Cycling deaths rise by 40% during Covid

Cycling deaths rise by 40% during Covid

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Discussion

rdjohn

Original Poster:

6,332 posts

201 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/24/cycl...

Seems reducing traffic, makes life more dangerous.

Bill

53,926 posts

261 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
Correlation does not equal causation. Quite possibly the marked increase in less experienced cyclists was the issue. (But higher traffic speeds won't help.)

Not good either way.

av185

19,086 posts

133 months

Friday 25th June 2021
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'A rise in cases of dangerous driving among police forces during lockdown.'

Typical ambiguous and confused reporting by the Guardian lol.

av185

19,086 posts

133 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
The standard of driving appears to have deteriorated substantially following lockdown.

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey

5,690 posts

61 months

Friday 25th June 2021
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Bill said:
Correlation does not equal causation. Quite possibly the marked increase in less experienced cyclists was the issue. (But higher traffic speeds won't help.)

Not good either way.
Good job really as we'd have banned ice cream years ago to reduce the murder rate.

V8covin

7,736 posts

199 months

Friday 25th June 2021
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Having seen the way most cyclists ride on the highway I'm surprised it's not more.

the tribester

2,561 posts

92 months

Friday 25th June 2021
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The rise is cycle ownership and use was far greater than 40% during Covid, but they don't say how much.

More of a concern for me was that during the stay at home period, the car deaths only fell by 15%.

Edited to say I've read more of the article, and it goes on to say that due to the increase in the amount of cycling, the injury per mile figure is actually down 30%. I suppose that's not such a good headline.

Edited by the tribester on Friday 25th June 08:57

MrBarry123

6,038 posts

127 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
the tribester said:
The rise is cycle ownership and use was far greater than 40% during Covid, but they don't say how much.

More of a concern for me was that during the stay at home period, the car deaths only fell by 15%.

Edited to say I've read more of the article, and it goes on to say that due to the increase in the amount of cycling, the injury per mile figure is actually down 30%. I suppose that's not such a good headline.

Edited by the tribester on Friday 25th June 08:57
yes

That is the key point.

JEA1K

2,544 posts

229 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
V8covin said:
Having seen the way most cyclists ride on the highway I'm surprised it's not more.
'Most'?

More cyclists are dying because of poor driving standards, not poor cycling standards ...

Ronstein

1,426 posts

43 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
200% increase in cycling during lockdown - Hardly surprising if this statistic is correct.

https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/8285/cycling-has-in...

Tye Green

762 posts

115 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
JEA1K said:
V8covin said:
Having seen the way most cyclists ride on the highway I'm surprised it's not more.
'Most'?

More cyclists are dying because of poor driving standards, not poor cycling standards ...
the number of cyclist has risen significantly in the last few years and there doesn't seem to be any consistency in how a group of cyclists use the road. sometimes, they can be in a close convoy at two abreast and will maintain that order when a car (or a group of cars) comes up behind. in other cases they revert to single file. in other cases they can be travelling single file then change to two abreast when they hear the cars get closer.

sometimes they give the finger when you pass unless you have slowed to walking pace !

JEA1K

2,544 posts

229 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
Tye Green said:
the number of cyclist has risen significantly in the last few years and there doesn't seem to be any consistency in how a group of cyclists use the road. sometimes, they can be in a close convoy at two abreast and will maintain that order when a car (or a group of cars) comes up behind. in other cases they revert to single file. in other cases they can be travelling single file then change to two abreast when they hear the cars get closer.

sometimes they give the finger when you pass unless you have slowed to walking pace !
So whats your point? Every situation/scenario is different ... narrow road, wide road etc. Consistency of riders isn't the issue, as I have already stated, its poor driving standards.

I have had drivers pass me with 'mm' to spare @ 60mph + ... they wouldn't overtake a tractor with mm to spare would they, so why a cyclist?

From the Highway code ...

- Bikes may have to move out to avoid drains, potholes or debris on the road, so give them as much room as possible.

The Highway Code Rule 163 says to give cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would give overtaking a car. -



V8covin

7,736 posts

199 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
Tye Green said:
the number of cyclist has risen significantly in the last few years and there doesn't seem to be any consistency in how a group of cyclists use the road. sometimes, they can be in a close convoy at two abreast and will maintain that order when a car (or a group of cars) comes up behind. in other cases they revert to single file. in other cases they can be travelling single file then change to two abreast when they hear the cars get closer.

sometimes they give the finger when you pass unless you have slowed to walking pace !
I was thinking more along the lines of not looking before making a manoeuvre,being oblivious to what's going on around them because they've got headphones on or on their phones etc etc.
Pedestrians are as bad mind

springfan62

851 posts

82 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
V8covin said:
I was thinking more along the lines of not looking before making a manoeuvre,being oblivious to what's going on around them because they've got headphones on or on their phones etc etc.
Pedestrians are as bad mind
Or driving whilst operating a phone or exceeding the speed limit or distracted or just having a MGIF attitude.

Responsibility for deaths on the road rests with all roads users, trying to apportion blame because some cyclists are careless does not exonerate the many many cases of bad and careless driving.



B9

519 posts

101 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
I can relate to this.

I jumped back on the bike last summer after a while off. Really got into it, bought new gear, signed up to strava, concentrated on circuit times etc. Stuck to the cycle tracks whilst I built up fitness etc.

Around a month later I decided on a route which I've driven in the past, and coming down a hill I took a corner far too quick - ended up on the wrong side of the road. Although it was a quiet country road, I was lucky there was no car coming the other way. I suspect I'm not the only one who's confidence was greater than their ability.

Pothole

34,367 posts

288 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
JEA1K said:
'Most'?

More cyclists are dying because of poor driving standards, not poor cycling standards ...
More cyclists are dying because there are more cyclists.

Tye Green

762 posts

115 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
JEA1K said:
Tye Green said:
the number of cyclist has risen significantly in the last few years and there doesn't seem to be any consistency in how a group of cyclists use the road. sometimes, they can be in a close convoy at two abreast and will maintain that order when a car (or a group of cars) comes up behind. in other cases they revert to single file. in other cases they can be travelling single file then change to two abreast when they hear the cars get closer.

sometimes they give the finger when you pass unless you have slowed to walking pace !
So whats your point? Every situation/scenario is different ... narrow road, wide road etc. Consistency of riders isn't the issue, as I have already stated, its poor driving standards.

I have had drivers pass me with 'mm' to spare @ 60mph + ... they wouldn't overtake a tractor with mm to spare would they, so why a cyclist?

From the Highway code ...

- Bikes may have to move out to avoid drains, potholes or debris on the road, so give them as much room as possible.

The Highway Code Rule 163 says to give cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would give overtaking a car. -
consider when there's a group of cyclists who are travelling on a narrow country lane.

as a car driver (or one car within a group of cars) this is a significant hazard because they are essentially a long and slow obstacle which may, or may not, change to an even longer & thinner one, or even a shorter and wider obstacle.

two abreast cyclists in a group on a narrow road is madness

BoRED S2upid

20,188 posts

246 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
So an extra 40 with how many additional cyclists during lockdown? Probably hundreds of thousands. I saw dozens on rusty old bikes with no helmets or lights. Yes motorists were going faster, traffic tends to slow everyone down but you put thousands of additional inexperienced cyclists on the roads and numbers will increase.

Pothole

34,367 posts

288 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
BoRED S2upid said:
So an extra 40 with how many additional cyclists during lockdown? Probably hundreds of thousands. I saw dozens on rusty old bikes with no helmets or lights. Yes motorists were going faster, traffic tends to slow everyone down but you put thousands of additional inexperienced cyclists on the roads and numbers will increase.
Read the thread?

V8covin

7,736 posts

199 months

Friday 25th June 2021
quotequote all
springfan62 said:
Or driving whilst operating a phone or exceeding the speed limit or distracted or just having a MGIF attitude.

Responsibility for deaths on the road rests with all roads users, trying to apportion blame because some cyclists are careless does not exonerate the many many cases of bad and careless driving.
Never said it did, there's bad drivers,bad cyclists, bad pedestrians