Cycling is getting safer in the U.S.

[Ninety5rpm]

In 2009, 33,808 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States – the lowest number of deaths since 1950 (33,186 fatalities in 1950). This was a 9.7-percent decline in the number of people killed, from 37,423 in 2008 to 33,808, according to NHTSA’s 2009 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) (see Figure 1). Fatalities declined among all categories of vehicle occupants and nonoccupants...

In particular "pedalcyclist" deaths are down by 12% from 718 nationwide in 2008 to 630 in 2009. Still too many, but moving in the right direction.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811363.pdf

 

[craig1985]

I have never heard of the word "pedalcyclist" before.

 

[BroDeal]

In particular "pedalcyclist" deaths are down by 12% from 718 nationwide in 2008 to 630 in 2009. Still too many, but moving in the right direction.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811363.pdf

Without bothering to read the article (I hate PDFs), I would like to see the number of deaths of "real" cyclists. I just don't feel a lot of sympathy for the idiot who gets killed while riding after dark in black clothing on a weekend.

 

[ergmonkey]

Without bothering to read the article (I hate PDFs), I would like to see the number of deaths of "real" cyclists. I just don't feel a lot of sympathy for the idiot who gets killed while riding after dark in black clothing on a weekend.

Fair point.

I'd also like to know the number of complaints filed each year by cyclists against aggressive motorists.

 

[Guttercat]

Fair point.

I'd also like to know the number of complaints filed each year by cyclists against aggressive motorists.

Funny, in all my years (and they are a few) I've only come across one truly "aggressive" driver. He thought it would be fun to see how close he could pull his trashy trail-a-long camper alongside me without killing me. It was an obvious grazing.

I have no problems with the drivers around here, they're polite people. What is a problem though, are inattentive drivers...those gawking at the scenery rather than watching the road.

It's quiet where I live, and drivers get complacent. A few years ago a husband and wife were riding up my valley and the poor husband had to watch his wife get creamed and killed right in front of him due to a kid reaching for something on the floor of his car. I can't imagine how it must haunt him to this day. Poor man.

 

[Archibald]

In 2009, 33,808 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States – the lowest number of deaths since 1950 (33,186 fatalities in 1950). This was a 9.7-percent decline in the number of people killed, from 37,423 in 2008 to 33,808, according to NHTSA’s 2009 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) (see Figure 1). Fatalities declined among all categories of vehicle occupants and nonoccupants...

In particular "pedalcyclist" deaths are down by 12% from 718 nationwide in 2008 to 630 in 2009. Still too many, but moving in the right direction.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811363.pdf

33,808!
I realise that being from Aus, where 2009 was 1,507 road deaths (31 "pedal"cyclists), that still appears high... and yes, I realise that you have about 12 times our population...

and BroDeal, would your list exclude the fools running red lights? I'd be curious to know how many actually get killed/injured doing this... anyone?

 

[ergmonkey]

... BroDeal, would your list exclude the fools running red lights? I'd be curious to know how many actually get killed/injured doing this... anyone?

I don't know how often it happens generally, but I have seen a near-fatality of this sort myself.

Two or three years ago I was riding home through the city after an early winter training ride. It was late afternoon, pitch-black outside, and I had big flashing lights on both ends of my road bike as I took it pretty easy trying to get home safe. There was a hipster behind me who clearly thought it would be fun to "race" the square loser on a road bike ahead of him. As the hipster ran a red light to pass me going through an intersection which contains two tram lines, two carriage lanes, and six regular lanes of traffic, I observed that his total hipster accessory package included the following:

-black hooded sweatshirt
-black jeans
-black belt
-black fixed gear frame
-black deep-V rims

This very fashionable urban transportation system did not, however, include lights.

After said hipster got T-boned by a driver doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing (i.e. passing through a green light traveling around 30mph) the hipster tried to get me to stand up for him with the authorities because he said the bike was new and he couldn't afford to replace it. I made sure the police report noted that this guy had no lights on at night, that he was wearing all black, that he ran a red light, and that the driver had, by all appearances, exercised due care.

I'd hate to see anyone die or be seriously maimed; however, seeing this guy leave in an ambulance with only bruising, abrasions, and a broken bike that he can't replace didn't really bother me at all.

 

[ergmonkey]

Oh, most of you probably already guessed this, but the hipster's bike also did not include brakes.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

and BroDeal, would your list exclude the fools running red lights? I'd be curious to know how many actually get killed/injured doing this... anyone?

All of the studies I've read and hear about indicate that about half of all bike fatalities (almost all being bike-car crashes) involve the cyclist doing something blatantly wrong like running a red light, turning in front of oncoming traffic, riding at night without lights, riding against traffic on the wrong side of the road, etc.

For non-fatal crashes, it's much more than half, because the majority of bike crashes are solo and don't involve a car at all.

 

[BroDeal]

and BroDeal, would your list exclude the fools running red lights? I'd be curious to know how many actually get killed/injured doing this... anyone?

Yup, the list would include pretty much anything stupid. I seem to recall reading that about two thirds of fatal bike accidents involve either children or people riding at night. I somehow made it out of childhood alive and I don't ride at night, so my odds should be good. I have also turned into a wuss and try not to ride where there is heavy traffic.

 

[nvpacchi]

Oh, most of you probably already guessed this, but the hipster's bike also did not include brakes.

of course,

Did he have black thick rimmed glasses too.

 

[The Hitch]

Funny, in all my years (and they are a few) I've only come across one truly "aggressive" driver. He thought it would be fun to see how close he could pull his trashy trail-a-long camper alongside me without killing me. It was an obvious grazing.

I have no problems with the drivers around here, they're polite people. What is a problem though, are inattentive drivers...those gawking at the scenery rather than watching the road.

It's quiet where I live, and drivers get complacent. A few years ago a husband and wife were riding up my valley and the poor husband had to watch his wife get creamed and killed right in front of him due to a kid reaching for something on the floor of his car. I can't imagine how it must haunt him to this day. Poor man.

I know this is about the US, but here there are so many motorists who believe Cyclists should not be allowed use the road, or in many cases actually believe that cyclists are not allowed to use the road, and see driving into them as the perfect solution

Overtaking at junctions, dangerously not giving way at roundabouts, not allowing right turns into a side road, ive had it all, and often hear about people dying in london.
When i go to Poland cyclists are allowed to use the pavement ( as long as they use common sence and dont speed) and roads and the cycle paths are 2 -3 metres wide, seperated from the road, and often contain barriers. Here cycle paths are a line of 70 cm width painted alongside the road right next to the cars, who are allowed to park in them, so you have to overtake parked cars the whole time (thats if you are lucky to find a cycle path). And they wonder why cycling mortality is high

 

[RedheadDane]

I have never heard of the word "pedalcyclist" before.

Well, I would imagine some people in the US being "Well, a cyclist. That's someone who own's a motorbike!" Just like when I say bike I mean, well... a bike! not a motorbike. But somehow I think some Americans would automatically think of the last choice...

And now for some shameless national advertizing!

American-style biking lane

And Danish-style biking lane

 

[Leopejo]

And now for some shameless national advertizing!

I must be the only one who prefers the American version.

But on the other hand I'd prefer no biking lanes at all.

 

[RedheadDane]

I must be the only one who prefers the American version.

But on the other hand I'd prefer no biking lanes at all.

You prefer the madness of having to negotiate a way through the car-madness?

 

[Archibald]

I prefer this one...

 

[RedheadDane]

Haha! That is brilliant!

 

[Leopejo]

You prefer the madness of having to negotiate a way through the car-madness?

I'm not a commuter biker, I use my bike to train and race, and I prefer to have an uninterrupted road to use along other vehicles. Why would a bicycle be less safe than a motorbike/scooter, which I use every day for commuting?

On a bike lane you have to:
1) avoid pedestrians, skaters, dogs; the relative speed difference between you and them is usually higher than between you and cars on your lane; and their behaviour is more erratic, while cars tend to go straight and watch out for others;
2) whether you have the right or not, you have more often than not to slow down or stop at every possible crossing, which is quite maddening;
3) you often have ramps at every crossing and generally a road in worse condition than car lanes; besides your lane is quite narrow and driving in (bicycle) traffic more difficult.

Unfortunately cycling lanes are becoming fashionable here too, but I avoid them, even at the risk of a fine.

 

[ergmonkey]

I'm not a commuter biker, I use my bike to train and race, and I prefer to have an uninterrupted road to use along other vehicles. Why would a bicycle be less safe than a motorbike/scooter, which I use every day for commuting?

On a bike lane you have to:
1) avoid pedestrians, skaters, dogs; the relative speed difference between you and them is usually higher than between you and cars on your lane; and their behaviour is more erratic, while cars tend to go straight and watch out for others;
2) whether you have the right or not, you have more often than not to slow down or stop at every possible crossing, which is quite maddening;
3) you often have ramps at every crossing and generally a road in worse condition than car lanes; besides your lane is quite narrow and driving in (bicycle) traffic more difficult.

Unfortunately cycling lanes are becoming fashionable here too, but I avoid them, even at the risk of a fine.

This criticism is right on point, but only in reference to some countries' bike lanes (including the U.S.). Applied to Denmark, though, the above quote simply isn't true. Sure, bike lanes like the earlier photo from the center of Copenhagen are crowded and not suitable for fast training. But, then again, what jackass tries to do fast training in a country's largest metropolis (and, yes, I am calling all of you Central Park training junkies jackasses...)?

Try training on the bike lane skirting the Danish coast between Copenhagen and Helsingor. It's in good condition, not crowded, plenty wide, and popular with many racing cyclists for training. You can do an hour of almost completely uninterrupted tempo/tt type training on it. This path is not an exception for Denmark. Plenty of bike "lanes" are really more like "bicycle roads" running parallel to large city-to-city roads with very few, if any, intersections and where the bike section is perfectly suitable for fast training. I love to criticize, but, really, these bike paths leave very little to b*tch about.

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm not a commuter biker, I use my bike to train and race, and I prefer to have an uninterrupted road to use along other vehicles. Why would a bicycle be less safe than a motorbike/scooter, which I use every day for commuting?

On a bike lane you have to:
1) avoid pedestrians, skaters, dogs; the relative speed difference between you and them is usually higher than between you and cars on your lane; and their behaviour is more erratic, while cars tend to go straight and watch out for others;

Nonono! All those people are on the walking lane.

 

[Leopejo]

This criticism is right on point, but only in reference to some countries' bike lanes (including the U.S.). Applied to Denmark, though, the above quote simply isn't true. Sure, bike lanes like the earlier photo from the center of Copenhagen are crowded and not suitable for fast training.

I was referring to the two pics posted. And while you are right, most people do live in cities and need to get out of the city to train. Even that "warm-up" part is easier on car lanes than on city bike lanes.

 

[Leopejo]

Nonono! All those people are on the walking lane.

They are, for the moment.

 

[RedheadDane]

They are, for the moment.

Well... if there weren't biking lanes you'd just have to watch out for them going into the car-lane...

And... well... the car-lane tends to be packed with... cars! Nothing beats the feeling you get when all the cars are packed in a line and you can just zoom past them on your bike! XD (Especially when it's up-hill!)

 

[Leopejo]

And... well... the car-lane tends to be packed with... cars! Nothing beats the feeling you get when all the cars are packed in a line and you can just zoom past them on your bike! XD (Especially when it's up-hill!)

But you can do that on the car lane as well!

I always get mad when passing a row of cars with my motorcycle and they aren't really in line, but half on the right and half on the left part of the lane, making overtaking impossible.

 

[Archibald]

But you can do that on the car lane as well!

I always get mad when passing a row of cars with my motorcycle and they aren't really in line, but half on the right and half on the left part of the lane, making overtaking impossible.

as a motorcycle, you're a motorised vehicle and should be in the middle of the row with the other motorised vehicles
nothing worse than trying to ride through traffic and with all these motorcycles and scooters clogging up the spaces or diving up gaps they don't fit - i've seen several cyclists hit by motorbikes and mopeds in this fashion...