Fifty Plus (50+) - Reading/ Special Thread For 50+yo Bicyclists

I've recently been reading the thread from the start. And I came across something that saddens me. One of the posters is no longer with us. He was killed riding home from work on his bent. He had posted that morning. This death didn't happen recently, it happened 9-07-05. The poster was bnet1.
I also looked at what I originally posted and boy is that out of date. So to me it serves as a time capsule of what we were doing then and some of our hopes.
I suppose I should update.

I've recently been reading the thread from the start. And I came across something that saddens me. One of the posters is no longer with us. He was killed riding home from work on his bent. He had posted that morning. This death didn't happen recently, it happened 9-07-05. The poster was bnet1.
I also looked at what I originally posted and boy is that out of date. So to me it serves as a time capsule of what we were doing then and some of our hopes.
I suppose I should update.

I wasn't aware of that.

Makes all of our bickering seem a bit unimportant, doesn't it?

I also had communications with the famous tourer/webber Ken Kifer (http://www.kenkifer.com/) shortly before he was killed by a car.

Thanks for the thoughts and the update.

Every once in a while, sprinting (well, old guy sprinting) through an intersection, I feel sort of immortal. Close calls with cattle trucks or reading the above is a good reminder. We're here by grace. And considering the close calls we've probably all had, Someone is being very gracious.

It is very sobering. I've known people in other forums who died. In a couple of cases, their wives logged on to tell everyone. Always very sad and sudden.

The statistics show that bicycling fatalities are falling, so we can be thankful for that.

When cyclists die

Many deaths occur at night. In 1999, 39% of deaths on bicycles nationwide occurred between 6 p.m. and midnight.

How many cyclists die

Deaths per year. 725, 629, 665, 732, and 693 cyclists died per year in 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, and 2000 respectively, and were about 89% male. (National Highway Traffic Saftey Administration, and Insurance Institute for Highway Saftey)

An average of 16.5 cyclists per million die every year in the U.S. (For motorists, it's 19.9 motorists per million.) (National Safety Council 1988)

Cyclists are 2% of road deaths & injuries. The 761 cyclists killed in 1996 accounted for 2% of traffic fatalities, and the 59,000 cyclists injured made up 2% of all traffic injuries. (5)

Cycling deaths higher in 70's & 80's. The number of cyclist fatalities in 1996 was 19% lower than the 941 fatalities reported in 1986. The highest number of cyclist fatalities ever recorded was 1,003 in 1975. (5)

Cyclists accounted for 12% of all nonmotorist traffic fatalities in 1996. Pedestrians accounted for 86 percent, and the remaining 2 percent were skateboard riders, roller skaters, etc. (5)

Cyclists killed SINCE 1932. Nearly 44,000 cyclists have died in traffic crashes in the United States since 1932; the first year in which estimates of cyclist fatalities were recorded. (5)

Age of cycling victims

Child cyclists killed. Cyclists under age 16 accounted for 24% of all cyclists killed in 2002. (Insurance Institute for Highway Saftey) Cyclists under 16 were 33% of all cyclists killed and 45% of those injured in traffic crashes in 1996. In comparison, cyclists under age 16 accounted for 47 percent of all those killed in 1986. (5)

Average age of killed/injured cyclists. In 1996 the average age of cyclists killed in traffic crashes was 31 years, and the average age of those injured was 23.2 years. In 1986, the average age was 23 years. (5)

Non-Fatal Injuries

One in every 20 bicyclists is injured annually.(Bicycling Magazine 1987)

A bicyclist can expect a minor injury every three years and a more serious one every fifteen. (Bicycle Forum 1978)

Kinds of crashes. Falls account for 59% of all crashes, running into a fixed object 14%, moving motor vehicles were involved in 11%, and another bicycle in 9%. (Moritz, 1998)

I had a very close call a few years back. I was in the bike lane of a street with light traffic. I was approaching a stop light, which was red. The 2nd car from the light had their right turn signal on.

Just before I got to the light, it turned green. I was right beside the second car. The first car went through, the 2nd car turned without any hesitation, striking me and bouncing me off into the sidewalk. He never saw me, even though he had plenty of time to see me, as I was slowing due to the light being red. I would have been visible in his side mirror for several seconds.

That was a very popular bike lane, running right through the Univ of Wisconsin campus. When you drive there and cut across the bike lane, you are responsible to watch those lanes the same as if they were another car lane.

I was lucky, only picked up an assortment of scrapes and bruises. My trusty old Bridgestone wasn't damaged.

Tom, those are some very interesting stats you've posted. One of the stats basically states that it's safer cycling than driving a car.
But it's a good thing my wife doesn't read numbers like that. I'd probably have to give up my road riding.

Sometimes when I put on my cycling clothes, the only thing I think missing is a cape.

All it takes is a near miss and I get humble quick.

Tom, those are some very interesting stats you've posted. One of the stats basically states that it's safer cycling than driving a car.


And cycling is VERY safe when one is riding on a bike trail. Most of the deaths are from collisions with cars/trucks. Riding on a bike trail is probably one of the safest forms of exercise there is.

And cycling is VERY safe when one is riding on a bike trail. Most of the deaths are from collisions with cars/trucks. Riding on a bike trail is probably one of the safest forms of exercise there is.

If you posted that statement on the USENET cycling groups, you would get violent disagreement. According to those folks, and the figures I have researched in the past, you are far more likely to have an accident on a bike path than on a street. This is because of congestion, little kids, dogs and the like.

The kicker is that you are far more likely to have a serious, critical or deadly accident on a roadway than on a bike path, something the USENET folks often fail to mention.

I don't have the cites available now, but I spent a fair amount of time verifying the above.

In the Denver metro area (with 600 miles of bike path), we have had only one death on a bike path in my recollection, but we have had many deaths on the roadway.

The kicker is that you are far more likely to have a serious, critical or deadly accident on a roadway than on a bike path, something the USENET folks often fail to mention.
Come to A & S forum if you like to read about all sorts of sophomoric theories based on biased analysis of misleading and fabricated statistics about cycling safety and risk.

bnet1 seemed like a truly nice guy. I remember reading the news of his accident, a tragedy to remind us all that tomorrow isn't promised.

I'll disagree on the bike path's being safer. My wife has a titanium rod and 7 screws in her right hand from a bike path accident, and I did a lot of research on it after her accident. We ride more on the roads, these days. Every study in the last 60 years has shown roads to be safer than bike paths, but an accident can happen anywhere, and a higher percentage of bicycle accidents that involve autos are fatal; no surprise there. What surprised me most from all those studies was what each study found was the most dangerous place to ride: sidewalks.

Some of the study findings are so counterintuitive, as are the vehicular cycling recommendations for riding on the road, it's a debate that goes on forever in the advocacy forum, but regardless of where each of us feels safest riding, safety is something that needs to stay prominent in our minds as we ride.

I have no empirical evidence to support this, but I firmly believe that the number one cause of accidents is fear. Number two is overconfidence.

There are few bike paths where I live and they are generally used so frequently by walkers, families, joggers, baby stroller, etc. that other than an afterdinner cruise, they aren't much to bike on. Besides, shouting "On your left" has little meaning for most pedestrians. Country roads are easier, faster, less congested, often more scenic and, in many cases, cars are easier to deal with. Fully safe cycling is a contradiction.

I ride 90% on the road, 10% on the bike path. All four of my mishaps -- minor ones, thankfully -- have been on the bike path. One time a dog ran into my front wheel chasing a bird and I crashed. Another time a well known L.A. news anchor woman stepped backwards off the sand and onto the bikepath while shooting a news segment on bikepaths. I crashed avoiding her. Another time a group of a-hole roadie cyclists all wearing "Helen's Bike Shop" jerseys came out of a side street and ran me off the bike path and into the sand. The most recent time, a guy riding to work listening to his iPod swerved into me as he rode with his eyes closed listening to his tunes.

So, after tens years and well over 40,000 miles, all I can say is the street may result in more serious accidents, but bike paths take the cake for minor crackups.

The bike paths out by me have very few walkers or dogs. But as I'm about 7 miles out from town, that isn't a surprise. In the 150 or so miles I put in on the path last fall, I passed a grand total of 2 walkers. Well, 3 if you count that I passed one woman twice, once on the way out and again on my way back home.

I would have no problem accepting that there are many "less serious" accidents / injuries on city bike paths. I have to believe that if one is riding on a country bike path, wearing a helmet, that the probability of being involved in a fatal accident is quite low. Unless you run into a road intersection without looking.

The bike paths out by me have very few walkers or dogs. But as I'm about 7 miles out from town, that isn't a surprise. In the 150 or so miles I put in on the path last fall, I passed a grand total of 2 walkers. Well, 3 if you count that I passed one woman twice, once on the way out and again on my way back home.

I would have no problem accepting that there are many "less serious" accidents / injuries on city bike paths. I have to believe that if one is riding on a country bike path, wearing a helmet, that the probability of being involved in a fatal accident is quite low. Unless you run into a road intersection without looking.

I ride MUPS(Mulit Use Paths) regularly. That is why we moved where we live - there is a MUP right out my back door, literally. I probably put in 3,500-4,000 miles per year on MUPS. But our MUPS are unusual in that I can ride for 30 miles and sometimes see only 10 bicyclers and 10 walkers. And our walkers are quite used to bicyclers, and automatically move to the side of the MUP upon hearing my bell. There are many regulars (bicyclers and walkers) who you sort of get to know.

However, weekends are the time for extreme caution, as that is when you get the non-regular MUP user. the kid on the bike on trainer wheels, etc.

One of the reasons I ride offroad is that there are no cars or trucks. The occasional tractor but that is about it. Mups are, in my opinion, Very safe. You realise that the others are idiots and WILL walk out in front of you, they are deaf and too preoccupied in what they are doing to care about anyone else. Roads on the other hand. I can do every I can to protect myself but there is going to be one idiot that is going to get me-sometime.

In an argument with a dog- no matter how big it is- I have a chance of survival- Trees I bounce off frequently and they don't often jump out in front of me. Cars on the other hand-------