Just gathering some data

[Angelfishsolo]

Thought you might, but consider the point I'm trying to make. It wouldn't work if I included it with the road cycling.

So why not phrase your question to only encompass road cycling?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

It's the internet, why care what people think.

Good point. I data collected verifiable? No. Is it anecdotal - Yes. So waste of time - Yes.

 

[Chris.IOW]

Spot on. This is easier to get answers to than "have you died from being hit by a car?"

If you want to prove that cycling isn't dangerous then I would have thought this was exactly the question to ask.

Let's face it you would only get 'No' answers thereby you could conclude out of xx surveyed, none had died from being hit by a car, therefore cycling is not dangerous!.

On a serious note I've only had one off since cycling seriously earlier this year and that was a result of a mechanical failure.

As a kid lots of offs, my mother was on first name terms with the admissions staff at A&E!

 

[LabRatt]

So waste of time - Yes.

I disagree. Work with me here - I'm trying to demonstrate that the impression that cycling's inherently dangerous and "if you're hit by a car you're dead" is wrong. Ok, so I can't present science-grade statistics, but I can present personal experience of many people, which is arguably more useful.
It's handy to include off-road riding in the experiences, but there can be dicking about on the road too.

 

[gaz]

I've been hit by 2 vehicles on the road. Both times all I had was bruising and both times I landed on the bonnet.
I broke my clavicle by avoiding a collision with another vehicle and lost control.
Ergo... It's safer to hit a vehicle than it is to avoid a collision.

I've come off my bike over a hundred times, I used to do dirt jumps, and never got more than a bruise.

 

[Red Light]

It's the internet, why care what people think.

 

[Red Light]

I disagree. Work with me here - I'm trying to demonstrate that the impression that cycling's inherently dangerous and "if you're hit by a car you're dead" is wrong. Ok, so I can't present science-grade statistics, but I can present personal experience of many people, which is arguably more useful.
It's handy to include off-road riding in the experiences, but there can be dicking about on the road too.

Science grade statistics are the collected personal experiences of many people. If I want to make the point you are trying to make I just point out that there have been 6 million Boris Bike journeys in London in the last year without a single serious injury. So if inexperienced unhelmeted (sorry) cyclists are that safe cycling in London's busy traffic.........

 

[fossyant]

Too many off's to list in full

Ice - 3 times one ride - rather bruised and battered, but OK

Hit back of car once with thigh - couldn't walk for a few days

Come off on a descent caused by spilt dairy produce - lots of gravel rash - big hole in buttock.

Clipped back wheel of a rider, gravel rashed shoulder.

Clipless moments.

Hit by flying rock flipped up by a car - big gash on side of nose - ambulance job to A&E

Clipped by a van - broken left hand, written off bike

Worse one - hit by car on roundabout, damaged shoulder, needed operation, now have permanent nerve damage (constant pain in arm).

That's over 25 years though !

 

[Midnight]

Been cycling on the roads for more than 30 years, normally round 2-3000 miles per year. I've had about half-dozen or so offs in extreme weather when perhaps I should've left the bike at home - but no injuries worth a mention.

I've only been hit by a car once, but I was one of the unlucky ones and was quite seriously injured. Dangerous driver t-boned me at a junction whilst speeding. Broken cheekbone, fractured skull, minor brain heamorrhage and fractured eye-socket.

One accident in 30 years is not enough to put me off.

I'd agree with your view on statistics.

Statistics can be a very useful in some fields of endeavour, but IMO are worse than useless when it comes to accident analysis. In any accident there are so many variables that you would need reams of data for each and every incident before you could even begin any kind of analysis, and that info just isn't collected at source, and even if they were then any conclusions reached could be open to interpretation.

 

[lejogger]

I've probably had about 5 offs in the past 3 years cycling - 3 years ago I was a newbie. I'm doing 60-100 miles per week commuting plus longer weekend rides and I've done two tours of 650 and 1000 miles.

2 of the offs were when I was trying clipless pedals for the first time. No injuries.
1 of them was after LEJOG cycling to the collection vehicle with helmet and waterproof in one hand and trying to get up a kerb. Felt very stupid after 1000 miles without incident. No injuries.
The other 2 were both on the way back from the pub - and hands up I was in no fit state to be cycling. No injuries but broken phone, ruined wallet, damaged pedal etc. Wont be doing that again.

 

[LabRatt]

Science grade statistics are the collected personal experiences of many people.

In mean I won't be able to say how many miles per accident, that kind of thing. All I'll get here is anecdotal evidence, but actually useful anecdotal evidence as opposed to what I could get from reading a newspaper.

If I want to make the point you are trying to make I just point out that there have been 6 million Boris Bike journeys in London in the last year without a single serious injury. So if inexperienced unhelmeted (sorry) cyclists are that safe cycling in London's busy traffic.........

I've got that one. It's useful to observe that they'll mostly not be serious cyclists, too.

 

[Sonofpear]

While riding bmx I've had countless injuries. Broke both wrists, twice. Broken thumb, broken ribs, dislocated fingers. Split head open, damaged knee and ankle ligaments. Split elbow open a couple of times and plenty of other cuts and bruises.
Since taking up road bikes recently I've had 2 offs. Just a little road rash to the knees hips and elbows.

 

[LabRatt]

Ergo... It's safer to hit a vehicle than it is to avoid a collision.

A statistically valid point. So, if you can tell something's going to happen, aim for a car.

(statistically valid, but logically flawed)

 

[LabRatt]

Worse one - hit by car on roundabout, damaged shoulder, needed operation, now have permanent nerve damage (constant pain in arm).

Sorry to hear about that. Sounds like a variation on what seems to be the most common serious cycling injury, which Gaz is currently mending from.
Did it put you off?

 

[LabRatt]

Broken cheekbone, fractured skull, minor brain heamorrhage and fractured eye-socket.

One accident in 30 years is not enough to put me off.

You obviously weigh that against all the times it didn't happen and figured it to be an aberration. If you don't mind me asking - how well did you recover. Lauren's brother had an accident in which he was hit by a taxi - he was in a coma (not sure how long) and hasn't been quite the same since. This is why she's so convinced of the danger. [ETA] Of course this (and worse) is the danger, just like when I'm driving there's a danger of hitting something and exploding, I just want to show how rare it is.