Originally Posted by
009jim
I happen to do a lot of training in risk analysis and management as part of my profession. So when I started commuting by bike I realised there was some danger and I started to think of it the same way I would of any other industrial risk assessment.
As you ride your bike, identify the hazards and figure out how to manage them.
This is just a few of my techniques.
[1] Ride slow enough that you can stop if there is a problem.
[2] Don't ride in the door zone; but if you have to - see rule [1].
[3] Get off the bike and walk it across at a controlled intersection if there is a risk of right-hook, etc.
[4] Ride on the sidewalk (it's legal in my city) when the edge of the road is dicey. But always give way to pedestrians.
With my approach I believe the chance of me being killed on my bike is no more than other activities.
I like it, in a weird techno-industrial manner. I rarely get off my bike, but I will creep it and even stop, if needs be. As for the Door Zone I just take the lane, right outside its edge. Let em honk, I say.
I do a lot of safety and risk assessment work, too. Its a good way to approach the issue.
I've always wondered who was the smart guy that formalized accident mitigation and risk analysis as a career. I've been doing it all my life, but wasn't clever enough to make it pay, i guess.