Hypothetical law change? Lorry on bike: lorry's fault. Bike on ped: bike's fault

I was born in Germany, cycled around Berlin for a few days last year. As I mentioned I cycled in Amsterdam, and through France and Spain, Italy, Greece and the Czech Republic and Poland.

In Berlin the courtesy shown by drivers was astonishing, a right-turning vehicle will overtake you, the cyclist as you are in your lane, then wait for you to pass before turning! Very unlike east London, I promise you!

But the principle holds true in this country too- increased cycling rates means fewer accidents:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/may/07/cycling-safety-york-calderdale

Studies in many countries have shown consistently that the number of motorists colliding with walkers or cyclists doesn't increase equally with the number of people walking or bicycling.

For example, a community that doubles its cycling numbers can expect a one-third drop in the per-cyclist frequency of a crash with a motor vehicle.

But the actual number of incidents increases. Is that correct? Therefore to reduce overall numbers if cycling is completely removed there will be no cycling deaths? THIS IS NOT MY POINT OF VIEW This is one of the current discussion in European parliament about motorcyling. So beware of using stats about injury.

The turning thing is courtesy and paying attention of what is going on around you.

I felt like there was more respect from drivers, but I don't know enough yet to say conclusively whether that was ingrained cycling culture or the result of better driving instruction.

A hell of a lot of kids ride bikes growing up in this country. Some of those kids turn into asshole drivers, some into inconsiderate riders - that's life.

Yep ditto this for Lyon. How does this get so ingrained?

Can I suggest introducing Strict Liability until the point that we can prove we have a culture of driving instruction / vehicle responsibility that stops people having to post in Rider Down?

Then the answer to this could be as mentioned earlier by others and I'll repeat, compulsory basic training and compulsory third party insurance for cyclists and peds. Is this unreasonable to expect as all other road users are expected to pass a minimum competency to use the roads.