Comments on: How dangerous is it to ride a bicycle? http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:46:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Arthur http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-22572 Arthur Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:52:11 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-22572 I agree that good bike lights can improve bike visibility and make biking safer. Personally I always run my HID 35 W front light and 65 LEDs back light, even during day commute. Thanks Arthur http://bicycle.hid.light.googlepages.com I agree that good bike lights can improve bike visibility and make biking safer. Personally I always run my HID 35 W front light and 65 LEDs back light, even during day commute.

Thanks
Arthur

http://bicycle.hid.light.googlepages.com

]]> By: projektleiterin http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-21730 projektleiterin Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:54:05 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-21730 I actually remember this bicycle training we had when I was a kid. I especially remember having one point or so deducted from my score or something similar because supposedly I hadn't turned my head to look behind when I made a left turn. I was quite pissed off with the police dude. Obviously pissed off enough to recognize him when I saw him like 15 years later in a judo club. :D Ok, I wasn't really that pissed off and I don't know why I had been able to recognize him again and he was actually nice. That was quite the coincidence anyway, because the judo club was not in our home town. Munich is a pretty bicycle friendly town as far as I can tell. There are many cycle tracks in the city and I've also noticed that in many one-way streets cyclists are still allowed to go in both directions. There is a lot of traffic here, but I think car drivers are more used to cyclists and a bit more considerate. Although I'm still cursing a lot at all the stupid drivers who are not paying attention at whose right of way it is. Actually, who I might hate as much are the pedestrians who walk on my cycle track or the cyclist who comes from the wrong direction (not that it would ever occur to me to do that... :D)! They can be glad I only have a bell and not a horn... I actually remember this bicycle training we had when I was a kid. I especially remember having one point or so deducted from my score or something similar because supposedly I hadn’t turned my head to look behind when I made a left turn. I was quite pissed off with the police dude. Obviously pissed off enough to recognize him when I saw him like 15 years later in a judo club. :D Ok, I wasn’t really that pissed off and I don’t know why I had been able to recognize him again and he was actually nice. That was quite the coincidence anyway, because the judo club was not in our home town.

Munich is a pretty bicycle friendly town as far as I can tell. There are many cycle tracks in the city and I’ve also noticed that in many one-way streets cyclists are still allowed to go in both directions. There is a lot of traffic here, but I think car drivers are more used to cyclists and a bit more considerate. Although I’m still cursing a lot at all the stupid drivers who are not paying attention at whose right of way it is. Actually, who I might hate as much are the pedestrians who walk on my cycle track or the cyclist who comes from the wrong direction (not that it would ever occur to me to do that… :D)! They can be glad I only have a bell and not a horn…

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-21650 Dan Klarmann Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:40:14 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-21650 Fixed link to helmet safety rant (above) Fixed link to helmet safety rant (above)

]]> By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-21640 Erich Vieth Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:34:00 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-21640 Dan - that seems to be a broken link - could you recheck that please? Dan - that seems to be a broken link - could you recheck that please?

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-21639 Dan Klarmann Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:30:26 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-21639 Here's a fun take on bike safety, subtitled <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/columnists.nsf/suburbanfringe/story/EE387D4152102FE186257486007E668E?OpenDocument" Target="_blank" Title="Helmets? By Suburban Fringe" rel="nofollow">We didn’t need no stinking helmets</a> (Link fixed 8:40pm) Here’s a fun take on bike safety, subtitled We didn’t need no stinking helmets
(Link fixed 8:40pm)

]]> By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-21637 Erich Vieth Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:14:20 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-21637 There are lots more bikes out there, and there are reports that bicycle-related accidents are increasing: Since the average price of gasoline hit about $3.25 a gallon early this year, bike sales have skyrocketed, the National Bicycle Dealers Association reported. Store owners across the country say two-wheelers are flying out the door faster than they can stock them. But authorities across the country say they are seeing a sharp rise in the number of accidents involving bicyclists. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25695376/ There are lots more bikes out there, and there are reports that bicycle-related accidents are increasing:

Since the average price of gasoline hit about $3.25 a gallon early this year, bike sales have skyrocketed, the National Bicycle Dealers Association reported. Store owners across the country say two-wheelers are flying out the door faster than they can stock them.

But authorities across the country say they are seeing a sharp rise in the number of accidents involving bicyclists.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25695376/

]]> By: Niklaus Pfirsif http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-21332 Niklaus Pfirsif Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:26:45 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-21332 Back in my college days, I rode my bicycle everywhere. (Mine was the pimped out Ross road bike with the headlight, fm radio and CB). I respected the rules of the road, had actually been certified in bicycle safety, and still had my share of bumps, scraps and road rash. usually these were the result of my own stupidity, but on two occasions, it was someone else's stupidity that caused by crash. On one occasion, I had to lay the bike down to avoid being hit by a distracted driver. As I slid several feet up a gravel driveway, I was very upset to notice the driver that nearly hit me had run the stop sign because he was shaving! I don't think he even saw me. The other time was potentially worse. Some idiot yahoos in a pickup truck intentionally forced me off a bridge. I was extremely lucky as I landed in a pile of leaves and tree limbs that had accumulated in the dry stream-bed below, because the brush broke my fall without impaling me. I lay there for a moment, swearing and assessing the damage, when I heard a voice, asking me if I was alright. After determining that nothing was broken I said no to the young lady who said she saw what happened. Unfortunately, she did not get the license number of the truck. She did however find someone with a ladder to help me out of the 10 foot deep hole that I was in. I agree that bicyclists show take a safety course and obey the rules of the road. I also believe that drivers should be more careful too. Back in my college days, I rode my bicycle everywhere. (Mine was the pimped out Ross road bike with the headlight, fm radio and CB). I respected the rules of the road, had actually been certified in bicycle safety, and still had my share of bumps, scraps and road rash. usually these were the result of my own stupidity, but on two occasions, it was someone else’s stupidity that caused by crash.

On one occasion, I had to lay the bike down to avoid being hit by a distracted driver. As I slid several feet up a gravel driveway, I was very upset to notice the driver that nearly hit me had run the stop sign because he was shaving! I don’t think he even saw me.

The other time was potentially worse. Some idiot yahoos in a pickup truck intentionally forced me off a bridge. I was extremely lucky as I landed in a pile of leaves and tree limbs that had accumulated in the dry stream-bed below, because the brush broke my fall without impaling me. I lay there for a moment, swearing and assessing the damage, when I heard a voice, asking me if I was alright. After determining that nothing was broken I said no to the young lady who said she saw what happened. Unfortunately, she did not get the license number of the truck. She did however find someone with a ladder to help me out of the 10 foot deep hole that I was in.

I agree that bicyclists show take a safety course and obey the rules of the road. I also believe that drivers should be more careful too.

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/13/how-dangerous-is-it-to-ride-a-bicycle/#comment-21264 Dan Klarmann Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:36:27 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2849#comment-21264 Also from Cagle, and I'm surprised Erich didn't pick this one: <a href="http://dangerousintersection.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/zyglisjul2008.gif" title="Click to Enlarge" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://dangerousintersection.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/zyglisjul2008.gif" alt="SUV Sales Stall"></a> Such is the public image of bicyclists. Also from Cagle, and I’m surprised Erich didn’t pick this one:
SUV Sales Stall
Such is the public image of bicyclists.

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