TalkRadio slammed for holding poll asking 'Are cyclists a danger on the road?'

FrankH wrote:

Are cyclists a danger on the road? They kiil a handful of people each year so the answer is obviously YES.

Next question: Are drivers a danger on the road?

A handful? That seems a lot.

hawkinspeter wrote:

FrankH wrote:

Are cyclists a danger on the road? They kiil a handful of people each year so the answer is obviously YES.

Next question: Are drivers a danger on the road?

A handful? That seems a lot.

Yes, I think you're right.

Here's a quote from the Guardian: "Of around 400 pedestrians killed in collisions in the UK each year, about 2.5 involve a bicycle."

Maybe I should have said "You can count them on the fingers of one hand", but it's a bit unwieldy. and I don't have  half a finger.

Also worth considering that 2.5 involve a bicycle, but it's not necessarily the cyclist's fault so not "killing".

There was some short analysis buried in some govn report into cycling and for the 20 or so deaths involving cyclist/pedestrian it was slightly down to the ped - something close to 10 50/50, 6 ped, 4 cyclist.

FrankH wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

FrankH wrote:

Are cyclists a danger on the road? They kiil a handful of people each year so the answer is obviously YES.

Next question: Are drivers a danger on the road?

A handful? That seems a lot.

Yes, I think you're right.

Here's a quote from the Guardian: "Of around 400 pedestrians killed in collisions in the UK each year, about 2.5 involve a bicycle."

Maybe I should have said "You can count them on the fingers of one hand", but it's a bit unwieldy. and I don't have  half a finger.

I can count on the fingers of one hand, the number of times I've been to Chernobyl

I don't know. How many fully grown people can fit in your hand?

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

I don't know. How many fully grown people can fit in your hand?

You'd be surprised!

Well the follow up question should be how much do you charge?

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Well the follow up question should be how much do you charge?

You're getting confused, it's bulls that charge

hawkinspeter wrote:

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Well the follow up question should be how much do you charge?

You're getting confused, it's bulls that charge

is that a squirrel? looks more like a prarie dog or gopher

wycombewheeler wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Well the follow up question should be how much do you charge?

You're getting confused, it's bulls that charge

is that a squirrel? looks more like a prarie dog or gopher

More confusion. A dog looks like this:

whilst a golfer looks like this:

hawkinspeter wrote:

FrankH wrote:

Are cyclists a danger on the road? They kiil a handful of people each year so the answer is obviously YES.

Next question: Are drivers a danger on the road?

A handful? That seems a lot.

It's peanuts.

eburtthebike wrote:

Actually, anyone using a bike with those "suicide" dual brake levers in the picture is a danger on the road.

??

brooksby wrote:

eburtthebike wrote:

Actually, anyone using a bike with those "suicide" dual brake levers in the picture is a danger on the road.

??

More likely a danger to themselves. The big problem with those levers is when you need to do an emergency stop and find that the levers hit the bars and don't stop you quickly enough.

When I rode a drop bar bike for the first time since early 90's, I did wonder where my secondary brakes were. 

brooksby wrote:

eburtthebike wrote:

Actually, anyone using a bike with those "suicide" dual brake levers in the picture is a danger on the road.

??

They are seriously less effective than normal brake levers and are banned in some countries.  I've seen collisions caused by their failure to stop the cyclist.

Yep! Soggy rim brake calipers and super-soggy dual levers (never had them on a bike of mine, obviously)- keep Death off the roads! At least it wasn't raining, and even that bike doesn't look old enough to have chromed steel rims.

wtjs wrote:

Yep! Soggy rim brake calipers and super-soggy dual levers (never had them on a bike of mine, obviously)- keep Death off the roads! At least it wasn't raining, and even that bike doesn't look old enough to have chromed steel rims.

One of my bikes has centre-pull cantilevers.  Have to admit I find it a bit less relaxing than my bike with V-brakes...  My wife pootles around the village with rod brakes 

wtjs wrote:

Yep! Soggy rim brake calipers and super-soggy dual levers (never had them on a bike of mine, obviously)- keep Death off the roads! At least it wasn't raining, and even that bike doesn't look old enough to have chromed steel rims.

Aaaaagh; chrome rims in the wet; there was not stopping them.

Huh? My 1984 Dawes Galaxy has those. Never had an issue.

Boopop wrote:

Huh? My 1984 Dawes Galaxy has those. Never had an issue.

My 1978 Falcon Black Diamond had them too and I commuted on it until it was nicked. The brakes weren't as good as on a modern bike but that was down to the caliper design. 

I'm actually more surprised on where the gear levers are located. Mine used to be halfway down the down tube which used to be as fun. Especially as they were not ratcheted so you had to guess how far to move it to change gear smoothly. 

Rick_Rude wrote:

Why do these idiots talk about cyclists as if they aren't also car drivers most of the time? A while back I owned a car that cost me £500+ to tax and did sod all mpg. I've paid my way on the roads thanks.

meanwhile my current car costs me £30 a year. I don't feel like this is such a significant contribution that it should result in any privilege over any other road users. I feel that anyone paying more road tax has chosen an inefficient vehicle and therefore they should just suck up the consequences of that decision. 

I've paid about £30 per year in VED. But tens of thousands per year in income tax, VAT, alchohol duty, stamp duty........ I deserve those roads much more than those oxygen thieves

Rick_Rude wrote:

Why do these idiots talk about cyclists as if they aren't also car drivers most of the time?

..

Not easy to "other" someone who's similar to you.