Risks of cycling consistently overstated

[benb]

This article caught my eye.
http://road.cc/content/news/71717-g...-says-new-research-its-pedestrians-young-male

Cycling is safer than driving, for young males.

 

[Banjo]

They couldnt make a dramatic film out of real data could they.

 

[fimm]

Driving is quite dangerous if you are a young male....
Interesting report.

 

[Drago]

This article caught my eye.
http://road.cc/content/news/71717-g...-says-new-research-its-pedestrians-young-male

Cycling is safer than driving, for young males.

So cycle helmets for young male motorists, eh?

 

[mattobrien]

If you were to believe what is often posted on this forum you would think that the risks of cycling were high. It seems that every tenth thread on some of the boards are about near misses and unfortunate incidents.

Young males are probably better off on bikes than in cars, at least that way they can use all that testosterone to pedal faster and burn off some energy, rather than taking ill-judged risks in their cars to show everyone how skilful and clever they are.

 

[Drago]

It seems that every tenth thread on some of the boards are about near misses and unfortunate incidents.

Yeah, but it's the same 2% of the membership that has these little incidents, often over and over again.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I was a cross little crosspatch as a teenage cyclist and probably a little worse in my early 20s. I saw conflict, injustice and incompetence in every other road user, but in myself I saw only catlike agility and Yoda-like awareness.

To me at that age the roads were a jungle and I loved it that way (I was also a motorcycle courier at the time).

Now, I see those same roads as I have done for the past 25 years... A nice place to ride and a safe environment. Of course there are issues every now and again, just as there are when cooking or replacing roof slates... But by and large things are pretty gentle on the roads.

If I thought we were all about to be splatted by an artic, I don't think I'd have encouraged my children to ride.

I don't mind people getting excitable about the dangers of cycling and I don't (much) mind cyclists getting stroppy and militant about brain-dead, selfish, skill-free 'motons' in their protective 1-tonne cages.... If that's the world people want to see, they are free to do so.

It's not the world I see and I'm rather glad it isn't.

 

[GrasB]

Yeah, but it's the same 2% of the membership that has these little incidents, often over and over again.

There are also those who have a number of incidents because they're travelling so far on the roads... I've average 43.7 miles/day so far this year, which is about 16000 miles/year

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Yeah, but it's the same 2% of the membership that has these little incidents, often over and over again.

Or it's Matthew!

 

[Licramite]

pity it fails to mention motorbikes.
the inference is obvious - its the women drivers trying to kill us off. - (strangely my latest near miss on the bike was a woman driver and of the three car accidents I 've had 2 have been shunts by women drivers - I'm sure they are not really trying to get me? )
the only reason young males on bikes are less likely to get killed is they can't go fast enough to kill themselves on a push bike.

 

[r80]

I have wondered often if Basingstoke is the safest place to cycle in the world - I have had one crash (with another cyclist), there is maybe a close call once every month or two. In ten years I have never been hit by a car. I also don't recall ever reading about a cyclist death in the gazette.

 

[benb]

pity it fails to mention motorbikes.
the inference is obvious - its the women drivers trying to kill us off. - (strangely my latest near miss on the bike was a woman driver and of the three car accidents I 've had 2 have been shunts by women drivers - I'm sure they are not really trying to get me? )
the only reason young males on bikes are less likely to get killed is they can't go fast enough to kill themselves on a push bike.

Maybe they're trying to get your phone number.

 

[sidevalve]

So they've managed to work out that if you have an accident at 20 mph you will be safer than if you have one at 70 mph ? Did they also take into account that if a young male driver is driving carefully and sensibly he is less likely to have an accident due to his reaction times [and separate this out] or did they simply "lump in" all types of young male at all times ? Nice and simple that and it makes better figures to prove their point. Of course young men are more dangerous than older men [mostly]. They would be more dangerous on horses too [although the horses may have more sense] and that would be another interesting line of reasearch, ie the injuries sustained per mile of horse travel, the number of riders being admitted to A&E depts is bigger than you may think. As for Licramite's comment on m/bikes I'm not sure what this means. If it's another attack by one minority road using group on another, both of which will be legislated off the road if the "conformists" in government have their way it's a bit sad. Most m/cycle accidents are [just like cycle accidents] NOT the fault of the rider but of another vehicle. M/cyclists do have "unassisted" accidents, obviously, but then so do cyclists as evidenced by this very forum.

 

[Hip Priest]

There are also those who have a number of incidents because they're travelling so far on the roads... I've average 43.7 miles/day so far this year, which is about 16000 miles/year

Hats off to you.

 

[redcard]

Yeah, but it's the same 2% of the membership that has these little incidents, often over and over again.

Pareto principle at work.