Bicycle fatalities up 15%, here's why

[Mr. Pink]

.........and nobody is keeping a good count.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...ody-s-counting

[vav]

yup, sadly but true. Haven't ridden my bikes much lately for other reasons but when I do, I drive to a trail head and ride gravel/dirt. I commute 3 miles one way in Boston and the sidewalks are nice and smooth. A park ranger stopped me last week 'cause I was riding on the greenway and I flat out told her I'm not riding on the street no matter whatever city ordinance she was citing...

[dbnm]

I did a 60 mile ride around the city of Albuquerque and I lost count on the number of people texting and looking at their phones while driving.

It's crazy.

[jimcav]

When I retired and suddenly didn't "have" to get to work, I realized that was the main reason I got on the bike--it was how I went to work. I did really enjoy riding, but once the "must" was gone, I just didn't want to deal with all the drivers drifting as they looked at their phones. I'm maybe going to start riding "road" again once the "fall back" for DST happens since I won't have any daylight for my mtb trails, but only because my new job is on a military base, where they actually seem to enforce it, and I'll probably only ride on base.

I wish we could ride against traffic--at least I'd feel like I had a chance

[BobO]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

.........and nobody is keeping a good count.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...ody-s-counting

I have been saying this for a couple of years, we're not measuring the issue. How can we even begin to discuss the issue if we aren't looking at it?

[Ken Robb]

I got my license in 1959 so I've seen many miles on all kinds of roads. These days in San Diego County I am frightened almost every time I drive by people driving like idiots. Accidents affecting traffic on freeways used to be somewhat unusual happenings. Now EVERY rush hour traffic report has multiple wrecks. Most of them are on straight stretches of freeway.

I have always been a car nut who prized handling and performance in the cars that I drove. Now I rarely have an opportunity for brisk acceleration in my MINI Cooper S. I borrowed a pal's Porsche Cayman S and its capabilities were unusable anywhere in town. Since our roads are in terrible shape I will give serious consideration when choosing my next car to ride over handling and crash-worthiness over performance.

Most of you know I was smashed up riding my Ducati on a straight bit of road when a car took me down. I haven't been able to face riding my bike anywhere that a car can get me again. I'm sure phone distraction is a major cause of these wrecks along with inadequate driver training and testing.

[Abelicoln]

I'm in San Diego as well and I would say I have at least two near misses every time I ride on the road. Besides the city being among the worst in terms of bike friendly infrastructure, nearly everyone is on the phone. I haven't let it stop me yet but I'm starting to think in a "not if, but when" type of manner about a serious accident. I don't want to throw in the towel but I definitely don't feel safe, even on the more rural roads.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by jimcav

I wish we could ride against traffic--at least I'd feel like I had a chance

And that's all it would be, just a feeling.

[makoti]

Originally Posted by jimcav

I wish we could ride against traffic--at least I'd feel like I had a chance

Let's discuss physics.... the chance you'd have would be a snowballs chance.

[buddybikes]

Phones and assholes = dead

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

Phones and assholes = dead

And there are plenty of each.

[Tommasini53]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

.........and nobody is keeping a good count.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...ody-s-counting

I've been following this story on Bloomberg since it was posted earlier in the week and it has consistently been the Most Read. MAYBE that is an indication that we've reached the tipping-point on the issue. MAYBE now this will be treated like driving drunk. Put the question to your local politicians, why.

[Ralph]

I don't know if there is a safe place to ride. 3-4 days a week, I usually ride out of my subdivision down some back streets by a school.....to get to a nice trail....go five miles up the trail to a Panera Bread, and meet some riding buddies for a 30-35 mile back country road ride.

Last week, school traffic was bumper to bumper on the street, so I idled down the sidewalk toward the trail.....at 3-5 MPH......and got taken out by a 9 year old on a bike going like hell trying to get to school. We both went down. Thankfully....he was OK and got up and went on....after telling me how sorry he was. I have a fractured fibula. Surgery next week to repair.

I'm now rethinking how much risk I want to take to ride my bike. Being laid up no fun. I was going to the gym 3 days a week plus riding other 4....most weeks. Maybe just start riding stationary there a lot more. Save bike for Sunday AM. Cycling for me...at my age....is now about exercise and getting out.....maybe riding enough to stay in shape to keep up with a fast group not so important anymore.

[cfox]

I've been saying it for a while to folks who insist that cycling is a super-safe activity; give the stats time to catch up with the surge in smart phone use. Cycling is fun, it's just getting more dangerous.

[nooneline]

Originally Posted by cfox

I've been saying it for a while to folks who insist that cycling is a super-safe activity; give the stats time to catch up with the surge in smart phone use. Cycling is fun, it's just getting more dangerous.

that's not true. the safety in numbers phenomenon is well documented.

injury numbers might be rising, but cycling rates are rising faster - so the rate of injuries is declining.

the equation is clear. more cyclists = safer cycling.