UK has same cycliing safety issues

[Heckflosse]

I am a pom who's lived here in CT on and off for a few years now. please don't hold either of those things against me....

 

I cycled for a number of years in and around London both as my daily commute to Canary Wharf and also for leisure/training. In London the volume of traffic is higher, the number of people greater, the levels of stress arguably higher, the roads narrower, the weather (and visibilty) crappier, the buses bigger and redder but just as dangerous, and the taxis smaller and blacker but just as dangerous.

 

On my London commute I found that I was ofen the fastest moving vehicle on the road given how jammed up London traffic could be, and there are dedicated cycle superhighways, cycle lanes and bikes are allowed use of bus lanes as well. This all made for a relatively safe and quick commute. ipod-wearing peds typically represented the most danger as they would obliviously walk out inbetween vehicles right in front of you, so you always had to have your wits about you. As Saffers don't walk anywhere there isn't really the same ped danger.

 

As LL said cycling in the UK has had a popularity explosion in recent years, the Mayor of London introduced the bike hire scheme (sponsored by Barclays) and there were tax breaks for employers and employees buying bikes for the purpose of commuting. The increased numbers of cyclists on the roads, especially inexperienced cyclists, has I believe resulted in higher accident numbers...it is simply a numbers game.

 

Here in CT I find the roads just as safe/dangerous (glass half full/empty) as in London. yes the roads are wider but the traffic tends to move much more quickly on average, rarely am I the fastest moving vehicle on the road. I have had 2 accidents here in the last few years, one was at the tokai circle when a car turned left in front of me without indicating, and the driver hapily paid for all my repairs, no harm done.

 

The other accident was ironically the fault of a british tourist who had decided there was a photo opportunity not to be missed on chappies, so he brought the car to a complete halt on the descent into hout bay full in the middle of the road...i introduced my head to his rear windscreen and my front rim had seen better days, but again no harm done.

 

Errmmm to sum up my rambling, I guess as cyclists we need to think not only for ourselves but also do the thinking for other road users and peds as well, as we are vulnerable out there.

 

Thanks for sharing mate, obviously your view from both the UK and SA made it very valuable for me.