Home in Bath

Today whilst cycling home an inconsiderate driver thought that beeping his horn was a good way of getting me out of his way, only to get caught in traffic at a junction. It is the absolute and total thoughtlessness and inconsideration of some motorists that prompted me to write this page and with a little help from Google here are some guidelines for drivers and cyclists alike.

Before I give some advice to cyclists and drivers, here are some interesting facts and figures:

• 10% of motorists think cyclists cycle because they are too poor to have a car.
• 30% of motorists considered cyclists to be a ‘nuisance’.
• 65% agreed with the statement “Most drivers would rather cyclists were not on the roads at all”.
• 58% of motorists who also cycled were concerned about the attitudes of motorists to them when they were cycling.
• For non cyclists… one bad experience of poor cycling behaviour often served to create a negative impression that extended towards all cyclists.
• In contrast with drivers’ attitudes towards cyclists, poor driving behaviour towards cyclists tends to be blamed on a minority of bad drivers rather than an assumption that all drivers exhibit bad driving behaviour from time to time.
• The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) found that drivers very rarely altered their overtaking behaviour at road narrowings to take account of the decrease in road width. This behaviour occurred at road narrowings with and without marked cycle lanes. When TRL monitored a variety of road narrowings, the research showed that between 67% and 100% of cars overtook a cyclist where the road was narrow. The percentage of cars overtaking did not vary according to the width of the running lane or the presence of a cycle lane.
• The TRL found that regular cyclists were more likely than the average population to have a high income, come from the highest socio-economic groups, own their own home, have a personal computer, be employed, read a broadsheet newspaper, Oh, and have a car… Non-cyclists were more likely to have a satellite TV system. So much for stereotypes…
• TRL report 549 ‘Drivers perceptions of cyclists’ also found that drivers make judgements as to how predictable a cyclist is likely to be, being willing to overtake a ‘predictable’ cyclist at higher speed and more closely than a less predictable rider. Those riders judged to be predictable include ‘serious’ cyclists who wear helmets!

Sources:

• Development Department Research Programme Research Findings No.111. Scottish Executive 2001.
• Cycling Motorists and how to encourage them. Published by the AA. 1993.
• ‘Drivers perceptions of cyclists’. Transport Research Laboratory report 549

How to be a ‘safe’ cyclist

Take sensible precautions such as wearing bright or reflective clothing and using a good lighting system when riding at night and maintaining your machine in good order. A helmet will give you a limited amount of protection if you are involved in a crash.

Ride in a confident and assertive manner whilst being ever ready to take avoiding action if a driver fails to pay due attention to you. Cyclists are safest when they are treated as vehicles by other drivers. Ride in a manner that demands that drivers recognise you as such.

Try to anticipate driver’s actions. With experience you should become alert to those signals which indicating that a driver might be about to pull in to your path.

Give clear signals and take proper rear observations, especially when making a right turn.

Don’t hog the kerb, riding half a metre to a metre or so out will maximise your visibility, particularly at junctions. This will also help you to avoid drain covers, potholes and road debris without having to alter your line.

Give parked cars a wide berth and watch for doors being opened into your path. When passing parked cars keep in a straight line, do not move in towards the kerb then out again as you pass each car.

Remember that cyclists are vulnerable so maximise you chances by following the advice in the ‘Highway Code’. In addition, take notice of the way your actions may influence the attitudes of others. You might feel that it is safer to ride through a red light when there are no vehicles passing through a junction than to stop and become involved in ‘the traffic light grand-prix’. However, such behaviour increases the degree of antagonism towards cyclists and so in turn makes the road more dangerous to cycle on.

Do not move up the inside of large vehicles (especially articulated Lorries) waiting at a junction unless you are certain you can get safely past before the signals change. Lorries have large blind spots and may need to move out before making a left turn. Consider the area that the trailer of a lorry sweeps when making a turn a potential ‘death zone’.

How to be a ‘safe’ driver

Think bike, look out for cyclists and show them due consideration – cyclists have a legal right to use the public road.

Remember that cyclists are vulnerable and it is the legal responsibility of all road users to do everything possible to avoid a collision, even when another party has made a mistake or is at fault.

Do not speed. The faster you travel the less time you will have to react or change direction, the longer it will for you to stop and the more serious the consequence of any crash will be. If you hit someone at 40 M.P.H. they will almost certainly die. Even at 30 M.P.H. around half of those hit will die. Pedestrians and cyclists are only likely to survive a crash if you are travelling at less than 20 M.P.H.

Always be able to stop well within the distance that you can see to be clear. Many road crashes, especially on country roads, occur because drivers enter bends at too high a speed and so are unable to avoid colliding with whatever is around the corner. There may be a horse rider, a group of pedestrians or cyclists or even a farm vehicle around the next bend. Many such crashes result in fatalities so ensure you can stop in time!

Take care to judge the speed of an approaching cyclist and respond appropriately. Remember that even in town a cycle may well be travelling at up to 20 MPH. If in doubt don’t pull out!

Do not overtake a cyclist if you are going to turn left a short way ahead. Remember that you will have to slow for the corner.

Do not overtake a cyclist as you approach a road narrowing such as a central traffic island. You may misjudge the speed of the cyclist so that you arrive at the island at the same time as the cyclists, hitting them or cutting them dangerously close.

When overtaking a cyclist give them plenty of room. Slow down and indicate your intention to move out. Indicating will also help to alert any following drivers as to the presence of the cyclist. If the road is narrow or there are (or may be) on-coming vehicles wait behind until it is safe to overtake.

Take especial care on roundabouts. Always look for cyclists before you enter a roundabout. Cyclists are 17 times more likely to be involved in a crash on a roundabout than a car. Half of these incidents are caused by drivers entering the roundabout and hitting a cyclist who is already circulating. Remember; always give way to vehicles approaching from the right.

The ‘Highway Code’ advises that cyclists turning right may use either the outside or the inside lane. Look out for cyclists hand signals but be aware that it may be difficult and even dangerous to signal when turning in traffic. If you are uncertain as to the intention of another road user hold back. Don’t rely on assumptions that may be wrong.

If you decide to move over to the left (for example, because a vehicle ahead is turning right), always check you near side mirror and any dead spots on your left for the presence of a cyclist.

Always check for cyclists before opening your door.

Always dip your headlights if you see an oncoming cyclist at night.

An impatient driver is a bad driver. The cost of saving a few seconds can be a life.

Try to understand the problems cyclists face.

• A cyclist may have to avoid drains, potholes and other debris.
• A cyclist may need to move out in order to give parked cars a wide berth and so reduce the risk from carelessly opened doors
• Cyclists may also move towards the centre of their lane in order to maximise their visibility to drivers waiting at junctions, to discourage drivers from squeezing past where it is too narrow for a car to pass safely or to place themselves in a position that discourages cars from overtaking and turning left across their path at junctions.

Keep up to date with your knowledge of the Highway Code and follow its advice. Even experience drivers can benefit from reading the various manuals published by the Stationary Office such as ‘Roadcraft’ as well as publications issued by bodies such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

Try riding a bicycle for some of your journeys. This will give you a much better insight into the problems faced by cyclists. It should also save you money, keep you fitter and help reduce the impact of congestion and pollution!

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This text is an exceprt from www.thebikezone.org.uk