HBxRider

I was listening to an internet stream of a very popular FM radio station in the U.K., during the music break, they mentioned that a cyclist had been hit by a car, sustained some injuries, and is in the hospital and in stable condition. They mentioned it a second time later during their next music break. This was in the morning.

I live in southern california, and a handful of cyclists are struck and killed on Pacific Coast Highway every year. I have never heard a cyclist fatality mentioned on the radio. I only find out about it when someone posts a link to an article from the local cities website where the incident occurred. The only time I have seen it on the TV news is when it was a hit and run, and they are using the news to help track down the suspect.

It's kind of sad how a cyclist getting killed by a DUI driver gets far less attention than an injured cyclist in other countries.

In fact, a cyclist being pushed off his bike gets the same attention, if not more, than a fatality in the US:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crim...shed-from-bike

I guess we just have more crazy, messed up news to report on, and ratings matter above all else.

LesterOfPuppets

Most get pretty good news coverage here. Often only during the morning radio programs, since the 5-minute half-hourly news segments the rest of the day are simply 30 secs of local weather and the rest national news.

Of course, you gotta figure that since the UK is slightly smaller than the State of Oregon, our national news scopes are going to be a tad different.

Velo Vol 

Eh?

Velo Vol 

I don't hear much of any kind of accident reporting done on the radio, other than during the traffic report.

LesterOfPuppets

Uh, since the UK is slightly more than twice the size of TN... (does that help )


Do they make the paper?

Velo Vol 

I think most of the ones with fatalities do, though how would I know if they didn't?

sced

Life is cheap in America. The killing goes on round the clock. Nobody cares.

mynameistaken

Press coverage depends on a lot of things, such as where you live, what other competing news happened that day, who was involved, the circumstances of the collision. This got quite a bit of press when it happened. At least 3 days worth on local TV news.

https://www.ajc.com/news/news/bus-dri...lled-pa/nTF32/

merlinextraligh

You generally don't see significant news coverage of most highway fatalities.

32,885 highway fatalities in 2010. How many of those, not involving some imflammatory fact got news coverage?

4,280 pedestrian fatalites. gain how many of those did you hear about?

618 bicycle fatalities?

Given the small percentage of all highway deaths, you wouldn't expect to hear about that many bicycle fatalities.

The good news is that bicycle fatalities are at a 35 year low.

However, through the distorted prism of BikeForums, you might think that cyclists are dropping like flies.

bonz50

whole lotta this.

Gordy748

America is too worried about home invasion from THEM to care about others. And to be honest, as a cyclist I'm more worried about the crazies who think it's a good idea to use assault weapons to shoot tin cans for fun than I am about getting run over.

Elduderino2412

Car accidents/bike accidents aren't' particularly interesting news

WC89

I guess it depends on which part of America. I'd guess that since most people don't ride bikes, many don't feel any great loss unless it's friend/family, the way that we riders feel the loss of any fellow cyclist killed by a vehicle. Here in Maryland, we average about 5 - 10 cyclist deaths per yr, and when one is killed, it often makes the news. And for me, being a cyclist, it's very newsworthy b/c we're not used to too many killed by vehicles in a yr.

I can't imagine living/riding somewhere like California (109 killed in 2008, 99 killed in 2010), or Florida (125 killed in 2008, 83 killed in 2010). I know those 2 states are much larger than MD but still seems absolutely crazy that that many riders get killed per yr.

Elduderino2412

i would say California probably has at a minimum 10 times the cyclist as MD, and more cycling calender days. mathematically it's a wash or advantage California.

Ferrous Bueller

I agree. Most cyclists are still alive, only a scant few are dead.
Besides, the UK is a socialist country which doesn't care about individual rights. They're simply using these accident reports to try to curtail people's freedom. Fuel taxes. Congestion zones. Universal health care. I'm sure you'll agree.

coasting 

i'm not sure the implication that UK cares more about cyclists is true.

jimbo_tunacan

ummm...

coasting 

do you sniff glue?

Velo Vol 

What if I don't?

Elduderino2412

He has a point. Groucho Marx, the inventor of socialism, was from the UK.

Velo Vol 

Hey coasting,

Next time you're riding in London throw yourself in front of a bus so Emperor Pasty Face can increase the Bedroom Tax.

Ferrous Bueller

By "you" I meant him.

jimbo_tunacan

Nope. Born in a room above a butcher's shop on 78th Street in New York City. I assume you are trying to be funny?

Velo Vol 

Then if he agrees, I disagree with him.

Ferrous Bueller

Then we're in agreement...