How safe is cycling?

[Carlp]

100% of all cyclists die. Fact.

[Dynamite_funk]

What's great is everyone is obviosuly keen to get this guy back on the road. Well done CTC forum members, even you Carlp

[Mark1978]

I get my new bike on Saturday, I live in Chester-le-Street, probably about 10 minutes ride away from open countryside, so not so bad there. I won't be riding in central London, or any big city for that matter, I won't be riding at night and I won't be riding when it's icy. I suspect that improves my chances somewhat

[Edwards]

I suspect that improves my chances somewhat

With us or SWMBO?

[hamster]

The British Medical Association (the doctors' club ) came out with a very emphatic statement that overall the benefits form exercise outweigh the risks from injury.
Per km travelled, cycling is safer than walking! The source is the DfT.

[Geriatrix]

Safer than not cycling. The last research stats I saw suggested 20 times safer than not cycling.

Probably the best answer but if you are looking for comparative risk to other forms of transport the answer as usual is "it depends".

The DfT will be able to provide KSI’s per 1000 000 km travelled which you could use as a basis of comparison but this would be general figure and the risk to you personally would depend on your competence as a cyclist.

What the data does not make clear is what percentage of cycle casualties is made up of "high risk" cyclists & I'm not sure how accurately this can be inferred from the Stats 19 forms.

[[XAP]Bob]

Safer than not cycling. The last research stats I saw suggested 20 times safer than not cycling.

Probably the best answer but if you are looking for comparative risk to other forms of transport the answer as usual is "it depends".

The DfT will be able to provide KSI’s per 1000 000 km travelled which you could use as a basis of comparison but this would be general figure and the risk to you personally would depend on your competence as a cyclist.

What the data does not make clear is what percentage of cycle casualties is made up of "high risk" cyclists & I'm not sure how accurately this can be inferred from the Stats 19 forms.

Yes it's quite hard to isolate all the variables - particularly with the practically insignificant number of incidents.

However statistical research is about all we can do - so we have to do a handwaving "trained, experienced cyclists are likely to be taking fewer risks, and will spot risks earlier" and say that we are likely to better off than the "average". Of course the average will catch up with us if we manage to get lots more people on bikes and it becomes normal.

[chrisc]

Hmm .. I don't usually consider how safe cycling is (or otherwise). At my age, being a couple of weeks short of 67 years, just living is dangerous ! Appparently, being male, I have an approximately 1 in 42 chance of dying in the coming 12 months from all causes (1 in 65 for female). I doubt adding a bit of cycling will make that figure much worse.

[Nettled Shin]

Safer than not cycling. The last research stats I saw suggested 20 times safer than not cycling.

But what does this mean? A comparison of median life expectancy of cyclist and non-cyclists might be useful, or if you are just concerned about the chance of death whilst participating, a comparison with other dangerous activities such as sleeping in bed, or having a bit of tiffin might be useful.

[Carlp]

What's great is everyone is obviosuly keen to get this guy back on the road. Well done CTC forum members, even you Carlp

Oh you know!I like to think I do my bit to contribute?

[thirdcrank]

I'd only been back from police training centre a few weeks when I had a duty at an evening match at Elland Road v. Man.U.

There was generally a lot of crowd trouble at those fixtures, but that night the problem was really thick fog. We were late finishing because of serious traffic problems (no M62 in 1967) and I missed the last bus home. In spite of getting a lift for the last couple of miles from "Humpy" Benson - a friendly superintendent, which was a rarity in those days - I didn't get home till after midnight when my ETA was 1030pm. We'd only been married a few months and my wife was distraught: she'd got me knifed in the crowd or kicked to death by soccer hooligans.

I discovered only much more recently - after forty-odd years of marriage - that she gets similar fears when I'm out cycling, especially if I'm a bit late home.

How you resolve these fears which are statistically irrational but very real, I don't know. At least, communications have improved dramatically over the last few decades - we'd been married several years before we could afford a phone. When you are out, keep in touch if you are delayed.

[Mark1978]

That's been my problem I like tiffin too much

[Mark1978]

I'd only been back from police training centre a few weeks when I had a duty at an evening match at Elland Road v. Man.U.

There was generally a lot of crowd trouble at those fixtures, but that night the problem was really thick fog. We were late finishing because of serious traffic problems (no M62 in 1967) and I missed the last bus home. In spite of getting a lift for the last couple of miles from "Humpy" Benson - a friendly superintendent, which was a rarity in those days - I didn't get home till after midnight when my ETA was 1030pm. We'd only been married a few months and my wife was distraught: she'd got me knifed in the crowd or kicked to death by soccer hooligans.

I discovered only much more recently - after forty-odd years of marriage - that she gets similar fears when I'm out cycling, especially if I'm a bit late home.

How you resolve these fears which are statistically irrational but very real, I don't know. At least, communications have improved dramatically over the last few decades - we'd been married several years before we could afford a phone. When you are out, keep in touch if you are delayed.

I'm planning to track my rides using Endomondo which gives you almost real time location. So that could be useful. Although getting her to sign up for things such as that is often the biggest task in itself...

[hexhome]

which gives you almost real time location. So that could be useful.

Have you been married very long?

[Mark1978]

which gives you almost real time location. So that could be useful.

Have you been married very long?

lol. Year and a half .