"Many cyclists have no regard for own safety"

[plonker]

Another dissertation from a self- proclaimed expert appeared in today's The Star.

 

According to him, it is a fact that "cyclists are at fault in half the accidents where cyclists and motorists are involved." !!!!!????

 

see http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/many-cyclists-have-no-regard-for-own-safety-1.1450813#comments_start

[fandacious]

only half? I'd say more than that....

[plonker]

only half? I'd say more than that....

You' re probably using the same facts. Maybe you should pass them on to the authorities - I'm sure that they'd be interested.

[fandacious]

You' re probably using the same facts. Maybe you should pass them on to the authorities - I'm sure that they'd be interested.

 

so what facts do you have to support the contrary?

 

Name one group ride you've been on where everyone stops at all the stop streets and red lights, doesnt ride 2-abreast, signals intent, etc etc

Edited January 14, 2013 by fandacious

[LUVBIKE1]

MAYBE TRUE MAYBE NOT, BUT WHEN LAST DID A PERSON ON A BIKE KILL OR SERIOUSLY INJURE SOMEONE IN A CAR !! READ THE ARTICLE, AND TO PARAPHRASE IN HUB LANGUAGE "CHOP!'

[ccc2]

i think the editor was just trying to fill the empty spaces in his newspaper. what a waste of ink/words/paper

[Joffter]

The article claims that "If they claim to be riding a vehicle and demand the same rights as motorists, they should be licensed and taxed in the same way as the motoring public."

 

By virtue of the fact that the law allows bicycles to be ridden on most roads(excl Freeways and main routes like the N1 etc), a cyclist thereby has the same rights, and should be afforded the same courteousness from motorized vehicles as a car driver rexpects from a Massive 50 Ton truck. a motorist has no more rights to ride over or knock down a cyclist than a 50T truck has of riding over Mr Impatient in his German Saloon.

 

Lastly, how many bicycles will it take to put the same stresses on the road as a 1.2 Ton car with 225 Width Wheels producing 100+ Horsepower ? Couple of Thousand maybe ? Therefore, wear and tear on the roads will be a helluva lot less, so then bicycles should be paying proportionally, so what's the license on a Sandton 4x4 cost ? R780 a year, divided by 2 Thousand bicycles = 39 Cents per bicycle, maybe less.

 

Where do I sign up and pay my 39c License ?

[Headshot]

Haven't read the article but unless he bases the 50/50 stat on decided court cases or careful analysis of all the facts in each and every reported accident, his claim means nothing.

 

I am not aware of any fatal accidents where it was held the cyclist was at fault. I am aware of numerous cases where cylists have been hit while minding their own business and with right of way, me included.

 

Fandacious et al need to drop the fallacious reasoning. We have a profoundly poor "could not care less" driving culture and poor driving skills in SA . Look at the road death toll for December. Small light vehicles will always come off worse in an accident and thats the bottom line.I am quite sure the most common response from a driver in any accident involving a bike is "I didn't see him" which is virtually always an instant admission of negligence.

[Baster Brak]

Well its as clear as day light, Maurice Buckland is an idoit

[Baster Brak]

Its a clear as day light, the oak is an idiot

[Witkop]

only half? I'd say more than that....

The problem is that in cycling accidents the cyclist is normally the innocent party, but because all motorists are afraid of the moment they kill a cyclist they put up their defence mechanism to preempt the occasion with excuses. Over the 2000+ cycling deaths over the last decade, only 5-10 (maybe 50 max) can be attributed to a motorist colliding with a "group" of roadies on a training ride. That is less than 1%. The fact that the motorists are complaining about some cyclists behaving badly indicate that they had to have noticed them (and take the necessary actions (safety) first). The majority of cyclists who obey the rules are simply not noticed (which explains their high death toll). So using economics, it actuall makes sense to cycle like an idiot and by doing so get noticed, thereby passing the risk of the road to the law abiding cyclist (who is not noticed).