Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

A question about : Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

In the build-up to my commuting by bike had loads of people warn me about car, lorry and bus drivers, but have to say apart from a couple of near misses the biggest threats to me have been other cyclists and pedestrians!

As an example twice whilst riding home last night I had pedestrians step out in front of me at crossings. The lights had changed to green, I had started peddling, there's traffic moving behind me and people STILL stepped out into the road!

One case the guy was too busy messing with his phone to notice (I hadn't seen him as he stepped from behind a couple who were waiting) and although I braked and swerved to avoid him I nearly came off due to the clipped in pedals.

The second, same scenario but in this case the guy had stopped then decided he had right of way and stepped into my path. Again managed to avoid but sure got the adrenaline flowing!

Other case are other cyclists. So far have been hit twice by other cyclists. First was a guy coming up behind me on a rise where the path was constricted. I lost my balance and hit a wall on my side, he picked himself up, swore at me for being in his way then peddled off. Second was a cyclist overtaking on a cycle path when there was oncoming bikes then quickly swerved to avoid them, knocking my front wheel which affected my balance (thankfully no pedestrians on the pavement alongside otherwise I would have hit them as I tried to regain my balance).

OK I'm no Bradley Wiggins, but surely other cyclists can be a bit more patient with me and wait until it is safe to pass?

I'll admit I have weaved a couple of times, though thankfully not when anyone's been near me. Either I wasn't concentrating or was going too slow up a rise.

I dunno, maybe I'm just too cautious and being an aggressive biker is the correct way to be...

Best answers:

• Impatience is the biggest threat to cyclists and it works both ways, far too many motorists are impatient, however, on the other hand, far too many cyclists are impatient, especially in urban areas.
• Lorries are without a doubt the single biggest risk to any cyclist.
  Last year 106 cyclists died in Britain as a result of an accident involving a vehicle, a record high, and 25 of those deaths were caused by HGV's.
  So they were responsible for roughly a quarter of all cyclist deaths despite HGV's only making up 4% of the traffic on the roads.
  I've overcome most of the 'fears' I had when I first started cycling, mainly as a result of learning from experience, but i'm still incredibly wary around HGV's.
  Also, as much as I may not like admitting it, most cyclists are also guilty of causing risks themselves due to a lack of experience or formal training.
  IMO, no cyclist should be on the road if they have not had bikeability training because the amount of cyclists that clearly do not know basics like when to take primary or secondary position and how to navigate roundabouts or right hand turns is worrying.
• Biggest Threats to Cyclists?
  Themselves normally (and I speak as a cyclist).
  Driving to the train station this morning at 6am in a dark country town, I saw around 10 cyclists and only two had lights on their bike (and one had the rear light on the "wrong" side making it difficult to see).
  Only one cyclist was wearing any reflective gear, most were dressed ninja style.
  In London where I work you see cyclists dicing with death trying to get up the inside of buses and lorries. Do they not think that if the truck moves left they are going to be squashed flat?
  Cyclists behaving unpredictably, and made worse by wearing earphones, so they have no idea about the traffic around them.
  On the whole cyclists just seem very poor at understanding the difference between probability and impact.
  It is improbable that riding up the inside of a bus will have any impact. But in the unlikely event it does have an impact, it is likely to involve a lot of blue lights and a priest.
• Biggest risk to you is yourself.
  Other cyclists and pedestrians are annoying but I'm not aware of a single cyclist fatality caused by a fellow cyclist or a pedestrian.
  Cyclist fatalities caused by cyclist error, car/lorry driver error however are numerous.
  Moaning about idiotic pedestrians and/or cyclists is no different to motorists moaning about cyclists - misguided and misdirected.
• The only time I was ever hospitalised as a cyclist is when a large teenager ran between a line of slow moving traffic into my path.
  I was sent flying and clipped by a car coming in the other direction, my beloved hand built bike was a write off.
  Always watch out for the pedestrian who is not looking.
  elmer x
• I was discussing cyclists on a local forum just a couple of days ago.
  I think that cyclists over the age of - say - fourteen should have to take a theory test on the Highway code and not be allowed on public highways unless they pass - the "license" to be displayed on whichever bike they are riding. Cyclists below this age would be permitted to ride - with care - on the pavement (obviously on the road as well if the pavement was very narrow or non-existant). Cyclists breaking the law would be fined or lose their license, just like car drivers. I feel that cyclists would thus get a lot more respect from other road users as vehicle drivers would be confident they knew the rules of the road and would behave predictably.
  The test could be organised and taken at school - after all, some schools already do cycling proficiency, so it could be a formal extension of that. As a sweetener, if the theory test is passed and the person later wants to use a car or motorcycle they would not have to re-take the theory test.
  nb. The biggest problem I have with cyclists as a pedestrian is that they are too quiet - I have to depend on seeing them and don't have the added backup of hearing them approach. And what happened to the bell? Cyclists come virtually silently up behind on bridleways, for instance, and seem to expect me to know via psychic communication that they need me to step aside.
• unfortuatlly alot of pedestrians (and cyclists) dont know the proper use of a bell on the bike.
  so many, when hearing a bell, assume it means they need to move out the way, and will jump out the way, often in the path of the cyclist.
  a bell should be used as a warning of your approach, not as a message to move out the way (the same as a car horn)
• Lack of common sense?
  There are many questionable decisions I see daily, luckily few end in tears. These are made by all road users from peds to truckers and all sizes in between.
• Well cycling home tonight had three more pedestrians stepping in front of me as I rode along (ok I had predicted they were going to do so and had slowed down and unclipped ready for them, none of them looked in my direction just stepped off the pavement into traffic).
  Mind did have my scariest moment tonight. Cycling through lights and the bus behind decided to overtake me. Ok, not a big issue but the problem was the road narrowed so he starts to overtake then pulls across me to get into the lane completely ignoring the fact he has just overtaken me. Slammed on my brakes pretty sharpish and just avoided going under his rear wheel (I came to an almost instant stop and the rear of the bus was barely an inch or two away from me as it went past).
  Now THAT got the adrenaline flowing!!!
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-24401099
  And as a cyclist myself I shout loudly (EXCUSE ME PLEASE) if they don't appear to have heard my bell warning them of my approach.
• I cycle to work everyday, it can be an utter nightmare, the biggest problem I have found here is over taking, so a motorist will over take me, however they will pull back in so quickly that sometimes they are just a couple of feet in front of me, or sometimes I have to throw myself onto the pavement as they are going to hit me. I don't get it, I drive a car, I'm well aware that cyclists are in fact moving, just as I'm aware that cars I am over taking are moving, it really isn't difficult.
  I have been knocked off my bike quite a few times, most of time it has been when traffic has been stopping or slowing down significantly and the vehicle behind me has hit me because they hadn't stopped in time.