TFL: Ignoring the bull again.

Whilst proper infrastucture remains unavailable, make the most of what is available. Good lights, reflective shit and training are available and cheaply too. Educate those at risk on how to minimise the risk, don't just apportion blame on those who come off better.

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More likely to get seen = less likely to get squashed.

The risk is still presented when the driver don't see you.

Whilst proper infrastucture remains unavailable,

....which is TFL's fault. Hence the frothing.

I've got a reflective Sam Browne belt. It makes me look like a right bulb. So I don't wear it. If cyclists won't wear something that might save them from being splattered by (the general concensus here seems to agree) morons in cars then that proves that cyclists are equally daft.

To blame all accidents purely on the driver is making a sweeping generalisation and one which will never stand up to scrutiny. Lots of cyclists, again me included, make poor decisions and take silly risks. Filtering through heavy traffic is a benefit of cycling, not having to sit in a sweaty tin box is a benefit of cycling, but having a big protective cage around you is a benefit of driving.

If we, as cyclists, were aware of our place on the road as a very small fish in a big and fast moving pond then maybe we would reconsider our attitudes to the cars around us. Being an angry little dark fishy achieves nothing, being a glowing, pulsating neon beaconfish makes us legitimate roadusers.

Right, I'm off to troll the Helmets thread...

Read the article quoted in Spindrift's post above yours.

Cyclists not wearing fluoro and reflectives doesn't get cyclists killed. Idiots not fucking paying attention and shit highway design gets cyclists killed.

Email sent. Cycling seems to involve so much paperwork these days...

Dear TfL,

I would like to register my utter dismay and exasperation on learning of the 'SIDSY Accessory Challenge'.

Does anyone at TfL cycle? Have you no idea that 'drivers fail to see pedestrians or cyclists until it is too late' because THEY DON'T LOOK! The last two near misses I had recently (wearing a bright red jacket in broad daylight) were caused by people not bothering to look. Why do they need to? All the publicity tells them that they have no responsibility at all. It is everyone else's job to get out of their way, whilst resembling Christmas trees.

After Boris Johnston's comments on staying alive by 'keeping your wits about you' at Elephant Castle roundabout I realise my cycling days are coming to an end. I now mostly drive in my car with six airbags. I have no trouble at all spotting cyclists because I drive carefully, don't break the speed limit and look where I'm going.