Adventurer Ben Fogle too scared to ride a bike in London traffic

ydrol wrote:

Central London traffic is slower and more cycle aware than suburban traffic, and traffic in other big cities. Especially during "rush" hour.
I'd rather cycle in London than most other places in the UK, which may be quiet for miles until someone passes well above the speed limit. and with no-one else to see their behaviour, except other people speeding.

Not convinced that central London traffic is safer than other cities. Is there any evidence of this?

Meanwhile with reports that two London cyclists tragically died in 36 hrs. You'd be forgiven if people do feel it's too dangerous to cycle. Simply dismissing Fogle as some posh snob who is out of touch is to do a disservice to genuine and understandable fears people may have about cycling in London.

I regularly walk in central London and am a keen and experienced cyclist, and I'm often taken aback by the aggressive nature of the traffic. I'd certainly think twice about commuting by bike in London if I was ever in the unfortunate position to have to consider doing this.

700c wrote:

Meanwhile with reports that two London cyclists tragically died in 36 hrs. You'd be forgiven if people do feel it's too dangerous to cycle. Simply dismissing Fogle as some posh snob who is out of touch is to do a disservice to genuine and understandable fears people may have about cycling in London.

But he's not expressing fears for your common or garden cycle commuters though is he? He is sneering down at people on hire bikes. He isn't putting forth anything that is pro-cycling or pro-safety he's just denigrating people he thinks aren't wealthy enough to be riding round on expensive bikes.

Does anyone have the stats handy for the following:

How many people have been killed on the rental bikes in London?

How many of those deaths have the fault of the rider

farrell wrote:

He is sneering down at people on hire bikes. He isn't putting forth anything that is pro-cycling or pro-safety he's just denigrating people he thinks aren't wealthy enough to be riding round on expensive bikes.

He comes up with some nonsense, that's for sure, but i'm not sure he says that (at least in second-hand report in the Independent). There's this bit..

“The best cyclists have their own bikes. Some Boris cyclists are not brilliant with their stability”

...which seems like a simple statement of fact to me. Whether the ability of some of the cyclists on hire bikes translates to an increase accidents is another point, but there's nothing there denigrating people because they're not "wealthy enough".

fukawitribe wrote:

He comes up with some nonsense, that's for sure, but i'm not sure he says that (at least in second-hand report in the Independent). There's this bit..

“The best cyclists have their own bikes. Some Boris cyclists are not brilliant with their stability”

...which seems like a simple statement of fact to me. Whether the ability of some of the cyclists on hire bikes translates to an increase accidents is another point, but there's nothing there denigrating people because they're not "wealthy enough".

What? So whether I'm one of the best cyclists depends whether I take my own bike to London or not? Actually, it depends on the time of day and the bike bans on whatever train company I'm using that day. Ben's comment is bobbins.

If he wants to say he's too scared, then fair enough on that, and the new off-carriageway spaces are being built for the likes of him because there seem to be a lot of them, but why insult the people who do ride in London just because they don't look like he wants them to? I think he should be far more worried about his friend Cracked-hat, not join in trying to scare the proles away from having fun cycling in London.

I ride in London tons. Since the congestion charge and cycle hire, it's been transformed. The LCN+ and the first wave of Cycle Superhighways were mostly crap. It'll be interesting to see if it's third time lucky!

Judge dreadful wrote:

This

What the f*** is this!?

tourdelound wrote:

"I'm a cyclist but......"
Says it all

Hey! Some of my best friends are cyclists...