helmets and high viz

[yello]

The ever increasing traffic and impatience and aggression have finally got to me.

That's truly saddening to hear but I can undestand it. I didn't entirely enjoy my last UK cycling experience and that was 5 years ago.

 

[Jotheboat]

Starting to feel the same. My cycling has gone from several thousand miles per year to gradually reducing over the last five years to just a handful of rides. The ever increasing traffic and impatience and aggression have finally got to me.

Sorry, that really is a poor state of affairs.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have seen this before - I think it was some time ago or he has revamped it

He does always make a point of riding with no helmet or hi-vis if he is on camera

I will just make 2 points

a) I saw an article some time ago from a NeuroSurgeon who spent most of his time dealing with Head injuries that come into A&E
One fo his interesting point about helmets was that he sees very few from cyclist who were wearing helmets
But that if you really want to save lives from head injuries then it is CAR drivers that should wear helmets!
He sees a huge number of people with serious head injuries cause when their car is involved in an accident - especially side inpact

b) I wear a helmet and hi-vis for one good reason
it makes my wife happier when I am out for hours on end on my bike
so
(b1) she doesn;t complain when a parcel arrives and I mutter that it is "something for the bike"
and (b2) I really do not want to wake up in hospital with her sitting worried at the side of the bed and have to admit to her that I wasn;t wearing a helmet - even if I am only suffering from a broken leg

oh and
c) I am waiting for someone to say the old "Sorry mate - didn;t see you" when I am wearing a hi-vis-jacket, a white helmet, have hi-vis and reflective stripes all over my bike and, if it is even slightly dark, I generally have at least 4 lights on!!!

 

[DRM]

I hadn't watched that video before, but yes, it's fascinating.
'Less tan 1% of Dutch cyclists wear a helmet, yet they have the lowest incidence of cycling fatalities.'
It's part of their way of live. He says, 'While cycling they dress for the destination, not the journey.'
I lived in the Netherlands for a couple of years - and it really is cycling heaven. To be honest, while there you take it for granted after a while, and the only real chance of an accident is your own stupidity (like my cycling into a major roadworks hole!).
It's only when you go somewhere else and compare back, that you realize just how good it is.

Yet strangely having spoken to a Dutch couple in Honfleur, they said the traffic was scary & wouldn't want to ride in it, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, sadly didn't take the bike as we were only there for a few days & tried to squeeze in as much sightseeing as possible, so was a bit time poor for cycling.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Yet strangely having spoken to a Dutch couple in Honfleur, they said the traffic was scary & wouldn't want to ride in it, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, sadly didn't take the bike as we were only there for a few days & tried to squeeze in as much sightseeing as possible, so was a bit time poor for cycling.

Sometimes that's perspective; Having learned to commute in the UK I find Stuttgart relatively mild, but I know other people won't ride there. On the other hand, York was pretty scary after 20 years away...

 

[Slick]

Starting to feel the same. My cycling has gone from several thousand miles per year to gradually reducing over the last five years to just a handful of rides. The ever increasing traffic and impatience and aggression have finally got to me.

As others have already noted, that is quite sad Mo, I was really sorry to read that.

 

[Ian H]

I can't say I've noticed any more aggression lately. Less if anything. Perhaps it's the grey hair; perhaps I ride better after decades of practice.

 

[Slick]

I can't say I've noticed any more aggression lately. Less if anything. Perhaps it's the grey hair; perhaps I ride better after decades of practice.

I feel I noticed a significant reduction after the last highway code update. Obviously just a perception.

 

[Gillstay]

Having recently cycled in France, Belgium and Holland i find the British car driving very poor. In Belgium my chum had to be told as he was fouling the traffic up by being too hesitant when the cars were stopping as he had right of way and they expected him to use it.

 

[Gillstay]

Also here the logic is fouled up. The vulnerable are ignored in many instances, and the threatening given precedent.

 

[Andy in Germany]

In Belgium my chum had to be told as he was fouling the traffic up by being too hesitant when the cars were stopping as he had right of way and they expected him to use it.

That happened to me when I came here.

All European countries have Strict Liability*, so if a car hits me when I'm on a bike, it's the car drivers fault unless they can prove otherwise. it makes drivers more aware of cyclists and pedestrians.
The same applies to cyclists: If I hit a pedestrian, or worse a child, anywhere, I'm at fault unless I can prove otherwise.

*Edit: Except the UK. And Romania, apparently.

 

[All uphill]

I can't say I've noticed any more aggression lately. Less if anything. Perhaps it's the grey hair; perhaps I ride better after decades of practice.

That's my perception, too.

On the basis of no evidence I think it's because we have reached a tipping point in our area where car drivers can expect to see a few people on bikes on every journey. We are no longer an occasional nuisance, but are a normal feature of any journey, like traffic lights, buses and roundabouts.

 

[Gillstay]

That happened to me when I came here.

All European countries have Strict Liability, so if a car hits me when I'm on a bike, it's the car drivers fault unless they can prove otherwise. it makes drivers more aware of cyclists and pedestrians.
The same applies to cyclists: If I hit a pedestrian, or worse a child, anywhere, I'm at fault unless I can prove otherwise.

Yes I also found we slowed down as a cyclist when pedestrians were around. Something I had not realised when we started out.

 

[Slick]

Having recently cycled in France, Belgium and Holland i find the British car driving very poor. In Belgium my chum had to be told as he was fouling the traffic up by being too hesitant when the cars were stopping as he had right of way and they expected him to use it.

I must admit, I did that myself a couple of times as I just wasn't expecting cars to yield to me as a cyclist.

 

[Phil Fouracre]

Sad to hear about someone feeling unable to cycle due to perceived traffic risk. We ride in Somerset on a mixture of minor, major and ‘back roads’ regularly and thoroughly enjoy it. Recently vastly increasing the hours ridden due to retirement - I don’t know if it is perception or actual risk that is worrying you - we do come across the occasional, how should I put it? ’silly’ driver, but nothing to really worry about.
I‘m staunchly in favour of normal clothes and no helmet cycling and taking primary at every opportunity, and it seems to be very effective - well, still working after 60 years!