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news
Two thirds of drivers are surprised when a cyclist ‘appears from nowhere’
Two-thirds of drivers say they are often surprised when a cyclist ‘appears from nowhere’, according to research carried out by the AA Charitable Trust. This compares to just over half of drivers questioned five years ago when the organisation’s ‘Think Bikes’ campaign was launched via the video above.
‘Failure to look’ is the most commonly cited factor in road crashes, contributing to 39 per cent of injury crashes in 2017.
Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “For five years Think Bikes has been reminding drivers of the importance to do a double-take for those on two wheels. Our new research shows there is still some way to go in terms of ensuring everyone on the road looks out for each other.”
Other findings from the survey, which questioned 20,788 people, were that drivers over 65 were the most likely to say cyclists were inconsiderate (69%), while drivers aged 18-to-24 were the least likely to say cyclists were inconsiderate (57%).
The vast majority of drivers agreed that cyclists (95%) and motorcyclists (93%) are vulnerable and always give them space.
“On the roads it should never be a case of drivers versus cyclists or motorcyclists,” said King. “Everyone is on the road to get somewhere and by looking out for each other we can ensure we do so safely.
“It is disappointing that two-thirds of drivers feel cyclists are inconsiderate and this shows that more needs to be done by drivers and cyclists to co-exist safely and peacefully. The irony is that most cyclists are drivers and many drivers are cyclists.”
The original Think Bikes campaign encouraged drivers to place small stickers on their wing mirrors to remind them to look out for those on two wheels.
The idea came from Tony Rich, a former AA Patrol of the Year, after his friend, Jack Bellis, was killed in a motorcycle crash.
Rich said: “The ‘Think Bikes’ campaign helps reinforce awareness that the road is a shared space. Bikes and motorbikes don’t just appear out of nowhere – we need to look out for each other.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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24 comments
I find it quite disturbing that even though 95% consider cyclists as vulnerable there is still a sizeable percentage that are caught unawares of cyclists on the road. I mean to say it’s not difficult. The ‘winston’ debate was on the radio the other day when I was at my mums. Much complaining about lack of hi viz and all the other red herrings of road safety. On taking her to the shops I spotted a cyclist about 100 meters crossing the roundabout we were approaching. By the time we negotiated the roundabout and joined the road the same cyclist had he was now ahead of us by possibly 200 meters and still visable. The bloke had no hi viz yet was still visible. I was already reading the oncoming traffic in order to make a text book pass. I commented to my mum about this and we both mused on why folk find it so difficult to see other road users when all you have to do is make a conscious decision to read the road when you get behind a wheel.
I want to know how to shave my legs like his
I think cyclists and motorcyclists being seen as being 'vulnerable' can be translated as these modes of transport being seen as 'dangerous'. Therefore, the risks they are exposed to are the result of their choices and not the drivers. Drivers can therefore carry on driving normally (too fast, too close, whilst on the phone... or drive agressively towards them) because they shouldn't have been there.
And most of the time this attitude is aided and abetted by plod and CPS
Of course motorists are fooling no one if they think cyclists appear from nowhere. Motorists just need to open their eyes and look properly; the wrong way up one-way streets, the wrong side of the road, against red lights and on the pavement - a cyclist could be emerging pell-mell from any of those directions, you only need to look.
Fuck off, troll. That is all.
Guilty as charged, I was trolling. But the bunker mentality on this site, that car drivers are the big satan out to get innocent ne're-do-wrong cyclists, could do with being punctured occasionally. Oh, and your language!
Nugget of truth though. As the operator of a potentially lethal piece of equipment, you should be looking out for and be prepared for any of those scenarios. Might not be a person on a bicycle, could be a child on a scooter, an animal, an uninsured drunk on a moped or pretty much any bizarre and unlikely thing as a brief tour of youtube will confirm.
"you should be looking out for and be prepared for any of those scenarios"
Indeed, that is precisely what I said
Eton rifle's post was rude and unnessary and yes, cyclists do do wrong but I have to say I have experienced too many motorists who have tried to knock me off or deliberately endanger me. That's not counting the ones who do it through pure incompetence !
As if we need any more people making those stupid arguments, justifying killing people. If I want to hear victim-blaming rubbish I just have to turn on the radio or the TV or read a newspaper. You aren't being some brave hero in siding with the powerful, you realise?
And yet, mysteriously, it's motorists rather than cyclists who kill significant number of people while driving on pavements or on the wrong side of the road, or while the wrong way up one-way streets, or against red lights. Why, it's almost as if you are projecting and blaming others for your own lethal bad behaviour.
I agree, those figures are absolute pony even IF these people think they give them space or want to give them space. Also their interpretation of giving space is most definitely not the same as most people on bikes 'space'.
"The vast majority of drivers agreed that cyclists (95%) and motorcyclists (93%) are vulnerable and always give them space."
I call BS. Big time BS.
And I call BS on Edmund King. WTAF is the point of a survey of drivers about the effects of the "Think Bike" campaign?
What about asking those of us on bikes? We KNOW it's a waste - every single one of us close-passed by a dick-head with a "Think Bike" sticker in his rear window.
I would say that’s probably about right. 1 in 20 drivers close pass. However that still means that even someone not covering many miles gets close passed on a regular basis. In my 3 miles to the station on rural roads I probably get around 20 cars pass me, so an average of one idiot a day (which sounds about right). 95% may be the majority by a long way, but given how many close passes that means and how much danger that means it is still a totally unacceptable number.
The problem is quite simple, we appear out of nowhere, as we hold up the traffic while we speed, meanwhile racing through all red lights in sight (as well as those we can't see as we will simply come out of nowhere, and Nowhere District Council have not yet installed traffic lights).
Just across town however, Mr P. Etrolhed is unable to turn left because of the constant stream of cyclists in the cycle lane they never use.
Well, that explains why I call my bike “my precious” and am not seen when riding. Clearly it was built by Sauron.
Now I know that some of you don't like politics, but this is just too much of a coincidence not to mention:
"....... drivers over 65 were the most likely to say cyclists were inconsiderate (69%), while drivers aged 18-to-24 were the least likely to say cyclists were inconsiderate (57%)."
Which is eerily similar to the Brexit vote. Make of that what you will, but my take is that people who voted for Brexit hate cyclists.
The same people or just the same ratio? I think your conclusion belongs on this site:
http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations
Please! You're destroying a perfectly good conspiracy theory with facts. That's just not allowed.
That is fucking sublime.
Gammon on their march in London attacks passing cyclist; I rest my case.
https://www.facebook.com/veryBrexitproblems/videos/416953239065093/
I am often suprised when normally rational people mention this to me. Why would we use this superpower (as well as not paying any tax) to defy this particular law of nature, that is the "coming out of nowhere" just to suprise unnattentive motorists. Personally I'd be lessening gravity a bit for the going up part of the hill.
Remember that film "Mystery Men"? (excellent film BTW) - there's a superhero who has the power of invisibility. Except that it only works when nobody is looking at him.
I think we all have that power.