Interesting read, but i think as motorcyclists we are more aware of what is happening around us for personal protection. Car drivers are also looking out for threats to their safety, as opposed to vulnerable road users and will overlook us becuase we pose no threat. So yes, evolution has made our eyes unsuitable for driving but our inherrent sense of self preservation works for us as motorcyclists but against us with car drivers. Folk who ride and drive make the best car drivers as they take a motorcyclist's attitude into their cars.
Excellent article and great to see it brought to everybody's attention
And yeh xj I totally agree, folk who ride and drive cars do make the best car drivers, I've certainly become more aware as a driver since I learnt to ride a bike.
I also think motorcycle awareness should be incorporated in the driving test, as well as an aspect from a lorry drivers view too
As a lorry driver that has to drive into London I have to say that most cyclists I see take unbelievable risks with HGVs.... Having also ridden a bike before I started motorcycling I can say I have plenty if experience with all modes of transport and the one thing that every road user needs is to be aware of their own vulnerability and use the road with that in mind
If you already drive a car or other vehicle, it is still legislation that we have to do a CBT before riding a motorbike. I think that cyclists should also have a form of CBT. There must be a number of people who do not even drive a car, therefore have no formal training to use the roads safely. This may be difficult to implement, but if they are worried about cyclists getting killed or injured, the ball has to start rolling somewhere.
Bit of a hobby horse of mine, but I reckon Simple1's put his finger on it by saying 'every road user needs to be aware of their own vulnerability'.
There are too many cyclists who don't seem to realise that the moment they cross the kerb, they are road users and not pedestrians with wheels. A pedestrian is advised to walk facing the traffic on a road without pavements, but for a pedal cyclist that's just suicidal. Yet many of then do it, often at nights, without lights.
Having said that, I wouldn't like to mix it with heavy traffic on a bicycle if there was any way of avoiding it. If there isn't a dedicated cycle lane, then I'll take to the pavement. Yes, I now it's not legal and I'll give way to pedestrians, but it strikes me as the lesser evil.
From a biker's or driver's point of view, the best thing a cyclist can do in my opinion is to use flashing lights, as the RAF man says, and also the sideways-facing reflectors on the wheels, where the wobbly motion is immediately obvious in headlights at night.
bluesbiker In: Birmingham in th
Posts: 2510
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We use to have the cycling proficiency scheme when i was at school. Run by rospa i think. should make it compulsory.
In Brum city centre where i spend a lot of time in my van. There are some roads where they are allowed to go against traffic. unfortunatly they tend to do it in every one way street . I think it's crazy. Also running red lights and wearing ear buds.
Saying that We still have a lot of drivers / riders who seem to think that forcing cyclists off the road is the way to go. We have all got to use the roads. they have every right to be there and should be given time and space to make their journey. There is only going to be more cyclist on the road. you all need to live with it.
In nottingham where I live the council ( who has a plan to banish all traffic apart from public transport ) has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on safe cycle lanes and routes but nobody uses them.... I think where they are implemented they should be made mandatory and where they run parallel with main roads should be a fine imposed for not using them.....
When i was a lad (cos surprisingly I can remember that far back) we used to ride our bikes everywhere. London to Brighton and back on a Sunday and trips to Kingston were frequent. We used to ride correctly, giving clear hand signals and correct road positioning. Safety equipment was pretty well non existant apart from lights and bicycle clips. No Hivis in them days. I don't recall ever having an accident and the same for my friends. The one thing that most of us had done was the cycling proficiency test. We took a certain pride in riding correctly and it seemed to work.
Many of the old trunk roads had dedicated cycle lanes, which were separated from the pavement and main carriageway. They were however maintained at that time.
It seems now that the main problem is with urban cycling and as it has been said above, safety is down to the individual. However, for the individual to understand what to look out for and what situations to avoid, training is essential. None of the media reports ever mention this. There are cyclists out there that obey the rules, but there are many that don't.
There's lots of talk of training, but what about common sense? I too was everywhere on my pushbike until i got one with an engine.
it seems nowadays that someone else is always responsible, when did we stop being responsible for our own safety? Surely everyone can look at something and think 'shit, that's gonna hurt' then decide whether they want to do it or not. That's how most of us grewn up and survived 30plus years of motorcycling. It is extremely helpful to know how we work with relation to driving/riding but it doesn't absolve anybody of responsibility for their own wellbeing. I ride in london, a lot, and cyclists scare the bejesus out of me. They take ridiculous risks, maybe because of stupidity, maybe because they are of a culture where no one will hit them because they can sue or maybe because they feel the government ( or everybody else) is responsible for their safety and not them.
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