Dondare wrote:
johnsher wrote:
Jub Jub wrote:
As C+ members are far more vulnerable than commuters who don't cycle, there is every reason for them to be concerned about road safety. And you know from other threads that this is indeed the case. What cyclists aren't comfortable with is someone who encourages, whether he likes it or not, dangerous practice on the roads, to the detriment of the safety of other road users.
funny, I could have sworn that I ride about 10000 miles every year. Silly me, I must be confused about what Safespeed is about because I sure as hell don't see anyone advocating "dangerous practice on the roads" around here, most especially Paul.
How about you go back over to the looney bin and take a survey of people who've been either been knocked off their bikes or had a close call and find out the causes of the incidents. In my case I've been knocked off 3 times and had innumerable close calls and the cause of every single one has not been "speeding motorists" but either poor observation or just plain stupidity (I'll you define the category for turning left across the front of someone that you've just *slowly* driven past). I've also nearly been wiped out by a couple of red light running idiots but I suppose they don't count as they were on bikes and therefore perfectly safe if the Richmond thread is to be believed.
I'm alert enough to avoid being squashed by turning lorries, I can watch for hazards ahead of me. The main threat to my existance on my ride home really does come from motorists who don't slow down when they should. Believe me, I'm experienced enough to know when I'm in danger.
Mr. Smith doesn't condone high speeds as such, but he is campaigning against what is now the primary method for detecting it.
I don't care if people drive slower because the've been better trained or because they're afraid of losing their licences as long as the result is the same, but it's a lot easier to set up a camera than it is to train all the drivers.
As far as the danger from other cyclists is concerned, it's a lot less; bikes are simply not as lethal in accidents as cars.
You're clearly a firm believer in the "speed kills" mantra, so let me chuck something in here.
I have 2 reports in front of me. Both are from the DfT, not safespeed.
The first report has the number of fatalities per 100M Km & shows that there has been NO great reduction in fatalities in the last 10 years. In fact in 2003 there were MORE than in 1994, 1997,1998,1999,2000 or 2001. All despite the huge growth in speed cameras.
The second says that breaking the speed limit were contributory factors in less than 5% of accidents.
Are these rubbish then? Can you show me some official statistics that show otherwise?
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