Thinking of selling up..

Hi all, just had a few things on my mind recently.

Every time I check on the forum there are new posts of people being hit by cars, just gives me a little bit of a sick feeling. I know my riding is good enough that I won't get doored or run into someone, it's other people that are the problem.

This time last year a very good family friend got killed under a mile away from my house on his bike, he was hit by a drunk driver on a quiet wednesday afternoon.

Today another good family friend has been hit off his bike. I went to visit him in intensive care and I don't dare to utter what I think might happen.

I don't know what kind of replies or response I was looking for, just wanted to let it out of my brain.

James

Cycling is nowhere near as risky as it's made out to be. Plus the health benefits greatly outweigh the risk of injury.

Chris Boardman says it much more eloquently if anyone can point to the TV interview he did recently.

I under stand how you feel here but just think how many freak accidents happen off the bike.
A drunk driver could quite as easily run off the road and take out a pedestrian or someone crossing a road.
Yes cyclist do get killed but so do motorists.
At the end of the day it's your choice but the more people cycling the more awareness will grow and drivers may become safer towards them.
I mean we are not talking about riding on Russia's roads because that shit's crazy.
90 people are killed every day in road accidents in Russia.

What they said above - also think about cycle training if you aren't feeling confident. I know cycle training won't make you invincible but being a nervous/anxious cyclist isn't a great look either.

As others have said, statistically cycling isn't nearly as risky as the doom mongers would make up think. You're getting a slightly slanted view if you look at the "rider down" forum - imagine if there was a thread for "rode my bike today, no major incident occured" - it'd be way longer than the Rider Down threads. In 30+ years of cycling I've only had one major incident. I like those odds!

I've been cycling daily for 5 years and not so regularly before and I've had 3 incidents (touch wood*)that involved me getting 'hurt' none were more than a cut or bruise.

*table

think about the good times atop your steed
the drinks the rides the fresh air in your face
the comeraderie in the saddle

Life is too short to not do the things you love.

I've been cycling for 40 years. If thought I was going to die every time I went out on the bike then I would have given it up long ago.

It's easy to focus on the 'negative' stories on this site. And your personal experiences will make this far worse in that you see the very real consequences. If you are anything like me I'm often drawn to the 'report shit drivers', rider down and various news items covering accidents etc.

Reading them sometimes makes me feel ill and helps highlight just how vulnerable we are. However as others have said this is just a small sample and the benefits of cycling outweigh the risks. I'll post a rider down thread if I see an accident or the aftermath but if I did the same for positive cycling incidents/experiences or similar I'd be on here all day and I'd have 10,000 posts to my name.

I don't know about others but in just the last five years I've seen a marked difference in the way most drivers treat cyclists in London. It's far better than it was - yes there are still a whole heap of dicks out there but there are dick cyclists, dick peds, dicks in general - there always will be but it feels far better now.

If it's a confidence thing then cycling training is ace. I was a confident and competent cyclist who'd ridden for years on my own and with clubs yet I still learnt a lot from a session. That confidence and increased assertiveness is transmitted to drivers - the majority treat you with respect.

Now this is all off topic a bit because you mention a drunk driver and to be honest you can't do anythign much about that - other than lobby your PCC or MP to lower limits/take greater action, but as others have said the same could happen to you in a car or on foot. Cycling itself isn't inherently more dangerous than any other mode -in fact someone will no doubt produce the figures showing that per km it's one of the safest.

I hope your friend pulls through. I hope that this doesn't stop you cycling.

think about the good times atop your steed
the drinks the rides the fresh air in your face
the comeraderie in the saddle

actually screw that

dibs ............... on what you are selling, i'll obviously take it all at a huge discount !

If you went round the rest of intensive care and gave up everything they were doing what would you be left with?

I get sucked in by the Rider Down forum, and going on youtube invariably leads to those awful headcam videos. I actively try to avoid both of these as they scare me and lead me to dwell on my own near misses. Then I force myself on to the bike and an hour later I wonder what I was worrying about - the vast majority of my rides, and the vast majority of drivers, are fine.

What they said above - also think about cycle training if you aren't feeling confident. I know cycle training won't make you invincible but being a nervous/anxious cyclist isn't a great look either.

^ This.

will make a big difference.

Also don't stay off the bike for too long, The longer you stay off the more the fears and worries will grow!

I'm not a "anxious" rider, I'm fairly confident in my skill and ability, it's just other people!

Injuries to car drivers are much more common. Oddly, almost nobody stops driving because of it. Don't see anybody pestering drivers to purchase safety equipment each time there's a car accident.

Most people's perception of risk is screwed.

Injuries to car drivers are much more common.

This.

You're safer in a car if you wear a helmet, even the Australian tried to do that back in the 80's by imposing a driving helmet.

Also, I have a friend and a relative who was killed while walking, it's just cycling somehow have the worse image.

Injuries to car drivers are much more common. Oddly, almost nobody stops driving because of it. Don't see anybody pestering drivers to purchase safety equipment each time there's a car accident.

Most people's perception of risk is screwed.

Are you joking? Car design has changed significantly in the last 50 years to make them safer: roll cages, side impact protection, compulsory seat belt wearing, air bags, ABS.. the list is endless.
Whatever your point of view on helmets etc, you simply cannot make that argument; it's laughable.

I was not making the argument you seem to think I was making. Feel free to go off on one, of course.

I wasn't but ta

The decision to keep driving probably stems from a sense of dependency. I feel that way about my bike, but I doubt it's the UK norm.

If you do that you will soon regret it, accidents happen. They are a fact of life, if no one moved on then the human race wouldn't be where it is now. People have tripped walking on a pavement and died, sounds harsh but live and learn. I had the same thoughts when I got hit, the driver was blaming me and the police were no help what so ever even though they attended the scene. I'm glad I didn't and now make sure I always make sure I can avoid that situation should it arise again, go out and smash some miles to clear your head. Worst thing you could do is stop riding!

I'm not a "anxious" rider, I'm fairly confident in my skill and ability, it's just other people!

sounds like you need training in that case, ive only done motorbike training to get my license but the same stuff applies. before you even apply for test you need to have done a cbt which shows you know how to ride and use the road. the several days of subsequent training for a license teaches you how to use the road with other traffic/watch out for and avoid other people.

i personally think it should be compulsory for all riders, it would save a lot of bike crashes, despite cars, lorries etc

think about the good times atop your steed
the drinks the rides the fresh air in your face
the comeraderie in the saddle

I want a horse now... wonder if I could make a frankenhorse from all the beer burgers

if the joy of cycling doesn't outweigh the fear then you're probably best not getting back on the bike.

not meaning to be harsh, but cycling shouldn't be a trauma filled activity, if it is for you, and you have to convince yourself, or have others convince you to keep doing it, then maybe you should just let it go.

if you fear traffic and/or the effects that traffic can have on you, then you'll never enjoy the journeys you'll have in london, because there is always motorised transport on our streets.