tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805138158441245701.post5689273292742830060..comments2023-11-16T10:44:22.206+00:00Comments on The Mind of a Helmet Camera Cyclist: Amsterdam - Part 2magnatomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14920774671676488322noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805138158441245701.post-51415799775501756742013-03-21T09:29:51.804+00:002013-03-21T09:29:51.804+00:00That cars are objectively and subjectively safer t...That cars are objectively and subjectively safer than bikes may be a rood haring: in the UK trains are objectively and subjectively safer than cars, yet people take cars... usually because of convenience and price over safety... which is exactly why I use a bike round town rather than a car: no parking hassle, effectively no cost, stop right outside where I want.<br /><br />So you're not looking for "safest", but "safe /enough/". And the subjective perception is not "safe /enough/", because if you don't dress up like a low-rent Power Ranger you are Clearly Doomed, or you'd be forgiven for thinking so if you keep on eye on the mass media.<br /><br />How well would our blogger be if a tanker had hit him in a car? Quite possibly not too clever! We are less concerned about collisions in cars because of the big steel safety cage but you can end up dead in a car, especially if you put it up against a tanker at any sort of speed.<br /><br />So we're back up to perception. Maybe those marketing folk can help us out after all! If improvements can be marketed through the mass media as what they are (rather than Heralding A Bright New Future on the basis of 50m of poorly placed paint) then it might help folk to give decent new infrastructure a try and get the ball rolling towards cycling being Normal. To get folk on to standard streets needs them to be Enthusiasts to at least some degree at the moment.Peter Clinchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02975910923684361920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805138158441245701.post-76899950694229684422013-03-21T08:44:10.304+00:002013-03-21T08:44:10.304+00:00IMO you miss the point - in most places in the UK,...IMO you miss the point - in most places in the UK, driving a car is both objectively and subjectively safer than riding a bike, so most people make the rational choice (which isn't cycling btw). They can do something else to stay fit and healthy. Only nutters like magnatom, myself and presumably you, persist in cycling here. The safety situation is as good as reversed in NL - by deliberate design - and surprise, surprise, loads of people cycle. And why most countries/cities that want to grow cycling share are following suit (and having success).<br /><br />"There's not really any need to be afraid" But there is e.g. when the tanker nearly ran over magnatom. And his experience is not an isolated occurrence, as hundreds if not thousands of youtube video uploads from experienced cyclists can attest. Much more than any other country. And why on my 40 km round trip to work on suburban roads, most cyclists are on the footway. In addition, close passes. left hooks and the like make the experience of cycling on the roads in the UK a bit like having somone creeping up behind you at random intervals and bursting an inflated paper bag - not intrinsically dangerous but guaranteed to shred your nerves. <br /><br />Mark Wagenbuur explains some more of the issues at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcADYelq6c<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805138158441245701.post-18668796345686063722013-03-20T08:35:45.156+00:002013-03-20T08:35:45.156+00:00As a (semi)-dutch person, I have to say there are ...As a (semi)-dutch person, I have to say there are some other things the Netherlands has, besides infrastructure, which are critical to the success of cycling:<br /><br />a) Lots of people cycling<br /><br />b) Cycling is culturally normal<br /><br />c) A healthier, more balanced view of risk<br /><br />These reasons, along with the infrastructure, are inter-dependent. People choose to cycle because it is seen as normal to do so for certain kinds of journeys. They feel it is fine to do so because of the infrastructure AND because cycling is normal AND because of the more balanced attitudes to risk. Lots more people cycle there because of this, which helps make it feel safer, helps build the political capital to invest in infrastructure, etc. Because there is lots of cycling, people do so from an early age and throughout their life, so that most have quite good skill and confidence levels. (E.g. it is quite normal to cycle single-handed in the Netherlands, carrying shopping, work materials or holding another bicycle with the other, but I have read UK news articles that portray this as being irresponsible!).<br /><br />As a counter-example, one of the biggest problems in the UK with respect to cycling, that is the most separable from the "critical mass" inter-dependencies, is the risk attitude. There is simply a bizarrely unbalanced view of risks here. Cycling is seen as terribly dangerous. That view is re-inforced by government messaging, by state broadcasters - it is culturally embedded.<br /><br />However, cycling in the UK is still relatively safe. Not quite as good as the Netherlands, but still not bad. Particularly within denser urban areas, cycling is quite practical. <br /><br />In short, I don't think infrastructure alone is sufficient. I think the UK also needs to look at other barriers to cycling, because there are at least a few cultural ones. I think UK cycle campaigning also needs to consider getting messages like the following across:<br /><br />a) While cycling safety isn't quite as good as the excellent standard in the Netherlands, it's still quite safe in the UK. There's not really any need to be afraid, the almost certain health and quality-of-life benefits of cycling greatly outweigh the small risks!<br /><br />b) Cycling is a really good way of getting around cities. It's often as fast, even faster, than the bus, once you take traffic & waiting into account. It's much cheaper than public transport. It's usually not much slower than taking a car or taxi - and definitely a *lot* cheaper.<br /><br />c) You don't need to be some lycra-clad fitness fanatic to cycle. Anyone can do it. Just go at your own, easy pace. <br /><br />Cycling is safe, fun, normal, and very practical for certain kinds of journeys!<br /><br />Infrastructure is part of the answer, but it alone likely will not be sufficient to fix cycling in Britain. The other cultural factors have to be tackled too!<br /><br />(NB: There's certain cycling skill/education factors qualifying the above that I'm leaving out. E.g. learning to have the confidence to not ride in the gutter greatly enhances subjective safety I think; as does planning cycling routes to avoid fast A-roads).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com