'Near Death encounters have put me off my bike'

[Littgull]

Topic title definately not my opinion - nothing would put me off my bike, but this article as below appeared in the Sunday Times today.

I suppose my first thoughts were 'get some serious cycle roadcraft training then' but maybe she has some valid points about the perils of cycling in London.

Glad I cycle in Lancashire.

Interested in others views on the article:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/commen ... 797744.ece

[Dean]

Middle-class hack finds something to whinge about in time for deadline. Who'd of thunk it?

[jan19]

I read this, and showed to Malcolm who'd already read it and deemed it not worthy of comment.....

I thought it a real muddle of a piece. Some positives before a short bit about traffic behaviour regarding cyclists and then a long rant about how cyclists behave towards each other.

Jeremy Clarkson she ain't. At least he's funny quite a bit of the time. Not worth worrying about.


Jan

[minkie]

When you have find enough words to fill To fill something as big as the Sunday Times every week you can't worry too much about whether the words string together into some sort of sensible article.
Total junk.

[thirdcrank]

Yup - and they like to stir up a bit of controversy to get plenty of hits on the You have your say button.

[dkmwt]

Typical twadle from a lazy motorist, making all the excuses they can for why they shouldn't cycle.

[Swizz69]

Aren't noises being made by motorists for changing the congestion charge for modern cars that have lower emissions? Tripe like this article will no doubt stoke that particular fire pretty well

[pete75]

Typical twadle from a lazy motorist, making all the excuses they can for why they shouldn't cycle.

Not sure about that. The problems she highlights concerning motor vehicles and their drivers are much the same as those frequently mentioned here by urban cyclists. If someone is not a commited cyclist then it's understandable the sort of incidents mentioned will put them off cycling.

[reohn2]

Typical twadle from a lazy motorist, making all the excuses they can for why they shouldn't cycle.

Not sure about that. The problems she highlights concerning motor vehicles and their drivers are much the same as those frequently mentioned here by urban cyclists. If someone is not a commited cyclist then it's understandable the sort of incidents mentioned will put them off cycling.

I agree and also we have to accept that cycling isn't for everyone some folk will never be saved,err, I mean, cyclists.
The problem with this goonie woman is she doesn't want anyone else to be a cyclist either!

PS which makes her a witch and she should be burned at the stake for her own good. *

*thought I'd put the winky in as you never know some one may take me seriously

[Gearoidmuar]

I have my doubts about the safety of cycling. I'm 59 and have been cycling most of my life.
I've personally known 6 people who were killed off their bikes. I know I'm a statistical freak in that regard, but it is sobering.
Also, I've been hit by a car doing a U-turn 15 yards from a bend on a continuous white line, severely injuring my hand which is functionally pretty good now after an operation and savage physio.
I've also sustained a Bennett's fracture of the thumb on the same side, with an unsatisfactory outcome, leaving me with a non-union and a sore thumb. This was due to a very simple fall, just unfortunate.

HOWEVER, I continue to cycle because it's one of the things that makes life worthwhile for me.

I do seek out quiet roads all the time. I've been on 56 bike tours, so I'm kind of addicted!