that was prosecuted appealed with the help of a decent solicitor and if it had been me I would have not been happy with their judgement at all.

It was actually between roundabouts.

He did appeal (with the help of the CTC's Cyclist Defence Fund, I might add)

He won.

And he regularly posts on here....