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Every (US) cyclist who was killed by a driver in 2020

by hawkinspeter
Wed, May 26, 2021 11:06
9

Somewhat depressing website showing U.S. fatalities:

https://www.outsideonline.com/2409749/outside-cycling-deaths-2020

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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9 comments

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brooksby | 3 years ago
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And of course there's the added fun in the US of having to think, "Will I get shot by the driver of that car?"

(Can't find the story, but read something recently - one driver cut up another on a freeway near LA; a woman driving one of the cars made a rude gesture at the other driver; as she pulled ahead, the passenger of the other car leaned out of his window and took a few shots at the back of her car; killing her toddler who was sitting in the back seat  )

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andystow replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
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I believe that was in Chicago.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/toddler-hurt-in-chicago-road-rage-...

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ChadCapote replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
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Pathetic!surprise

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hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
4 likes

I'd say that the US culture is far more anti-cycling than the UK, or at least it's almost violently pro-car.

I've only ever been to the U.S. on holiday and certainly the places I've been (Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California and Florida) have very few cyclists and regard walking as what you do if your car breaks down. Even walking from one shop/restaurant to the one next to it typically involves stepping over a barrier or finding a gap in a hedge as they're designed around cars.

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Cycloid | 3 years ago
3 likes

In the UK we average about 100 fatalities per year

the US population is (very) approximately five times ours, but they have eight times more deaths.

You think things are bad here

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Rich_cb replied to Cycloid | 3 years ago
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Probably why gravel is so popular over there.

I've seen some YouTube stuff about US gravel riding, some of it is not far off our roads!

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andystow replied to Rich_cb | 3 years ago
3 likes

I'm in the US. I see videos of people in the UK doing "gravel" riding (Francis Cade, David Noakes) and most of it is not at all what we mean. Some of our states have very low population density but lots of farm roads (e.g. Iowa), so no way could they afford to pave them all, but the gravel is a really nice, fast rolling surface with 42 mm or wider tyres.

Once I get out of town, on paved roads I may encounter a car every minute or so. On gravel roads, its a few per hour.

Here's the good stuff.

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andystow replied to Cycloid | 3 years ago
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Cycloid wrote:

In the UK we average about 100 fatalities per year

the US population is (very) approximately five times ours, but they have eight times more deaths.

You think things are bad here

Well, it was "only" 667 last year, so a bit closer to proportional. However, I bet the US is way worse on fatalities per million bicycle miles travelled. Look at the last two rows on this table. The US has half the rate of cycling and double the car (actually, SUV) miles travelled compared to the UK.

https://internationalcomparisons.org/environmental/transportation/

I've heard that if you remove the cyclists who were riding in the dark, no lights, intoxicated, cycling is nearly as safe as driving, but the same is likely true in the UK. And of course, both would be waaay safer if the intoxicated drivers could be removed from the roads instead.

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SaintClarence27 replied to andystow | 3 years ago
2 likes

Taking into account the difference in cycling miles as you stated, I think it's clear the US is far more dangerous for cyclists.  As an American, it can be very scary.  There's very little infrastructure for bicycles, and the laws are... lacking to say the least.  I see some of the "close pass" videos, and I wouldn't even blink as a cyclist in most of them.  Those are courteous by comparison.

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