Dicing with death - warning on cyclists

http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...h--warning-on-
cyclists/2007/03/03/1172868811879.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

or

http://tinyurl.com/yww3pb

---------------------------------------

AN ALARMING increase in the number of cyclists dying on the state's
roads has prompted a new warning for drivers to be more alert.

Latest Transport Accident Commission figures show one rider is killed
every month in Victoria and one seriously injured every day.

Fourteen cyclists died in crashes last year =3F more than double the
fatalities in 2005 =3F and two have died so far this year.

The state's top traffic cop, Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby, said
drivers often did not see a cyclist until it was too late.

Mr Ashby said drivers were to blame for half the 14 deaths last year.

"Without doubt, the issue for cyclists is visibility," he said.

"The majority of those killed have simply not been seen.

"It is no good drivers saying cyclists shouldn't use the roads, that's
just not going to happen. It's

a matter of sharing the roads and sharing them safely."

Mr Ashby stressed the importance of cyclists wearing helmets. "There is
a significant blase factor where people just simply don't accept they
will be involved in road trauma."

TAC senior manager for road safety David Healy said drivers should stay
at least a metre away from cyclists.

"The car driver has to understand the vulnerability of a cyclist just as
hopefully they would a child by the side of the road," Mr Healy said.

A small minority of motorists might think cyclists did not have the
right to be on the roads, but there was no evidence of any increase in
aggressive driver behaviour towards cyclists, Mr Healy said.

"From the point of view of the cyclist, it only takes one in every 1000
cars to pass too close or pass at speed to colour a perception about
their safety and the attitudes of motorists towards them," he said.

Mr Healy said some cyclists were still not wearing helmets.

"There is no doubt helmets protect you from head injury. Cyclists are
placing themselves at much greater risk by not wearing them," he said.

Bicycle Victoria president Harry Barber said a particular concern for
cyclists was drivers being distracted when using mobile phones.

"The mobile phone user is the new drink driver," Mr Barber said.

"The things that riders get wrong is that they ride at night without
lights and they go through red lights.

"But the things that drivers do to threaten riders' safety is mobile
phone use. We've had riders killed by people not just on the phone but
sending SMS text messages."

Mr Barber said there was less aggression towards riders on the roads
today because more people were out cycling and it had become more
acceptable, but some drivers continued to bully riders with their cars.

Police agreed to release details of cyclist deaths over the past 14
months to The Sunday Age to highlight the need for motorists to take
care when driving near riders.

This year's fatalities included a 31-year-old from Kew, who was hit when
riding on Heidelberg Road, Clifton Hill, at 1pm. He died a day later.

A woman, 28, from Elwood, died from injuries sustained when she fell
from her bike in front of a car at Kilsyth. She had been riding along
Canterbury Road when she hit some rough bitumen and lost her balance.

Last year's fatalities included Scott Peoples, 20, a champion cyclist
with a dream of competing in the Tour de France, who was hit on December
15 by a four-wheel-drive in central Victoria.

Peoples had just won a scholarship from the Victorian Institute of Sport
when a Nissan Patrol struck his bike on the Maroondah Highway at Merton.

The toll
Fourteen cyclists died in accidents in Victoria last year. Two have died
so far this year.
=3F January 2007: Man, 31, hit by a car in Clifton Hill. Woman, 28, dies
after falling off bike in front of a car in Kilsyth.

=3F December 2006: Competitor Scott Peoples, 20, hit by car on Maroondah
Highway at Merton. Man, 48, dies after being found in Balwyn.

=3F October: Man, 59, crashes into another rider on Princes Highway at
Little River.

=3F September: Man, 45, hit by car in St Albans. Man, 23, hit by car in
Kings Way, South Melbourne.

=3F August: Man, 73, falls from bike on Plunketts Road, Wodonga.

=3F July: Man, 39, hit on Pascoe Vale Road, Essendon. Man, 51, hit in
Springvale.

=3F June: Boy, 11, hit on Princes Way at Drouin.

=3F May: Man, 33, hit at South Morang.

=3F April: Man, 41, hit at Eagle Hawk. Woman, 29, hit in Epping.

=3F March: Man, 64, hit in Echuca. Boy, 13, hit at Braybrook.



--
Flaps

flaps wrote:

Mr Healy said some cyclists were still not wearing helmets.

"There is no doubt helmets protect you from head injury. Cyclists are
placing themselves at much greater risk by not wearing them," he said.

SNIP

Bicycle Victoria president Harry Barber said a particular concern for
cyclists was drivers being distracted when using mobile phones.

"The mobile phone user is the new drink driver," Mr Barber said.


Did anyone notice on the story about commuting in Canberra on Cycling
Central today the woman cycling through the lights with no helmet and
cycling one-handed while talking on the mobile phone.

DaveB

DaveB Wrote:

Did anyone notice on the story about commuting in Canberra on Cycling
Central today the woman cycling through the lights with no helmet and
cycling one-handed while talking on the mobile phone.


"someone" just uploaded the torrent onto teh Interweebs...

I'll take a screen shot of said talker and post a linky


--
gplama

gplama Wrote:
"someone" just uploaded the torrent onto teh Interweebs...

I'll take a screen shot of said talker and post a linky

Here we go:

http://tinyurl.com/38vzko


well spotted DaveB!


--
gplama

flaps Wrote:

The state's top traffic cop, Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby, said
drivers often did not see a cyclist until it was too late.

Mr Ashby said drivers were to blame for half the 14 deaths last year.

"Without doubt, the issue for cyclists is visibility," he said.

"The majority of those killed have simply not been seen.

"It is no good drivers saying cyclists shouldn't use the roads, that's
just not going to happen. It's a matter of sharing the roads and
sharing them safely."

Well I certainly can't disagree with that, although someone (possibly
the ALP party whip) should be also informing Roads Minister Tim Pallas
of that fact too....

Although other mitigating factors for this tragic increase are
overlooked in the article - including the upsurge in actual cyclist
participation rates.


--
cfsmtb

gplama Wrote:
Here we go:

http://tinyurl.com/38vzko


well spotted DaveB!
good one Dave.....

it also look like she ( and the guy in blue helmet), are cycling across
the Ped. crossing, not an intersection, although it may be a drive way
access to something (School, College, Uni?).
I didnt see the segment , was it about this type of thing or some other
point, and did they have any comment on it..?


--
rooman

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 21:43:18 +1100, DaveB
wrote:

Did anyone notice on the story about commuting in Canberra on Cycling
Central today the woman cycling through the lights with no helmet and
cycling one-handed while talking on the mobile phone.

DaveB

Missed that, will have another look.
Sometimes it seems like 50% of Canberra commuters do't wear helmets.
Admittedly, I go past the ANU which possibly skew things.

They also featured the Stephen Hodge designed Stromlo Crit Circuit.
Love that place.
My riding has gone to another level racing there every Tuesday.
Repetition and opportunity to learn energy management.

On Sun, 4 Mar 2007 22:23:04 +1100, rooman
wrote:

it also look like she ( and the guy in blue helmet), are cycling across
the Ped. crossing, not an intersection, although it may be a drive way

I think that's where the shared path crosses Northbourne Ave.

http://www.whereis.com/whereis/retri...26989884901106

On 2007-03-04, gplama (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

gplama Wrote:
"someone" just uploaded the torrent onto teh Interweebs...

I'll take a screen shot of said talker and post a linky

Here we go:

http://tinyurl.com/38vzko


well spotted DaveB!

Gosh, and no doubt pedaling in the wrong gear too.

I just got me a set top box, and despite the rabbit ears antenna, and
digital's all-or-nothing reception, I now get perfect SBS and ABC
(which is all that counts anyway) reception. W00t! Alas, no channel
31 up here, and I'd doubt they'd be digital anyway.

--
TimC
As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.

31 up here, and I'd doubt they'd be digital anyway.

They aren't unfortunately. I have to dig out my old telly to get my
sooty park fix.


--
SomeGuy