Cyclist dies in London rush hour traffic

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Original post by Studentus-anonymous

I still don't understand cyclists who think they have any chance of competing with multi-ton vehicles on roads designed and maintained with those vehicles in mind.

Yeah vehicles have a role to play in road safety but cyclists just need to be more acutely aware that they're effectively bringing a knife to a gun fight and playing on the opponent's home turf.

When I use my bicycle I stick to pavements/paths where possible. I still get to where I want to be fast enough, I don't create nuisances for vehicular traffic and most importantly, I'm not getting sucked under the bumper and wheels of a metalic speeding box.

I prefer my chances in a potential cyclist on pedestrian collision, which I don't have because I always slow down and even dismount if pedestrians are too thick and heavy on the path.

Oh and I'd never cycle in London, it doesn't need saying that the roads and streets in London are not...optimal for the role they fill.

You know it is illegal to cycle on the pavement?

You're happy to risk knocking a child over because you don't want to risk the traffic on the road where you are supposed to be. I don't think you should be cycling at all.

Reply 21

Dragonfly07

Original post by Vousden

Fences by the side of the roads? All that would do make it harder to escape when a driver turns left in front of you, as in this case for example (potentially).

I mean a fence to separate cars and bicycles, not to trap bicycles.

Reply 22

Gummibaerchen

Poor guy, I hope he didn't suffer too much.

The amount of cyclists I've seen in central London that just cycle blindly through red lights. If you want to be on the road, abide by the rules. Some cyclists are just crazy and think they're in some protective bubble. These guys give all the good cyclists a bad name.

EDIT: sounds like I am saying the guy that died was one of the former cyclists. Didn't mean for it to come out like that, I'm not saying that at all :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 23

rjm101

Original post by therisenmitten

Your comment that cyclists are more dangerous has no justification. Some are dangerous, but so are some drivers.

Overall the risk of death is greater for cyclists so naturally they are more careful. Daily people cut me off whilst texting, speaking on mobiles, applying lipstick etc. Car driver's are in a safe bubble and sometime forget to concentrate on what's going on around them.

I never said cyclists are more dangerous, just that they can pose danger to more than just themselves. From personnel experiance I don't believe they are more careful at all. Like I said in my previous post, they disregard the rules of the road all the time and never like to stop. Behaving like this is going to cause an accident one way or another.

Reply 24

Studentus-anonymous

Original post by therisenmitten

It's not even remotely illegal to cycle on the pavement. A kid gets hit with a bike probably lives, a cyclist getting hit by a metallic multi-ton vehicle is probably severely injured to dead. I'll take my chances, not like I speed along pavements at 20 kicking out every granny along the way for the ****s and giggles.

Plus I'm not particularly bothered by what you think, good day. :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 25

therisenmitten

Original post by Studentus-anonymous

It doesn't matter if you care what I think, it's still illegal:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Will4/5-6/50/section/72

It's also extremely selfish and makes you look like a prick.

Reply 26

Vousden

Original post by Studentus-anonymous

If you're too scared to cycle on the road don't cycle at all.

Morals aside, I think it's more dangerous to cycle on the pavement because drivers coming out of driveways don't expect to see you and you never have priority when crossing the road, making it more difficult/dangerous