Is It O.K. to Kill Cyclists? (courtesy: The New York Times)

[Monkeyboy3333]

Interesting article - I think on the whole we as cyclists don't help ourselves for much of the timet. How many MAMILS do we see that are in dark colours in dusky conditions, no lights, blasting up the shoulder without a care in the world. This eventually will only end one way given enough hours in the saddle. I'd emplore manufacturers to get more 'cool' hi viz on the market, a la Castelli , Rapha, A.N.other. Many of us love a brand, whether we admit it or not and want fashionable, well cut, premium feeling products; whether they carry a high price or not. Whatever.... I can categorically say I feel more at risk when I'm in dark kit vs hi viz.

[taina]

Here's a recent news item about a motorist assaulting cyclists:

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/woodland ... a5fc2.html

One of my high school classmates mentioned this incident on Facebook, as an example of a righteous motorist coping with evil cyclists, with the motorist unjustly threatened by legal consequences.

[Stefano]

I kinda like spud's idea- there should be a website somewhere that allows you to log pictures and video of repeat offenders/ dangerous drivers. My team often rides up a common cycling roadway in my town, and at least once or twice a month, we encounter the dreaded old lady. She flies up the shoulder, holding the horn, and tries to run as many of us off the road as possible. We can't really do anything about it, but I'm worried that at some point, she'll kill someone. If we had a website like this, where photo evidence could be used to tag aggressive drivers, maybe we could make some headway with police. Otherwise, it'll always be a heavily biased "he said, she said"

Stefano

[stella-azzurra]

Are you guys riding single file?
With today's technology there is no way they can hide.
Everyone can be found.

[kac]

Most bike accidents occur at intersections where a car is making a turn and the cyclist gets hit...
If you like to ride outside with vehicles then you will need to train yourself to be more self aware of your surroundings and ride in a matter that avoids vehicles.

If you ever browse some of the more newb cycling sites, you'll see a lot of riders report almost getting hit or actually getting hit. If you bother to inquire about the details and they tell you, it is almost most always caused by the cyclist doing something stupid.

Another is simply not taking reasonable precautions to be seen. That black kit might be cool, but it also makes you invisible in some conditions... wear bright colors that show up. If you are riding towards the sun, then drivers overtaking you can't see you... always use a bright flashing tail light in those situations. And be *very* cautious about drivers ahead of you waiting to pull onto the road... don't assume they see you, and ride as though they won't.

Another is riding in the gutter... inviting cars to ignore you and "squeeze" by. If there is no shoulder, then half that right lane is mine... you can pass when it is clear, or if I decide it's safe and move over.

I'm not sure what the basis is for the assertion that "...it is almost always caused by the cyclist doing something stupid". That is most certainly not indicative of the totally unbiased and statistically valid prospective observational study I've carried out which suggests something quite to the contrary (note: comment dripping with sarcasm but, by way of explanation, I was nearly side-swiped by a pickup truck just this afternoon on a rural road).

I agree with the comment on "...taking reasonable precautions to be seen" but I'd suggest that daytime "running lights" will do a lot more to enhance visibility than wearing bright colors (and the lights are probably cheaper, too).

[WMW]

Not sure why you clipped this part, but left the rest: "One of the most common is passing cars on the shoulder... while being oblivious to how dangerous that is. They think "ha ha, all the cars are in a traffic jamb, and I'm blowing buy them at 30 mph"... and then one of those cars they are passing pulls into a parking lot, or a car from the opposing lane turns left in front of them."

If you aren't doing stupid stuff, then that won't be an issue for you... and your likelihood of serious injury and death will be a lot less than it is for some people.

The lights really do help a lot, and you don't need expensive ones IMO.

[kac]

There's this on London cycling deaths:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/n ... owe-london" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and there's also this:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... is-johnson