Deloitte Ride Across Britain rider dies in hospital

noether wrote:

This is a societal problem that must be stamped out by biasing the law much more in favour of cyclists and getting more car drivers on bikes. No amount of investment in infrastructure will compensate for the seemingly frivolous attitude car drivers adopt towards cyclists.

You only have to read the Daily Mail comments whenever there is a cycling article to understand how bad the problem is. Look at twitter for a while and you will find someone seeking adulation for almost killing another human being. Really have to ask WTF is going on sometimes.

noether wrote:

Hard to comprehend. Massive grief all around.

I cannot escape the conclusion that UK roads are lethal to cyclists. This is a societal problem that must be stamped out by biasing the law much more in favour of cyclists and getting more car drivers on bikes. No amount of investment in infrastructure will compensate for the seemingly frivolous attitude car drivers adopt towards cyclists. Any infringement when dealing with a cyclist (especially if recorded on a cam)? 6 months driving license suspension as minimum. Such measure, well advertised, would make drivers stand up and listen.

Why do UK bike organizations not band together for a comprehensive legal package and carry the message to Westminster by daily bike-ins until law makers cave in?

The killings must stop.

UK Roads are relatively safe. The Netherlands are a bit safer with 4.5 deaths per 100,000 but UK roads at 5.4 are right up there amongst the best. Around about 100 cyclists per year are killed on UK roads. There are far more cyclists in the Netherlands and a lower accident rate but the last figures I saw for 2010 162 cyclists were killed. So for a start off get it out of your head that cycling is dangerous. It isn't. Or that it is particularly dangerous in the UK. It isn't. And don't keep alive that zombie myth that UK roads are uniquely dangerous. They aren't they are among the safest in the world.

The reason I say this is because there is a danger if you are too hyperbolic about the carnage and the "killing" out there on the roads as if cyclists were being massacred is that first off it isn't true. Secondly it convinces many people that they shouldn't cycle because it's dangerous whereas more cyclists would make it a bit safer still and thirdly the simplest easiest, cheapest way to stop the alleged carnage on the roads isn't a long term campaign to improve driver and cyclist behaviour and respect. That could take years or decades to have an effect as it has in the Netherlands. No the quick fix if it's so "dangerous" is to prevent cyclist using roads. The more dangerous ones at first but then more and more.

It may appear to be useful to hype up the danger to get people's attention as concerned cycling and road safety but it could be a double edged sword.

Why don't we just stick to the facts.

Cycling is safe. It could be a bit safer but more importantly it could easily be made far more pleasant and made not not seem so dangerous or risky.

Fortunately I look at the UK bike scene from a distance.

Firstly, the aggression displayed by a significant minority of UK drivers towards cyclists is uncommon in the NL; secondly, most UK drivers seem unaware of the frailty of a cyclist on his bike and thirdly the UK bike infrastructure is ruefully inadequate. Only a long term effort aimed at getting more drivers on bikes and making drivers pay a higher cost for knocking cyclists over will improve cyclists' safety. Truck drivers seem notoriously nonchalant. Had these efforts started 10 years ago, with consistency and funds, UK roads would be much safer for cyclists today.

I cannot compare UK and NL statistics, given the totally different circumstances in both countries (the percentages of children and elderly on bikes, the accidents per bike trip, urban vs recreational etc...) I just know that in the NL drivers are in general ultra-cautious with bikers, even whilst the latter often misbehave on the roads.

I maintain that especially now that cycling is on the verge of becoming mainstream in the UK, cyclists deserve much better protection, beginning with awareness and stricter laws. These will not come if cyclists sit on their hands.

Paul J wrote:

Is it just me, or do LEJOG rides have a higher fatality rate than other kilometres ridden? Just a vague feeling based on my surprise at hearing how frequently LEJOG is mentioned in cyclist deaths in UK.

I am not sure whether they do but statistically they would. Compared to normal cycling LEJOG riders are going to be on more dangerous roads and at more dangerous times and be more tired. Whereas normal cyclists may take a view of the weather may decide against riding that day, or start later, take a break or pack it in for the day LEJOG riders don't. The same with roads. Many a time on a longer touring route that looked OK on paper I haven't fancied the road and just decided to get off it and work my way round even if the schedule gets thrown out. Can't do that on a LEJOG attempt. You are just stuck on your schedule come what may and if that means being the only cyclist on a busy main road with not much wiggle room in bad light, high winds and in the rushhour then so be it.

Paul J wrote:

Is it just me, or do LEJOG rides have a higher fatality rate than other kilometres ridden? Just a vague feeling based on my surprise at hearing how frequently LEJOG is mentioned in cyclist deaths in UK.

Maybe. But then the kilometres ridden is much higher than most people so who knows. It doesn't really matter. A tragic loss of life.

My thoughts go out to the family and friends.

Paul J wrote:

Is it just me, or do LEJOG rides have a higher fatality rate than other kilometres ridden? Just a vague feeling based on my surprise at hearing how frequently LEJOG is mentioned in cyclist deaths in UK.

I have no statistics, but when I rode LEJOG with the RAB they said that statistically speaking they should have had a death by then (2012). So it would seem that they, or their organisation were bucking the trend....but what they were comparing it to, I don't know.

Riccardo_M wrote:

again, no details of the dynamic of the crash from Road CC!!!. So which lesson can we learn?

I think Road cc is just re-reporting the news. It would be good if there could be some later follow-up though - the mainstream media will have long-departed but there are official reports and inquests in many cases - it would be good to know what investigation and examination reveals.

Riccardo_M wrote:

My thoughts go out to the family.

But again, no details of the dynamic of the crash from Road CC!!!. So which lesson can we learn?

Yes, we might not be able to speculate if a helmet, or more hi-vis, or whatever talisman is being hocked this week, would have helped. Woe is us.

Riccardo_M wrote:

My thoughts go out to the family.

But again, no details of the dynamic of the crash from Road CC!!!. So which lesson can we learn?

This is why there will be an inquest. It is not for Road.cc or any reader to speculate at this stage, we simply will not have enough evidence.

If the attached pictures on other related items are to be believed, from where I sit I can see two probable scenarios, either she shot out of the side road and got hit, or the car shot out the side road and hit her. But the junction might be nothing to do with it and it was a failed overtake etc etc etc. Leave it to the inquest and the police. Hopefully both will take their responsibility seriously and we will get appropriate action if someone was driving dangerously.

I suspect that the photo used in the online reports is a library or google/bing street picture (at Lix Toll). I believe that the accident was nearer Lochearnhead on a section of road with no main junctions, about 2-5 miles further south, earlier in the route.

GaryT wrote:

I suspect that the photo used in the online reports is a library or google/bing street picture (at Lix Toll). I believe that the accident was nearer Lochearnhead on a section of road with no main junctions, about 2-5 miles further south, earlier in the route.

I guess we will learn more in time. Probably the chosen image simply reflects where the road closure to deal with the incident started - it would have to be at a junction so that a diversion could be set up, as the BBC photo caption indicates. Says nothing about where the incident actually took place.

Riccardo_M wrote:

My thoughts go out to the family.

But again, no details of the dynamic of the crash from Road CC!!!. So which lesson can we learn?

You make a good point Riccardo. A lot of people seem to think that de facto that the roads should be safe enough to ride without any form of learning, or skills base. Fundamentally this is the wrong start point.

It does matter that she died, but equally it does matter if she was making the right decisions on the road and if she played any part in her own demise (as much as any others involved).

It is terribly sad what has happened and I can only imagine how her friends, family and other riders feel right now. But equally it doesn't help to report something where the causes are unknown. It skews the view of cycling as a de facto dangerous activity, when things like skill and experience minimise these things. I guess I get fed up of seeing people put themselves in danger on their bikes knowingly and unknowingly. Cycling isn't dangerous and the roads are dangerous, it the people who use them that make it that way.