cyclist fatality statistics

It is also because the more of you on the road the more experience drivers
are getting with the exposure.
We are global guardians.

despite the fact that total exposure (i.e. overall number of
cyclists on the roads) appears to be about the same or even declining,
based on estimated total injuries reported (45,000 in 2005 vs 46,000 in
2003 and 58,000 in 1997).

How do they know total no. of cyclists? All cyclists do not get injuries so
they are not reported in the 45,000 etc

Hate to state the obvious at this point but could it be the rise in SUVs
since the 90's

On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 18:21:40 GMT, "nash"
wrote:

Hate to state the obvious at this point but could it be the rise in SUVs
since the 90's


Don't discount the rise in helmet laws...

Wayne Pein wrote:

I create my own awareness in motorists by my conspicuity and lane position.

That's fine.

If you're the only one doing that kind of riding, you're a inconsiderate
jerk as far as many motorists are concerned.

If all bicyclists on the road are pedaling that way, it might be more
obvious that that is simply the safest way for a bicyclist to share
the road with motor traffic. Motorists get used to it. That's the
way it is!

By your rationale, motorists used to consider me a freak and would be
more likely to strike me (if they consider me a freak they know I exist,
so therefore they struck me purposefully), but since there are more of
us freaks they are less likely to because I'm not a freak anymore?

I said nothing about anyone purposely running anyone down.

Motorists may simply not know that's the way bicyclists use
the road. Lots of bicyclists doing so makes the message
that much easier to grasp.

I think the motorist awareness explanation of the statistical
observation is merely wishful conjecture.

Perhaps, but I think there is something gained in motorists
being "familiar" with how bicyclists use the road.


SMH

Stephen Harding wrote:

Wayne Pein wrote:

I create my own awareness in motorists by my conspicuity and lane
position.


That's fine.

If you're the only one doing that kind of riding, you're a inconsiderate
jerk as far as many motorists are concerned.

Really? I hadn't detected that. But even if that is true, so what? The
worst possible outcome would be assault, but that has never happened.


By your rationale, motorists used to consider me a freak and would be
more likely to strike me (if they consider me a freak they know I
exist, so therefore they struck me purposefully), but since there are
more of us freaks they are less likely to because I'm not a freak
anymore?


I said nothing about anyone purposely running anyone down.

Motorists may simply not know that's the way bicyclists use
the road. Lots of bicyclists doing so makes the message
that much easier to grasp.

Motorists are not as stupid as some bicyclists like to believe.
Bicyclists have been using the road forever. We usually ride off to the
side. We're usually slower. Sometimes the ignorant ones ride the wrong
way. What's there for motorists to know?



I think the motorist awareness explanation of the statistical
observation is merely wishful conjecture.


Perhaps, but I think there is something gained in motorists
being "familiar" with how bicyclists use the road.


Bicyclists have been using the roads since before cars were invented.
This is not a new thing how bicyclists use the road. I've been riding a
bike in the road for 44 years. I've been motoring for 31. How many
bicyclists must I or anyone else see before they are "familiar" with how
bicyclists use the road? It seems to me I learned it the first time I
saw one bicyclist.

Further, one could argue that the more unique (rare) bicyclists are, the
more likely motorists are to proceed with caution when they encounter
one since it is a less familiar situation.

Wayne

Riley Geary wrote:
In one sense, the 485 adult cycling fatalities in 2003 was something of
an anomoly, as it was the lowest number reported since 1992, but not in
terms of the essentially flat long-term trend in place since ~1990.
Unless adult cycling fatalities fall to well under 600 in 2006, we may
be witnessing the beginning of a worrisome new uptick in the trendline
(or perhaps a return to the remorselessly upward trending line
prevalent prior to ~1990).

Sorry, I thought that was 485 total. Sleep deprived.


While some states (e.g. CA) do include at least some of these non-MV
assisted cycling fatalities in their own statistical reports, they are
specifically exluded from the FARS database by definition. The CDC's
NCIPC database (WISQARS) does attempt to record both traffic-related
and "other" cycling fatalities, but its methodology is less reliable
than that found in FARS, and a major revision in coding definitions in
1999 leaves its accuracy in considerable question. Non-traffic cycling
fatalities supposedly jumped from 13-17% of total cycling fatalities
prior to 1999 to 23-28% since then, but since WISQARS now substantially
undercounts traffic-related cycling fatalities vis-a-vis FARS, it's
clear that large numbers of supposedly "other" cycling fatalities
(probably 40% or more) are being miscoded as such when in fact they
should be counted as traffic-related.


Interesting. Thanks.

R

Wayne Pein wrote:
Stephen Harding wrote:

If you're the only one doing that kind of riding, you're a inconsiderate
jerk as far as many motorists are concerned.

Really? I hadn't detected that. But even if that is true, so what? The
worst possible outcome would be assault, but that has never happened.

It's always "so what" when someone misbehaves or doesn't get
it.

I see from time to time in my local newspaper, and even here
on this newsgroup, usually crossposted from some motoring NG,
how idiotic bicyclists are in their use of the road.

Ultimately their attitude is a "so what" one, unless it
escalates to some sort of physical confrontation, which does
occasionally happen.

Motorists may simply not know that's the way bicyclists use
the road. Lots of bicyclists doing so makes the message
that much easier to grasp.

Motorists are not as stupid as some bicyclists like to believe.
Bicyclists have been using the road forever. We usually ride off to the
side. We're usually slower. Sometimes the ignorant ones ride the wrong
way. What's there for motorists to know?

In theory that's also usually always the case. Motorists know
a bike operates off to one side of the road at low speed. They
frequently don't seem to know that a bicyclist does not have to
jeopardize their own safety in favor of a motorists' convenience.

Motorists know they're not supposed to run lights or park in
handicap zones or pass on double solid lines, but it happens.
It's rarely ever a case of not actually knowing what the rules
are.

I think the motorist awareness explanation of the statistical
observation is merely wishful conjecture.

Perhaps, but I think there is something gained in motorists
being "familiar" with how bicyclists use the road.

Bicyclists have been using the roads since before cars were invented.
This is not a new thing how bicyclists use the road. I've been riding a
bike in the road for 44 years. I've been motoring for 31. How many
bicyclists must I or anyone else see before they are "familiar" with how
bicyclists use the road? It seems to me I learned it the first time I
saw one bicyclist.

Further, one could argue that the more unique (rare) bicyclists are, the
more likely motorists are to proceed with caution when they encounter
one since it is a less familiar situation.

People have been doing things they *know* they shouldn't do, or
mishandling situations they know how to handle from caveman times.

I fortunately live in an area of high bicycle use of the roads.
By and large, drivers are pretty good towards them on the road,
despite the very high proportion of young drivers from all the
local colleges and universities behind the wheel. People are
generally not too upset at being slowed by a bike around here.

That's not the case everywhere I've ridden, and I presume it's
simply because motorists don't encounter bicyclists on the road
very often in those locations. It's not like they don't know
what a bicyclist is, they just don't feel riding one on the road
mixed with motor traffic is appropriate use.

We get that view in this NG quite frequently.


SMH

Stephen Harding wrote:
Wayne Pein wrote:

I create my own awareness in motorists by my conspicuity and lane
position.

That's fine.

If you're the only one doing that kind of riding, you're a inconsiderate
jerk as far as many motorists are concerned.

As far as many motorists are concerned, I'm an inconsiderate jerk
regardless of my mode of transportation, my speed, or the weather or
road conditions. You see, I'm in front of them, so ipso facto, I'm a jerk.

It usually bothers them more than me.

Pat

It usually bothers them more than me.

As it should. It takes roughly 5 seconds to pass you. They spend all day
sitting behind cars. The only reason they do not treat other drivers as
jerks is they would not get away with it.
I read one time that cyclists must have an inferiority complex. I guess
that makes drivers have the reverse. Is it human nature. Survival of the
fittest. Hmmmm
If we do not act inferior, and as you say, do what we have to ride safe do
they take the inferior role and get jealous and outraged. Just feel sorry
for them. Deep inside they wish they were you. ;-)