SW11 car fines from a local cyclist's camera Post Reply

[SW11_Cycle]

"SW11_Cycle - really, can't you figure it out? Well, let me try to help (*sighs*)."

What a strange passive aggressive style you have there but never mind, I'll respond.

"You seem to have an obsession about how dangerous cycling is, but the official stastics show it is getting much safer. Doesn't that cheer you up (and yes, I do know that one death is one death to many etc)?"

Cycling is getting safer but it is still needlessly dangerous. Motorists need to be better. The government agrees, hence the new laws in January, and they will, over time, make a difference. I'm less bothered about rates of change if it's from a low base.

To mirror back your comment, let me try to help (*sighs*).

The death rates from operations in the 1920s were much better than those in the 1700s. But that was from a pretty low base. No one would hark back to the good old days of the 1920s surgery-wise today. As in no-one will hark back to the cyclists hundreds of deaths/serious injuries in our capital in 50 years time when technology has eliminated almost all human error in car driving.

[chorister]

SW11_Cycle - you seem to pluck statistics / assumptions out of thin air.  Between 2004 and 2020 total cycling fatalities increased from 134 to 141, many of them not involving cars.  Over that time pedal cycle kilometres increased from 4.12bn to 8.09bn.  If 4.12bn km was a low base, then what would you have considered a high base?

[mum99]

The elderly and infirm have been using electric mobility scooters for years as they do give them a new lease of life.

And you don't work up a sweat.

I prefer to cycle on a normal road bike as it's how I get my exercise but if you don't want to work up a sweat then electric bikes are quicker and safer and cheaper than any car in a city.

The word 'infirm' to describe disabled people is considered ableist these days and is patronising. The bike lobby have a blind spot when it comes to disabled people and see the world through their own myopic lens. Lucky are the people who can use electric bikes and mobility scooters, a lot of disabled people can't and need to drive. I used to cycle but the bike good car bad attitude just alienates many people who have legitimate reasons for driving.

Also cargo bikes- try putting (my) autistic twins  or a few very lively young children into one and see what happens- a ludicrous idea

The whole attitude here reeks of elitism. You appear to be passionate about enforcing your own right to go first when passing a car at all times. I suggest you look around at people who have genuine problems  - there are a lot out there - (clue not the bike lobby) and see if you can help them instead?

[chorister]

SW11_Cycle - I wonder if you watched Countryfile on the BBC last evening?  If not, it's on the iPlayer.  There was a long segment (with statistics) on how much safer cycling in the city is compared with in the country, and how the countryside should be prioritised for safety measures.  Oh, and by the way, cycle deaths were well down in 2021 - the figures have just been released.

[dudette]

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-cycling-habit-that-drivers-hate-the-most

This is a really interesting article - written by a cyclist. Worth a read.

[User34567]

Dudette- I think that's an excellent article. Just as I wouldn't expect cyclists to block a road by cycling down the middle, as a pedestrian, I wouldn't step out and cross a road wherever I want to just because the new Highway code gives me priority.

I was horrified to read on this site about the pedestrian seriously injured by a cyclist.

[Mammal]

dudette wrote:
> I think the OP hit the nail on the head when s/he said that the typical cyclist is white, male and middle aged. If we could reclaim the cycling lanes from the menace of MAMILs

Apparently MAMIL has it's female equivalent: FUTIL. (Fat ugly trout in leggings)

[CyclingLondon]

Yeah but Cyclists

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