Stressed out
Comments
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I would guess that's because you perceive cycling as dangerous, but it isn't. This topic is about how intimidating cycling is, mostly because of stupid and ignorant cagers, but not about how dangerous it is/isn't.0
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BentMikey wrote:I would guess that's because you perceive cycling as dangerous, but it isn't. This topic is about how intimidating cycling is, mostly because of stupid and ignorant cagers, but not about how dangerous it is/isn't.
I try and tell people this, that cycling is extremely safe. The only dangerous thing out there are the people (some of them) behind the wheels!0 -
Cycling is still safe, even when you include the car drivers!! Not only do the benefits outweigh the risks 20-1, but regular cyclists will be as fit as a person around 10 years younger, and live 2 years longer than the national average.
Doesn't help the problem discussed in this topic, that of rude and bullying behaviour from car drivers, unfortunately.0 -
Despite the safety of cycling, I would still question the responsibility of cycling whilst visibly pregnant. Disregarding the threat from vehicles, as the chances of getting hit are basically the same as a ped or on a cycle, falling from a cycle creates a lot more of an impact that has to be dissipated through the body, and potentially the unborn child.
That said though there are mothers out there who drink, smoke and take drugs whilst pregnant, which in my opinion is tantamount to physical abuse of the child.Sweat saves blood.
Erwin Rommel0 -
Jacomus-rides-Gen wrote:That said though there are mothers out there who drink, smoke and take drugs whilst pregnant, which in my opinion is tantamount to physical abuse of the child.
you demonstrate the insight into F*** all with that statement.it looks a bit steep to me.....0 -
To be fair jjojjas, I use that example as a counterpoint to my personal feeling that cycling whilst visibly pregnant is irresponsible.
Drinking, smoking and taking drugs whilst pregnant are activities that are absolutely prooven to harm the unborn baby. So for a mother to do those things is for her to cause harm to the child knowingly. Compared to cycling, which only slightly increases the risk to the child.
I wasn't trying to demonstrate any insight into anything, I was meerly expressing a personal opinion,. As you so eloquently expressed yours.Sweat saves blood.
Erwin Rommel0 -
With the benefits outweighing the risks 20-1, Jacomus, your point seems to be rather trashed. She and/or her baby are likely at more risk walking to the shops than cycling there.0
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Cycled in again today with no problems, three days in a row this week, woo!
This thread was really more about intimidation than feeling safe/not safe. On the subject, though, I do know someone, a pregnant junior doctor, who is currently cycling to work and seems ok with it.0 -
Righty, I'll take this to the handy thread set up specially for this debate!
TN - See... 'twas just a fleeting wobble in your self confidence
Yay for cycling! Sweat saves blood.
Erwin Rommel0 -
Ah well it couldn't last!!
Had some eejit beeping me on Vauxhall bridge because I was in the far right lane (not all the way across either, I signalled and moved over 2/3 of the way across from the crappy cycle lane). But the lights were red, I was not holding him up at all, why on earth some drivers want to waste fuel by racing towards a red light beats me. And also where did he expect me to go? I just ignored it and gave no reaction.
I'm sure some of them think because a road has a couple of lanes that makes it a motorway where cyclists aren't allowed, and to his mind I was daring to take up the 'fast' lane (even though it was headed nowhere but a red light).0 -
Ok, I have just created this petition on the govt. website:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to integrate
cycle awareness into the driving test
Most drivers put cyclists at unnecessary risk, not through
malice, but simply because they are not aware of the dangers
faced by cyclists. If a person does not regularly cycle in
traffic, they often do not have access to the skillset required
to safely interact with a cyclist.
This petition hopes to encourage the government into
conversation with cycling groups such as the Cycle Touring
Club, London Cycling Campaign and potentially online cycling
forums such as Bikeradar.
Through this conversation it is the aim of this petition to
have designated a specific part of the driving test, committed
to educating drivers about how to interact safely and
efficiently with cyclists.
By using the experience of dedicated cyclists through the forum
of cycling groups, this petition hopes to make cycling safer
for both novice and experienced cyclists alike, make motor
traffic and bicycle interactions more efficient, and to
encourage more people to take up cycling as a viable
alternative to driving.
Because this topic got me thinking, I will bump it by putting in its own thread when it goes live.
Ok, i know its very watery, and flagrantly will never happen, but maybe just maybe if more and more of these come up it will eventually get the message through.Sweat saves blood.
Erwin Rommel0 -
I drove to work for the first time in 18months this week and it bored me to tears, not helped by the fact my radio isnt working.0
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It'w worth a try Jacomus.
I consider myself lucky in that even before I started cycling, I was taught cycle awareness by my driving instructor, who was a cyclist herself. Each and every lesson she would say something about cyclists, whether it was reminding me that drivers need to stay behind the first line at an ASL, telling me to watch out for them filtering up a line of traffic, or making sure that I signalled and gave cyclists plenty of room before overtaking. It stayed with me. There should be more like her...0 -
Oh and I should add that I *kind of* made my target of cycle commuting every day this week.
I say *kind of* because on Weds night I went out with work mates, and despite deliberately not drinking so I could cycle home, when the torrential rain started doing its thing they wouldn't let me go and get the bike (they know the brakes don't work very well in the rain due to steel rims) and I was reluctantly taken to the tube. So it spent the night in the garage and I cycled it home yesterday instead.0 -
Defo! I only had on driving lesson before my test - my parents taught me to drive, and my father being an avid cyclist himself gave me a lot of instruction on being safe around cyclists. I was a regular cyclists myself at this point too, so knew how I wanted cars to behave, but it certainly helps to have an experienced driver giving you pointers - after all, whats the point in learning the hard way, if you can avoid it?!
My idea behind formalising cycle awareness, is that it will help by equipping responsible drivers better, and will help cyclists / their families in court after an accident.Sweat saves blood.
Erwin Rommel0 -
Take the bus until September, then try biking it again - it's less busy then as all the fair weather bikers give up and some of the tourists go home.0
