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64% of drivers are too scared of traffic to cycle
By David Williams, Evening Standard Last updated at 11:25am on 06.06.07
64% of drivers never cycle on roads because of the fear of having an accident
More than 60 per cent of drivers are "too scared of traffic" to get out of their cars and cycle, a study reveals today.
Road charity Brake said a "horrifying" 30 per cent rise in cycle deaths between 2003 and 2005 was to blame, along with "inadequate" cycle lanes. In London, the numberof bicycle journeys has risen by more than 80 per cent over five years. However, the national average per person per year fell from 18 in 1995-97 to just 14 in 2005.
Brake said 64 per cent of drivers never cycle on roads as they are afraid of having an accident.
It called on the Government to invest more in road engineering measures to protect cyclists, such as 20mph zones around schools and homes.
Jools Townsend, head of education at Brake, said: "It is terrible that so many people are afraid to get on a bicycle because of fear of traffic, and worse that their fears are justified."
Of 1,000 people polled by Brake, 47 per cent said they never cycled. One third said they believed dangerous drivers outnumbered safe drivers.
Reader views (14)
I disagree... I think we need education not segregation (except maybe the horses, I can see that as a necessity.
The main concern is that when facilities are provided, we lose our rights to travel on the public highways, perceived or legal.
Most motorists don't realise (or choose to ignore) that we have the same right of way as them. this is where education, or perhaps just consideration comes in.
oh... and Philip, how many times have I seen that line trotted out in cycle related news. On my daily commute I experience a lot more dozy pedestrians stumbling into the road than I do cyclists on pavements. please...
- Horn, London, 06/06/2008 10:05
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...and a large percentage of pedestrians are wary of using the pavements due to the irresponsible cyclists riding on them!
- Philip, London, England, 06/06/2007 14:27
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All of you speedophiles - please take note, share the road and cut your speed. As for the cheapskates who won't spend a few quid on a handsfree kit for mobile phones, I hope you get court.
- Austen, London, 06/06/2007 14:14
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As a regular driver, cyclist and pedestrian, and occasional horse rider, I have come to the following conclusion: these forms of transport/movement are very largely incompatible with each other. Bikes get in the way of cars and sometimes intimidate pedestrians; pedestrians get in the way of bikes; horses can be panicked by all the others and present a risk to car drivers; pedestrians are vulnerable to all the other forms of transport. The answer is not an easy one to introduce retrospectively, but we need separate areas, lanes and spaces for each form of transport.
- Adam, London, UK, 06/06/2007 13:50
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Personally, I rarely use a pedestrian crossing for fear of being hit by a cyclist!
- Mark, South-East London, 06/06/2007 13:01
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I cycle every day, and most motorists are very considerate. The bikes themselves can be a liability as they ignore red lights and dodge in and out of cars. If you obey the road rules and are just careful at all times you should be okay. However I would love to see more bike lanes, and also ask drivers to keep out of them so we cyclists can use them!
- Emma, Nunhead, London, 06/06/2007 12:49
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Cyclists are loons. If the whole of London was a cyclist only area they would kill each other.
- Bj, London, England, 06/06/2007 12:39
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I cycle to work as often as I can (but not in the winter, it's far too dangerous) so I see plenty of idiots on the road (drivers and cyclists). I'm not sure that dangerous drivers outnumber safe ones, but too many drivers are impatient and all to prepared to jump red lights, and the majority do not use their wing mirrors as often as they should either.
- David Clancy, Epping, Essex, 06/06/2007 12:38
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I can fully understand this I have been cycling to work in London quite happily for the past ten years, but in the past 18 months to 2 years, the conditions on the roads have been steadily worsening. Cyclists jump lights. Cars also jump lights, ignore yellow box junctions, and park illegally. With the increase in the number of buses the road surfaces have deteriorated - the section of New Oxford Street between Centre Point and Southampton Row is like a cart track in places - and the repairs are poorly carried out. I still prefer to cycle in London, but if the Mayor wishes to get more people on to bikes some urgent road repairs are traffic policing are required.
- Patrick Griffin, London, 06/06/2007 12:34
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It was bad enough being a pedestrian in London on account of the lunatics on the roads, many of whom are driving buses, so it's not just the usual taxi- and white van-driving maniacs. It was one of the main reasons why I left.
I don't imagine the life-expectancy of a cyclist in London is very high. In 2002 I helped a cyclist on Googe St who had been rammed from the side by a parcel van coming out of a side street. Fortunately she wasn't badly hurt.
- Richard, Madrid, Spain, 06/06/2007 12:32
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I have often suggested that encouraging car drivers to get on a bike for at least part of their commute will gradually reduce congestion, not for the reasons many suspect, but due to them being totaled by other car drivers.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, 06/06/2007 12:28
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Surely, if this "64%" were sincere and they just got out of their cars and cycled, there'd be less traffic for them to be scared of. No?
- Md, London, UK, 06/06/2007 12:08
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As a cyclist I'm not suprised at some of the accidents cyclists are involved in. Daily, I see people cycling agressively, weaving all over the road, wearing MP3 players so they can't hear traffic around them - it's not just car drivers who are to blame. Cyclists need to be aware of the road around them and take responsibility for their own actions.
- Trevor Roll, London, 06/06/2007 11:48
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I cycle from Chelsea to Hammersmith for work and yes it is very dangerous - there are no cycle lanes in Chelsea and when I questioned this I was informed that there was no space, yet they have increased the parking spaces available for drivers. Come on Ken get it right - you advertise for people to cycle in London and yet you're doing nothing to help - as for Dave Cameron on his bike... anyone notice there were no cars around him, haha.
- Sarah, London, 06/06/2007 11:46
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