5% accident figures from rear hits

[gar]

Andy Tallis quoted Only 5% of all cycling accidents are from "rear hits" ,cars coming up from the rear.

This is 5% of how many cycling deaths/ serious accidents per year all together?

Would greater use and markings of cycle tracks
prevent these accidents?

Are they accidents to Racing cyclists or accidents to local users on regular local bikes?

[Tim Cox]

I was nearly killed by a 'rear hit' in 1980. I was on 1 150 mile ride from my then home in London to the former youth hostel at Crikhowell in the Welsh borders and was using the A40 to make up time. When the police interviewed me in hospital they made great emphasis on the fact that I was wearing a brightly coloured jersey at the time in the case they bought aginst the van driver who ran into me. He had also failed a breathalyser test. Today I make sure that I can be seen and always wear brightly coloured and distinctive clothing, have reflective strips on bicycle mudguards and effective rear lighting. There seem to be too many nondescritpt greys in modern cycling clothing. Also it is important to be able to hear what is coming behind one. Cycle paths do need to be adequately signposted and marked, free of obstructions and go a reasonably direct route. I do use them but it can be a fustrating experience.

[Andy Tallis]

The 5% figure came from Cyclecraft, John Franklin. He also explains that far more cyclists are injured or killed when not seen at junctions, and that while using roadsisde tracks reduces the small risk of a rwar hit, it increases the complexity and frequemncy of junctions, making them much trickier and more hazardous for cyclists and drivers. A simple side road becomes a 5 way junction (2 way cycle traffic crossing the side road right next to the main road.) A motorist is far more likely to be focussing on the road. If you are on the track your presence and speed are far more likely to be appreciated.

[Jeremy Parker]

In london, one quarter of all cyclists' deaths occur when they get inside a lorry turning left. Don't get inside the coffin corner. Don't be enticed there when the lorry pulls away from the kerb to give itself enough room to make the turn. Don't be enticed there by a bike lane

Cars hit bikes when their paths intersect. That's at intersections.

Jeremy Parker

[Andy Tallis]

Oops! I meant if you are on the road, not track, your presence & speed are far more likely to be appreciated. rwar is a typing erro for rear.

[gar]

. A simple side road becomes a 5 way junction (2 way cycle traffic crossing the side road right next to the main road.) A motorist is far more likely to be focussing on the road. If you are on the track your presence and speed are far more likely to be appreciated.

Are you saying the event of an accident would be head on or side ways on rather than just rear hit? I can see what you are saying but you are eyeballing if you have to turn five times to go across the path of what is coming.

Alternatively if you go round the roundabout
you have the problem that ALL cyclists face. Mcs and push bikes, that some ba***** will not see you through his front cab pillars and drive straight into you, again one of the commonest accidents.