Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Automotive News & Views Are gas prices fueling your pain? 
10042 messages, Last post on Jul 12, 2008 at 3:07 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
|
Replying to: gagrice (Jun 03, 2008 6:21 am) The mere presence of the bicycles, or even the car for that matter, is not what brought about this horrific event. It was the behavior of that driver. Follow the laws, employ safe practices, maybe sprinkle in a little common courtesy (even if it, gasp, inconveniences you a little) and bicycles on the streets are no more dangerous than cars. 'Tis unfortunate that courtesy is becoming somewhat less common.
|
|
|
Replying to: larsb (Jun 03, 2008 6:47 am) I am not sure of your motive in posting all these made up statistics. Do you have any links that would back up your statements. You ride on the sidewalk which would be my choice if their is not a dedicated bike trail. I have personally seen as many accidents with bicycles and motorcycles as I have auto accidents. In 1999, there were 750 bicycling fatalities and 51,000 bicycling injuries resulting from traffic crashes in the United States. While these numbers continue to decrease from year to year, bicyclist fatalities still account for 2 percent of all traffic fatalities as well as 2 percent of all traffic injuries. http://www.massbike.org/info/statistics.htm I seriously doubt that bicycling amounts to 2% of the miles driven in the USA. Which will prove that riding a bicycle on a road that is primarily used by cars to more dangerous than being in a car. You usually get your facts closer to accurate than this post.
|
|
|
Replying to: imidazol97 (Jun 03, 2008 6:52 am) |
|
|
Replying to: imidazol97 (Jun 03, 2008 6:52 am) Valid concern, but that does appear to be a rather severe impact. Not sure any helmet is designed to withstand that force. |
|
|
Replying to: mattandi (Jun 03, 2008 6:58 am) You are right I am. I always am on the side of caution. You cannot be too careful riding a bike. Think about this. What if the EPA decided to force the bike manufacturers to make a bicycle as safe as they do cars? Why do I need airbags surrounding me in a car and nothing to protect me except a plastic helmet when riding a bike, sharing the same road?
|
|
|
Replying to: gagrice (Jun 03, 2008 6:59 am) Read what I said: I said the times people on bikes were killed by drivers who (in YOUR WORDS) "were not in control of their car" was very low. There are no stats for that, but I stand by my estimate. Some of those biking deaths are not related to crashes with cars, and many of the injuries are not car-related either. From one of your posted links: As of 2002: Since 1932, 47,000 "pedalcyclists" have been killed. More than that die every SINGLE year in car crashes. Pedestrians are killed far far more than bikers. Of the total "people killed while on a roadway but not in a car" numbers, pedestrians make up about 85% to 87% in most recent years. The rest are bikers, roller bladers, skateboarders, etc. Nothing done on a road is without risk. I personally know far far many more people who have died in car crashes than in pedestrian or bike accidents. Don't you? UPDATE: I found some more current stats. In 2006, Arizona led the country in bikers killed per capita. 1.42 deaths per 1 million vehicle miles traveled. That's pretty darn low !! Now you see why I ride on the sidewalks !!!???!!!!!! Here is that page with some other good stats. AZ bike stats My point is: It's still far safer to bike that to walk. And far far fewer people die on bikes than in car wrecks. |
|
|
from helmets.org: "The "typical" bicyclist killed on our roads is a sober male over 16 not wearing a helmet riding on a major road between intersections in an urban area on a summer evening when hit by a car." A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent. Anyone who rides a bike or a motorcycle is just being a FOOL if they do not don a helmet. |
|
|
|
Now if we could only get those cyclists to quit exhaling because that's causing global warming! 
|
|
|
Replying to: gagrice (Jun 03, 2008 7:12 am)  Promoting caution, or safety, and fear mongering are very different. The former is the more reasoned, rational, somewhat objective approach. The latter preys upon emotionalism and the lowest common denominator of fear. Methinks the latter is the more desirable way to accomplish a given goal. I'm willing to assume that your goal is for more safe transportation for all concerned. It would seem to me unreasonable to expect that any machine should be likewise safe as another machine of very different design. It would seem much more appropriate to make the operation of any given machine as safe as the operation of that machine can be. Ergo helmets and reflectors for bicycles, ABS and airbags for cars. See, things aren't dangerous. Bicycles aren't dangerous. Cars aren't dangerous. Not paying attention, exceeding posted speed limits, not adjusting to situations, circumstances, or environment, engaging in an activity while impaired or in the wrong frame of mind, those are dangerous. Unfortunately we cannot idiot-proof the world.
|
|
|
Replying to: imidazol97 (Jun 03, 2008 7:32 am)
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Automotive News & Views Are gas prices fueling your pain?
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
