I’m going to say something controversial – I have a tiny bias against Cyclists.
In actual fact, it’s not that tiny. It’s small, but not tiny.
Okay, it’s not that small.
That’s not an easy thing to admit when you live on the outskirts of a city like Cambridge, where 20% of all traffic is made up of cyclists – that’s 10 times the national average. I’ll admit, it is a bit ridiculous though, motivated in the main as it is, by a strange form of jealousy.
There are two main reasons I’m a little begrudging towards cyclists. The first is – I used to love riding my bike as a small child. I was good at it, I would ride for hours. As I reached my teens and especially that awkward bit before you’re old enough to drive, it allowed me to socialise with friends who lived further away.
It was around this time though, that I started falling out of love with cycling – mainly because it was also around the time I started falling off my bike– a lot. This was due in no small part, to almost overnight developing from a scrawny youth who was able to no-handedly switch a cycle’s direction with a switch of his hips, to something resembling a gorilla on a tricycle. So, in short, I’m a bit jealous because I just can’t seem to find a cycle that ‘fits’ – so I just don’t enjoy it myself anymore and I miss that.
Secondly, as regular readers may know (and those who know me are sick of hearing) I’ve been in training for the London Marathon which takes place later this week. During the past eight months of training, although we acknowledge each other when out on the road as comrades-in-lycra – I have come to regard cyclists as, well… cheats.
There, I said it.
I’m not talking Lance Armstrong style cheating – I mean the general concept of cycling as a form of exercise when compared to running - is cheating. They go twice as far for half the effort and that, so far as I can see, is cheating!
The Cycling Boom in the UK
Like it or not though, Cycling is experiencing an incredible boom in popularity amongst the British public right now. Research by respected analysts Mintel tells us that 41% of Britons currently consider themselves to be Cyclists - that’s an impressive rise of 7% on last year. I’m sure this has a lot to do with the achievement of so many of the stars of British cycling in the 2012 Olympics, such as Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, Lizzie Armistead… I could go on and on.
As we approach the traditional start of peak cycling season on our roads between May and September, 11 Million Britons say they ride their bikes once per week, whilst 3.1 million say they ride their bikes ‘most days’. Unfortunately, with more cyclists on the road, we can also expect a peak in cycle accidents.
£40 Million to Reduce Cycling Accidents is 'Not Enough'
Just as with the Motorcyclists mentioned in my recent post about motorbike accidents, cyclists are especially vulnerable in road traffic accidents as they have very little protection and so that chances of being killed or seriously injured in an accident is that much greater.
ROSPA (Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents) figures for 2011 (the latest available) show that there were a staggering 107 fatalities, 3085 cyclists seriously injured and 16023 slightly injured in that year alone.
These figures only include those incidents that were reported to the police, and occurred on public roads. ROSPA suspect that there could have been be two or three times as many seriously injured cyclists and double the number of slightly injured taking the total to over a staggering 40,000 cyclists injured and killed in the UK in 2011.
With a further increase in the number of regular cyclists projected this year, earlier this month the government announced a £40 million scheme to improve 78 roads and junctions across England, to make them safer for cyclists. Many cycling groups, including British Cycling, (the organisation responsible for organising the Olympic cycling stars), say that £40 million is not enough.
Several high-profile Team GB cyclists have fallen victim to road traffic accidents since the games, most notably Gold Medal Winner, Bradley Wiggins, Head Coach Shane Sutton and just a couple of weeks ago, triple-gold winning Joanna Rowsell was knocked off her bike by a car.
First time for everything.. Been a cyclist for nearly 9 yrs & never been knocked off by a car until this morning. Bike came off worst.
— Joanna Rowsell (@JoannaRowsell) April 6, 2013
Cycling Accident Injuries in the UK
Most cycling accidents in the UK happen in urban areas (where most cycling takes place) and around 80% of occur in daylight (often when most cycling takes place). The most dangerous hours for cyclists are 8–9am and 3–6pm on weekdays. Males are far more likely to be involved in cycling accidents than females; four out of five cyclist casualties are male.
Types of Cycle Accident
From child cyclists riding too fast and losing control, through to collisions with motor vehicles, there are a wide variety of accidents and injuries that can occur, the most common being broken arms, head injuries and broken legs.
When it comes to road traffic accidents, the most common cause recorded by the police was “failed to look properly”, which was attributed to the car driver in 57% of serious collisions.
Other common accidents involving cyclists include'
- Motorist emerging into path of cyclist
- Motorist turning across path of cyclist
- Cyclist riding into the path of a motor vehicle, often riding off a pavement
- Cyclist and motorist going straight ahead
- Cyclist turning right from a major road and from a minor road
- Child cyclist playing or riding too fast
Although the most common vehicle involved in collisions with cyclists is a car or taxi, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) present a particular danger for cyclists, especially in London where around 20% of cyclist fatalities occur involve an HGV.
Avoiding Cycle Accidents & Injuries
Wear A Cycle Helmet
As a cyclist, almost certainly, the most important thing is to wear a decent cycling safety helmet. If you are involved in a fall or a road accident you may avoid serious head injuries or even death by wearing a cycle safety helmet. Other protective items, such as knee and elbow pads are also recommended, especially for children, as these can help prevent injuries to your joints.
Use Adequate Cycle Lighting
It is important not only to have lights at the front and rear of the bike but to make sure you turn them on when travelling at dusk or in the dark. Wearing high-visibility clothing and / or having reflective strips on clothing will also help make you more visible to drivers.
Avoid Use of Distracting Gadgets
We all know not to talk on the phone or text when driving and the same applies when riding your bike. It’s also advised that you don’t listen to MP3 players. All of these things can take your attention away from the road, prevent you from hearing traffic and could lead to a cycle accident.
What to do if You are Involved in a Cycle Accident
We all know that however good our preparations sometimes accidents do happen, so if you are involved in a road traffic accident, and are able to do so:
- Get the details of the other person involved including their name, address & contact number, vehicle registration number and details of their insurance.
- If there are witnesses, make a note of their contact details.
- If possible take a photo of the scene of the accident
- Seek medical attention for your injuries, either by visiting your GP or the local A&E depending on their severity.
If you are unable to do these things due to injury then don’t worry, the police should obtain much of this information and you can ask them for it at a later stage.
If you have been involved in a cycle accident in the last 3 years and think you may be entitled to compensation, or are unsure and would like to talk to someone about your situation, then our specialist advisors are on hand. There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
A personal injury solicitor can help with a cyclist injury claim for compensation for any financial losses and/or bodily injury which may have occurred. Financial losses as a result of the cycle accident may include: loss of earnings, travel expenses, payments for medicines and / or medical treatment to name but a few.
If You Have a Genuine Claim, Contact a Genuine Company.
May I Claim, is a trading name of R Costings Limited and our CRM number is 25770
If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault and suffered an injury - you can trust us to handle your claim professionally.
Call us now on 0800 756 7774 and talk to us to find out if you have a claim - or fill in our Quick Claim form (on the right of this page).
References
“Collisions Involving Cyclists on Britain’s Roads: Establishing the Causes”, TRL Report PPR 445, 2009
“Road Casualties in Great Britain: Main Results 2011”, Department for Transport, 2012
http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/284322/40-Million-to-Reduce-Cycling-Accident-Injuries-Not-Enough
 delicious 