London cycle fatality

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....lympic-velodrome.html

This is not the first cycle fatality and it certainly won't be the last, but should the authorties now take this opportunity to tighten up on cyclists?

Perhaps they should take on board some of Bradley Wiggins suggestions ie the compulsory wearing of crash helmets, the fitting of lights, and making it illegal to listen to iPods and phones etc while riding?

[boxtops]

There was a phalanx of cyclists - all riding on the pavement - on my way home tonight. Looks like tourists, must have been about 20 of 'em. Never a policeman about when you need one...

[Mick-Talbot]

not a cyclist I take it em ?


oh, and this post was here first.

[emmie]

our borough has seen so many deaths, many due to the cyclist not being seen, by cycling upside of large vehicles, buses, lorries. No one wants that, and not sure that a rather flimsy piece of headgear would save them. Wear one by all means, but that won't stop the fatalities.

[emmie]

I was for many years, living in the capital i have seen a tenfold increase in cyclists, many due to these wretched rent a Barclays bikes, where the participants don't seem to have a clue. They cycle over red lights on a regular basis. I had already made the points to our local traffic police, who when faced with the evidence for themselves were genuinely shocked at the level of lawbreaking.

[emmie]

as a pedestrian i find the whole idea and deed of cyclists on pavements appalling. At no time should they be there. Unless they cannot navigate across difficult junctions, then as i used to push the bicycle across, much safer for all

http://www.thetimes.c...ty/article3464777.ece

[eyethenkyew]

So what about little kids on bikes cycling on the pavement? Would we have them out on the roads in big cities like London???

Or would we have Scotland Yard's finest sticking the parents on for allowing their precious offspring to avoid deathtraps aka Britain's roads???

[emmie]

no obviously not, but unless you live here, and are faced with these boorish morons on a daily basis, getting sworn and spat at, and knocked into endless times, doesn't give me any sympathy with the cycling fraternity.

[emmie]

one thing i do know is that many cyclists on our roads are novices, they think that by using one of these Barclays bikes for a short hike from one pit stop to the next makes them experts, it doesn't, it makes them sitting targets. We live in one of the busiest cities in the world, and traffic even with the congestion charge is colossal. So wear a cycling helmet or not, and these rent a bikes don't come with them, won't prevent more cycling deaths.
14 across our borough last year - makes appalling reading.

[tonyav]

Ban them all, they don't pay any upkeep to road maintenance.

[Mick-Talbot]

Yes we do .....

[pdq1]

They could reduce the speed limit to 20mph for vehicles

[Gromit]

Pdq1

You may think that most cyclist fatalities occur in our busy towns and cities, but half of deaths occur on rural roads. They are on roads where the maximum speed limit applies and involve high speed collisions. Obviously, if your suggestion of lower speeds was introduced then lives would be saved, but it won't happen.

[DTCwordfan]

there is a proposal on the govt table to limit the speed of rural roads to max 40, local govt to tighten up even further where they wish.

[seadogg]

Having the correct gear didn't stop a builders truck making a left over my front wheel near the British Museum.

[ludwig]

// Having the correct gear didn't stop a builders truck making a left over my front wheel near the British Museum. //

Does that mean you won't bother wearing it in future then?

[DaisyNonna]

There are cycle lanes where I live. Most cyclists still cycle on the footpath which is narrow in places, walkers have to take turns if meeting on it. Council does not cut back hedges on stretches where there are barriers between path and road.
No cycle bells, no lights in reduced visibility. No police except in cars. Who cares?

[Gromit]

The law on bells on cycles is very strange.

All new bicycles must be sold with a bell. But bells are not compulsary so they may be taken off. A bell costs a couple of quid so they should make them compulsary on all bicycles on the road. And cycles should not be on pavements in the first place.

[Gromit]

AOG / Ellipsis

Wiggins has denied saying what has been reported.

// British gold medallist Bradley Wiggins has denied reports he called for cycle helmets to be made compulsory, but instead about giving cyclists more protection on the road. He spoke after a cyclist died in a collision with a bus near the Olympic Park //

http://www.itv.com/ne...s-cycling-safety-law/

[Mick-Talbot]

http://blogs.telegrap...d-be-a-terrible-idea/


I think he hinted very strongly that they should be compulsory but has had a change of heart for some reason.

[Gromit]

There is little evidence that cycle helmets would reduce fatalities.

Most cyclists would say that helmets should be worn, but that they should not be compulsary. Very few cyclists (the people that are vunerable) want mandatory helmets.