Old 03-21-08, 03:27 PM
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markhr
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Death by lorry - a look at cyclist and vehicle interactions in London.

Interesting program on TV in the UK.

"Death by lorry: the London programme" raised a few points some here may find interesting.

Un-trained cyclists are most likely to ride into the blindspots on turning vehicles. Even experienced cyclists who haven't had formal training but consider themselves good cyclists (every driver is an excellent driver ) were suprised and shocked by just how invisible cyclists are unless they're in primary position and, if behind the vehicle, can see the mirrors.

Cycle lanes are a waste of money and usually in completely the wrong place for both ease of use and safety. They especially highlighted the kerb hugging ones that run through the turning lanes of junctions and the multiple ones in London that run for a few meters before ending and/or run the wrong way down one way streets.

Some non-cyclists are unlikely to ever consider cycling without training even if they are extremely disillusioned with the alternatives. They took a non-cyclist (hadn't cycled since learning how to as a child) who normally used, and hated, trains to commute and, after a few hours of training, focusing on signalling, positioning and awareness, had them cycling around London including the parliament square gyratory.

Few cyclists signal their intentions. This can be extremely frustrating and dangerous for other road users looking for visual cues of the cyclist's intentions.
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Recommended reading for all cyclists - Cyclecraft - Effective Cycling
Condor Cycles - quite possibly the best bike shop in London
Don't run red lights, wear a helmet, use hand signals, get some cycle lights(front and rear) and, FFS, don't run red lights!
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