Two cyclists dead and two seriously injured on a grim day on Britain's roads

I read these articles I get more worried about cycling, luckily so far of three years & 15,000 miles loads of lights and high viz I've survived but it frightens me loads reading this.
Regarding bus drivers I can say the vast majority in Plymouth are thicko nutters driving aggressively tail gating me and squeezing by so close I couldn't squeeze a fart in the gaps. Now I cycle more defensively when they are around. Gotta be done.

http://nantwich-news.co.uk/wordpress/2013/11/13/cyclist-killed-on-a530-n...

Further info on the Nantwich tragedy.

Very sad to read these recent tragic events (again). I commute via Bow westbound each morning and until very recently, always used the Flyover to avoid the roundabout. Now that the (crap filled, water filled, narrowing) segregated lanes are in place from Stratford to Bow, its almost impossible to get safely onto the Flyover and we're herded like lemmings into the roundabout in its current dangerous state. A joined up, well thought out cycling infrastructure (even for a couple of miles for christsake) just seems to be beyond the will of this Government.

Be careful out there people...

The Bow roundabout accident appears to have happened in low winter sun with a Tipper lorry, all known risk factors.

Regarding clothing, in this case ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-24905080 ) high-viz was actually cited as a reason why the man wasn't seen by the driver...

"An accident investigator, who visited the crash scene, experienced how the bright sun had the effect of "blending in" with the colour of a colleague's high visibility jacket, similar to that worn by Mr Elsmore at the time of the accident."

RIP to both....

I realise the incidents in London bring matters closer to home for many on here but I can't believe anyone has commented on the truly dreadful events in Nantwich. How can someone get away with a hit and run for gods sake? It's your worst nightmare.

I hope that the driver has reflected on his cowardly and criminal actions and realises what he or she's done. Jesus, what kind of world are we living in?

This time of year always seems to be worst in terms of accidents. Is there any evidence to back up this hunch? Fading light? People not geared up in terms of clothing and lights yet? Bad weather arriving?

Stay safe everyone.

>Shamblesuk wrote:
>
> My view if you take any risk on a bike you need to be > prepared to pay the consequences.

Funny thing is, car drivers, lots of them are a burden on the NHS. They don't excersize and get frustrated and angry in queues. They unknowingly pay the consequences, most of them, with heart conditions, cancers and obseity related diseases. They should pay about ten times the current VED to cover their expensive lifestyles. I just wish, like other high health risk groups, like alcholoics and drug addicts, they would not endanger my life. Car drivers really are scum.

Of course I'm sad for the victims and all those close to them.

But the other tragedy is the people who will read stories like this and perfectly understandably feel that cycling (to work, or wherever) is not for them. The people who will choose to stop (or not start) cycling; who will therefore be deprived of the fun convenient healthy economical mode of transport they could otherwise have enjoyed.

And, to be clear, I certainly don't think this means we should suppress this kind of news. It made me angry to read that Shane Snow (DfT Cycling Strategy Facilitator) recently argued that these kind of headlines are unhelpful:

"If this messaging goes on that perpetuates the theme that roads aren't safe for cycling we won’t get any behaviour change. We have to get people feeling confident."

No Mr Snow, the answer is to make the roads safer (and subjectively safer) for people who aren't in metal boxes. That's your job. Do that, and the deaths, and the headlines, will stop.

I hate reading about accidents of any sort; especially where there's been a loss of life. This kind of news affects me even more when there's a cyclist involved. We are a family of cyclists; and would like to see safer roads for everyone, but especially for cyclists and pedestrians; after all, they are more vulnerable than other road users. Life is precious; please respect it; and the lives of others. Take care, stay safe.

I fear its another tipper

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rsstephenson/10834512846/

There has been a cyclist hit by a bus on Vauxhall Bridge and another on Millbank within a few hours this morning.

Also just hearing that the met have confirmed a cyclist has died at Bow roundabout.

Accidents are usually the result of a number of factors.

The incident involving the unnamed 40-year-old in Croydon sounds as if he fell ill, in which case it was a genuine accident. But most "accidents" are not accidents. They are events contrived by the rules and design of the road. Most "accidents" occur at junctions controlled by traffic lights. Traffic lights symbolise the dysfunctional system of priority, aka inequality - the root of most of our evils on the road. The solution? Equality Streets

Always shoulder check...

Time to realise that these big, heavy vehicles should be the exception rather than the rule in urban settings.

More very sad news.

I would think the number of people killed taking a risk on a bike is very few, given the potential consciences to you as the cyclist. Given how the incident has been described I would assume it was a miscalculation or simply not seeing the bus until it was too late.

Be safe out there everybody

When I read something like 'he cut in front of the bus' it worries me. I'd never do that but see so many cyclists taking risks like this. My view if you take any risk on a bike you need to be prepared to pay the consequences.

And I'm a devoted cyclist.

I cycled past the near aftermath of the Kennington accident this morning (the ambulance overtook me just beforehand) - it looked like an awful incident. Hopefully "serious but stable" means he will pull through.

RIP...

Yet another enters the big velodrome in the sky

Very sad.

I have mentioned several times on this website that the junction at Kennington Road/Kennington Park Road is very danerous. I used to use it very frequently as it was part of my daily commute. I still go that way on a regular basis.

The current layout increases the risk for all vulnerable road users, and I include motorcyclists and pedestrians as well as cyclists. The Cycle Superhighway through that junction is very poor, both in north and south directions.

All so veery sad