What is the biggest menace?

secretsam

Colleagues in my office were discussing the provision of statutory levels of bike parking for new build units in London, and commented that they wouldn't cycle in London because it was too dangerous, although one colleague noted the most risk was probably from other cyclists !

So - what do you consider to be the most risky road user with which we have to contend?

EDIT: motorbikes and scooters added

pblakeney

Lorries are the biggest.

On_What

Busses are the root cause of a large portion of pollution in London along with the vast majority of hold ups and blocking junctions.

markhewitt1978

I don't cycle in London. But in C.Durham the biggest issues I've had are with busses. Idiot drivers who think I have to get out of their way / use the shared use path and are prepared to use their massive vehicle to prove that point.

Second to that are taxi drivers if only because of the fools of themselves they make by whinging about cycling constantly, added to that, at least bus drivers mostly have vehicle handling skills, taxi drivers are the worst drivers on the road by far.

edrobbin

My personal experience is that most professional drivers - black cabs, buses, lorries - tend to be the most patient, understanding and conscientious. My only scrapes have been with scooters, pedestrians and private cars. There's always an exception to the rule though - Addison Lee...nuff said

cookeeemonster

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754373#p19754373]edrobbin[/url] wrote:

My personal experience is that most professional drivers - black cabs, buses, lorries - tend to be the most patient, understanding and conscientious. My only scrapes have been with scooters, pedestrians and private cars. There's always an exception to the rule though - Addison Lee...nuff said

I'd say the opposite (within reason - you only notice the bad ones while ignoring the majority) - anyone on the roads that stands to make more money or indeed, keep their job by going faster is gonna be more tempted to cut corners and break the rules. I see more bad driving by 'professionals' in London than anyone else.

It's dog eat dog out there..which is why they're building the super highways...

cruff

There isn't a category for Jihaddisson Lee - it's unfair to call them 'taxis' because, despite many of them being pr1cks as human beings, most black cab drivers are not actually dangerous to cyclists. Maybe you should have a separate entry for 'private hire cab firms'

In lieu of that, I just checked 'cars' because every single serious off or near-off I've had (with the exception of one white van driver and one bus) has been a private car or minicab

rick_chasey

Risk of what? Death or injury?

secretsam

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754463#p19754463]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

Risk of what? Death or injury?

Yes. Both. Either.

secretsam

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754420#p19754420]zebulebu[/url] wrote:

There isn't a category for Jihaddisson Lee - it's unfair to call them 'taxis' because, despite many of them being pr1cks as human rights wings, most black cab drivers are not actually dangerous to cyclists. Maybe you should have a separate entry for 'private hire cab firms'

In lieu of that, I just checked 'cars' because every single serious off or near-off I've had (with the exception of one white van driver and one bus) has been a private car or minicab

Right, have added Private hires as a separate category, edit away...

secretsam

Ba11s. I've just deleted everyone's votes. So you'll have to start again...

timothyw

Had to vote lorries - I've only ever been knocked off/injured by cars, but I walked away from those with cuts and bruises - riders don't tend to walk away from incidents with lorries.

chris_bass

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754365#p19754365]PBlakeney[/url] wrote:

Lorries are the biggest.

you obviously haven't seen some of the cyclists round here!

meanredspider

Very city-centric poll.

Farmers are my pet hate and the most recent death of a cyclist I know involved a tractor.

ThatBikeGuy

Wildlife? I've had a few near misses from squirrels, pheasants, rabbits. Not sure how much damage potential they have mind.
Don't live far enough north to encounter deer, though I wouldn't like to collide with one running across the road.

pblakeney

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754537#p19754537]Chris Bass[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754365#p19754365]PBlakeney[/url] wrote:

Lorries are the biggest.

you obviously haven't seen some of the cyclists round here!

I wasn't referring to egos.

secretsam

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754559#p19754559]meanredspider[/url] wrote:

Very city-centric poll.

Farmers are my pet hate and the most recent death of a cyclist I know involved a tractor.

Oh FFS right I'll add farm vehicles and their insane drivers

pmorgan1

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754365#p19754365]PBlakeney[/url] wrote:

Lorries are the biggest.

What makes you think so? Please explain.

edrobbin

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754564#p19754564]ThatBikeGuy[/url] wrote:

Wildlife? I've had a few near misses from squirrels, pheasants, rabbits. Not sure how much damage potential they have mind.
Don't live far enough north to encounter deer, though I wouldn't like to collide with one running across the road.

Fair point - the geese in Hyde Park are a menace to society. Plus dogs on invisible leads on one side of the path & their owners on the other. Tricky

roger_merriman

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754964#p19754964]pmorgan1[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754365#p19754365]PBlakeney[/url] wrote:

Lorries are the biggest.

What makes you think so? Please explain.

for london they are 50% of the deaths, have been as far back as i've bothered to check.

for the uk as a whole it's cars.

I rarely even on my jaunts into central London have much problems with buses, normally U turning taxies, agressive mini cabs and the occasional poor cycling, normally either drafting/halfwheeling/boxing in etc.

chris_bass

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754977#p19754977]roger merriman[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754964#p19754964]pmorgan1[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19754365#p19754365]PBlakeney[/url] wrote:

Lorries are the biggest.

What makes you think so? Please explain.

for london they are 50% of the deaths, have been as far back as i've bothered to check.

for the uk as a whole it's cars.

I rarely even on my jaunts into central London have much problems with buses, normally U turning taxies, agressive mini cabs and the occasional poor cycling, normally either drafting/halfwheeling/boxing in etc.

I think woosh and woosh sums that up!

pmorgan1

for london they are 50% of the deaths, have been as far back as i've bothered to check.

for the uk as a whole it's cars.

I rarely even on my jaunts into central London have much problems with buses, normally U turning taxies, agressive mini cabs and the occasional poor cycling, normally either drafting/halfwheeling/boxing in etc.

I'm probably more concerned with a mid-to-serious injury. If it's time to go, and it's due to a lorry than perhaps so it is... On this basis my vote goes to dear pedestrians, addisonlee and motorcyclists. Favourite pedestrian move: start walking backwards on a zebra crossing having reached half-point (why oh why?).

We also need to look at the kind of cyclists who get into the sad statistics. Would an aggressive cyclist who stays in the middle of the road be less likely to be squashed by a lorry? I tend to think so. Do you?

anonymousblackfg

if ticking cyclist for death, do remember you're 2.5x more likely to be killed by your own bedding.

I ticked Car, lots of examples of lots of tools but most incidents for me have been from impatient/selfish/inconsiderate d1cks in car.

rick_chasey

For death, lorries, for injury, other cyclists.,

iPete

Rogue banana skins

dhope

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19755135#p19755135]iPete[/url] wrote:

Rogue banana skins

It's the red shells that really cause me issues

Bikequin

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19755095#p19755095]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

For death, lorries, for injury, other cyclists.,

My thoughts exactly.

chris_bass

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19755143#p19755143]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19755135#p19755135]iPete[/url] wrote:

Rogue banana skins

It's the red shells that really cause me issues

Blue Shells for me because i'm always in the lead!

McTyke

Dogs.

dhope

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19755194#p19755194]Chris Bass[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19755143#p19755143]dhope[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19755135#p19755135]iPete[/url] wrote:

Rogue banana skins

It's the red shells that really cause me issues

Blue Shells for me because i'm always in the lead!

Rookie error, should be picking a wheel rather than being the lead out

cornerblock

The biggest menace in my opinion is the use of mobile phones regardless of what kind of vehicle, and that includes shanks' pony. While waiting at the side of the road recently I thought I'd observe and see how many vehicles went past with drivers using a phone. From the next 10 that passed 7 were using their phone. Although the star prize for total disregard had to go to the Postal van driver who decided the best time to fold a sack was while driving along a busy road.