advocacy Archives - Page 3 of 4

Why cycle in the middle of the road?

June 13, 2014 by tejvan

I recently heard a cycle campaigner who suggested that one of the best tips for cycling position on the road is to always cycle one metre from the edge. Interestingly, the Dept of Transport have also given out advice to cyclists that it is advisable to cycle 1 metre from the edge (Direct Gov link).

The problems is that although this is good advice, motorists can get very impatient when they see a cyclist in ‘middle of the road’.

One metre from edge is just over 3 feet and much further out in the road than the average cyclist will generally be. In fact I remember when I was very young and starting to cycling someone told my I should cycle in line with the outside of drains (basically 1 feet). When I was looking through photos of people cycling in Oxford, it was much easier to find people cycling by double yellow lines than it was 1 metre from the edge!

Even Transport for London advise taking the lane in certain circumstances.

Stay central on narrow roads. Try to ride away from the gutter. If the road is too narrow for vehicles to pass you safely, it might be safer to ride towards the middle of the lane to prevent dangerous overtaking by other vehicles.

drains — Don’t feel obliged to ride in the gutter.

For many years I thought that is where I should be. But, I don’t advise this position.

Benefits of Cycling 1 Metre from Edge

If you are 1m from edge, you are more visible to cars turning right. This avoids the “Sorry, I didn’t see you mate type accidents”

The car doesn't see the bike hugging the curb. But, he does see Bike 2 out in the middle of the road. — The car doesn’t see the bike hugging the curb. But, he does see Bike 2 out in the middle of the road.

You are more visible to cars turning right.
You are more visible to cars coming from behind
It is harder for cars to turn left just in front of where you are cycling. This is a big problem where cars overtake cyclists and then soon turn left, leaving you squeezed on the inside.
It gives you more flexibility to avoid potholes. If you are in the gutter and swerve out a foot to miss a pothole cars will sometimes beep because they are overtaking you too closely. But, with a metre you have room to move in
It is where motorbikes tend to position themselves.
It could make cars more careful in overtaking because they can’t squeeze through when traffic is passing in opposite direction. They have to wait for a genuine gap.
You avoid nasty accidents from cars opening their doors into your path and other obstacles in the road
Sometimes cars will be in a long line. The car immediately behind you might see you, but if they overtake close to you, the 2nd car in line might not

Cycling and health

June 11, 2014 by tejvan

Cycling offers significant health benefits from the increased aerobic fitness. Given the rise in health problems associated with physical inactivity and obesity, cycling could play a major role in improving the nations health.

Health benefits of regular physical exercise

Reduces the risk of dying prematurely
Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease
Reduces the risk of developing diabetes
Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure
Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure
Reduces the risk of developing colon and breast cancer
Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety
Helps control weight
Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints
Helps older adults become stronger and
promotes psychological well being

However in cost-benefit analysis of transport, health issues are often ignored. Unfortunately, concerns over the safety of cycling deter many from one of the most accessible forms of exercise. The tragedy is that as people lead increasingly stationary lives this causes hidden problems such as rising levels of diabetes and heart disease.

The rise in motor transport and decline in cycling / walking

The post war period saw a sustained fall in pedestrian and cycle transport. In the post war period, transport policy was driven by the attempt to accommodate the growth of motor transport. However, combined with a decline in manual labour, this era saw a sharp fall in physical exercise and a resultant increase in health problems.

Rather belatedly, transport policy has begun to acknowledge wider issues such as health, quality of life in determining transport policy.
For example, in 1998 the Integrated Transport White Paper A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone made the acknowledgement that

“The way we travel is making us a less healthy nation.”

Cycling and Health Statistics

Perceptions about the dangers of cycling deter many from cycling. But, in perspective, mortality rates from cycling are much lower than the ‘silent killers’ , such as heart disease.

UK Deaths in 2003

All Cyclists – 113
All road users – 3,471
Cancer due to inactivity – 28,016
CHD / Stroke due to inactivity – 57,322

Source: McPherson, Klim. (2002). Coronary heart disease: estimating the impact of changes in risk factors; Klim McPherson, Annie Britton and Louise Causer. – London

Despite cycling often being perceived as a ‘dangerous’ exercise. Society is arguably ignoring the hidden dangers of sedentary lifestyles.

Net health benefits of cycling

There have been various studies which show the net health benefits of cycling.

One of the largest was the Copenhagen Center for Prospective Population Studies It involved 13,375 women and 17,265 men aged 20-93 from a population of 90,000 living in central Copenhagen. Of this group 14,976 cycled regularly.

The study found that even including risk factors from cycling (injury), those who did not cycle experienced a 39% higher mortality rate than those who did. (Study)

Copenhagen has a low accident rate helped by good cycling infrastructure. But, the size of the study shows the great potential for health gains from a city which encourages cycling.

Risk factor of mortality depending on levels of fitness

Another study suggesting an inverse relationship between mortality rates and levels of fitness.

Exceeding the speed limit

June 6, 2014 by tejvan

Recently, I was researching an article – Cycling Facts – one interesting thing I came across is how in the 1920s American pedestrians were successfully demonised for crossing the road. A strong road lobby decided it would be good to shame pedestrians who wanted nothing more than to cross the road (and therefore inconvenience motorists). A law was passed making jaywalking illegal (In the US pedestrians can only cross a road at a marked crossing – if you cross the road where you feel like it, you could end up with a fine of $200). But, this law was also accompanied with a sophisticated campaign to make pedestrians seem outdated and ‘dangerous’. – Successfully taking blame away from the real cause of the surge in road accidents – speeding motorists.

According to the BBC

Clowns were commonly used in parades or pageants to portray jaywalkers as a throwback to rural, ignorant, pre-motor age ways.

Another ruse was to provide local newspapers with a free service. Reporters would submit a few facts about local traffic accidents to Detroit, and the auto industry’s safety committee would send back a full report on the situation in their city.

“The newspaper coverage quite suddenly changes, so that in 1923 they’re all blaming the drivers, and by late 1924 they’re all blaming jaywalking,” Norton says.

Breakdown of all trips made in the US

Driving: 83%
Walking: 10.4%
Other (includes cycling): 4.2%
Public transport: 1.9%

Source: National Household Travel Survey, 2009

Speeding drivers

Source: Gov.uk

Speeding drivers kill every year. In the UK, there are 2,500 deaths on the road. These are not caused by cyclists or pedestrians, but almost entirely by cars, lorries and buses.

Yet, speeding has no real social stigma. There is no outrage from British newspapers at the preventable accidents caused by speeding drivers. In fact, the only outrage you are likely to get is the fact that speeding cameras ‘caught you’ i.e. breaking the law.

The real cost of cheap motoring

June 2, 2014May 31, 2014 by tejvan

Other the past two decades, the real cost of motoring has fallen. Despite increases in petrol tax, motoring is getting cheaper – whilst other forms of transport, bus and train have been increasing faster than inflation. With the political popularity of freezing petrol tax, we are likely to see motoring continue to be relatively cheaper. But, although cheaper motoring seems attractive, the drawback is that it will contribute to a marked rise in congestion and very different costs to motorists and society.

Even a study by the RAC also shows that the real cost of motoring has fallen. – Even though you frequently hear about hard pressed motorists.

Cost of travel since 1988.

Spot the hard pressed motorist.

The RAC state:

28% cheaper to buy and run a car, excluding fuel costs, in 2008 than 1988. (RAC)
However, motorists do pay £45bn in fuel duty, VAT, new car tax and the road fund licence.

Cycling rates 2012/13

May 13, 2014 by tejvan

Cycling UK

According to the Department of Transport, The prevalence of cycling in England (at least once a month) reduced from 15.3% to 14.7% in the year to October 2013.

This decline in reported cycling rates is disappointing given cycling’s relatively high profile in the past couple of years. The fall in cycle rates could be attributed to several factors.

High profile accidents reported in media

2013-cycle-casualties-per-bn-km

Cycling casualties per bn km cycled have been increasing since 2008

Little change in cycling provision
End of recession and relatively lower petrol prices.

Refresher for drivers

May 3, 2014May 3, 2014 by tejvan

This letter to the Manchester Evening News, puts it quite well.

Not too much to add. But, always good to see a bit of un-emotional common sense.

Deserves to be shared because it can make a big difference in reducing unnecessary stress, anger and accidents on the road.

Would be nice to see something like this as part of Driving test / learning to drive

Related

Tips for commuting by bike

Jeremy Clarkson tries cycling

March 3, 2014 by tejvan

Whenever I hear Jeremy Clarkson make an irritating comment about cyclists (like why are they in middle of lane?) My instinctive reaction is to think – why don’t you try cycle through London? It might give a very different perspective.

To be fair to the great controverst (1) yesterday, finally saw Jeremy Clarkson get on a bicycle, (dressed up in suitably ridiculously looking yellow spandex with labels still showing). Top Gear is a mildly, tongue in check comedy – relying on the ‘cheeky chappy’ humour of three ageing men. It was never going to be a balanced investigation into the world of sustainable transport in London. It was never going to be a sympathetic look at the difficulties cyclists face – you can always get a few more laughs by talking about putting toothpaste (chamois cream) in your nether regions than you can talking about the optimal space to give people on a bike. But, overall, I thought it was good, even if some parts were rather cringeworthy.

Some of the public service videos they made, warning of the dangers of cycling where wickedly funny. The video with martin Luther King, Gandhi and John Lennon getting assassinated with the end motto ‘righteousness is no guarantee of safety’ appealed to a black sense of humour, though I felt suitably guilty for laughing at the same time.

bus-lone-survivor-undertaking — Clarkson didn’t like being squeezed by buses

Amidst all the usual generalisations of cyclists and cringe worthy characterisations, it was still kind of cathartic to see Jeremy Clarkson cycling squeezed precariously between two big buses and having great difficulty turning right. This is the real reality of cycling in London.

On a serious point, if you’re having difficulty turning right – trying taking a more central position in the lane. You can’t always ride in the gutter and rely on your bright yellow jacket to get in the best position.

He might not have admitted it in the video, but a few hours cycling around London, must have given some insight into the difficulties faced by cyclists. And it’s something I wish other people would do (especially those newspaper columnists from the Daily Mail et al.) The best way to promote better road manners is to have greater empathy and concern for the well being of other road users. If you see cyclists as an alien species who only annoy people by going through red lights, you won’t be inclined to give them space or time. But, when you’ve struggled to turn right yourself, you might just have a little more patience with a cyclist moving away from the gutter trying to turn right.

Clarkson made a claim he was given plenty of room by all taxis, vans and cars (which I don’t believe for a moment). But, you know with Clarkson there would have to be a new group to blame. Yes, buses are hard.

(1) (I think I might have just made up this word, but it means – he who enjoys being controversial)

Related

Clarkson made a point cyclists create more room for normal people (or another way of putting it – helps to reduce the worst traffic congestion)
Tips for commuting by bicycle

The cost of congestion in the UK

November 1, 2016February 14, 2014 by tejvan

Congestion in Oxford encourages people to take an alternative. Cycling into the centre is significantly quicker at rush hour. Will the forecast increase in congestion lead to a rise in cycling rates in the UK?

No one likes sitting in a traffic jam, cycle lanes help avoid the worst of the congestion.

Traffic congestion costs include:

time lost
increased vehicle operating costs (brakes, fuel costs)
Stress of sitting in traffic jams
There are both internal costs (to driver) plus external costs to other road users and society.

The CBI estimate that traffic congestion costs the UK economy £20 billion a year. (link) Other estimates of the costs of congestion widely significantly, but you don’t need to be an economist to realise traffic jams going nowhere are an inefficient use of resources.

The big concern is that congestion is expected to increase over the next 20 years, due to rising population and increased use of cars.

Road use and time lost due to congestion

costs-congestion-cbi — CBI – UK Road congestion

In 2010, an estimated 19 seconds per mile were lost due to congestion.

By 2035, this is estimated to rise to 32 seconds per mile. This is a 68% increase in congestion from today’s levels.

Solutions to congestion

1. Build more roads. This has been the primary objective of government transport policy from the 1960s to 2000s. The number of roads has increased. But, the limitations of this approach include:

10 things that annoy the cyclist

February 11, 2014 by tejvan

A random selection of 10 things that can make life difficult for cycling on the roads.

1. Mobile phone user

waiting-narrow-road-parked-cars — You better not be using a mobile phone when you get to end of road

Last Saturday, I was feeling in a good mood, so pulled over to let a van drive on a narrow road passed many parked cars. He was driving on wrong side of road, but, sometimes it’s good to give way. After waiting for him to pass down the wrong side of the road, I looked into the van to see if he might acknowledge my action. I’m not desperate for thanks, but a brief wave is a nice gesture. Alas, the driver was completely oblivious of my presence on the road, being more interested in his mobile phone call. It’s probably a good job I did wait on the pavement as he had no concentration on the road.

2. The slam dunk

car-turning-left

Another thing that annoy me is when a car overtakes you and then turns left (or slams on the brakes going down hill) You have to be pretty alert for things like that. Bicycle brakes are not always as powerful as advanced car brakes.

3. The cycle path to nowhere

This cycle path could easily be continued straight on. Instead you’re force onto a road with cars coming off a dual carriageway roundabout at over 30mph. cycle-paths-to-nowhere

Integrated transport is a buzzword rarely applied to British cycle paths.

4. Give us room

big-bus

When big vehicles get too close breathing down your back, tailgating is the technical term. Give us space to brake

5. Passing too close

This happens everyday, all the time. It’s worse when the vehicle is fast moving and large. What happens if the cyclist needs to swerve to avoid a pothole?

Cyclists in the First world war – and don’t forget your helmet

January 30, 2014 by tejvan

I was looking through some photos from World War One. There were quite a few showing soldiers using bicycles. The British army even had a specific bicycle corps.

cyclists-through-mud — And I thought Oxford roads were bad at the moment..

Soldiers were given bicycles to help faster troop movement, but it looks this roads was too muddy to cycle on.

cyclists-shells

These cyclists don’t even seem to be wearing a cycle helmet. Talks about socially irresponsibility! I don’t see many hi viz jersey amongst the platoon either. I don’t know how they managed to avoid being run over by tanks!

And don’t get me on to their position in the middle of the road.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but it was too depressing to say anything serious about this cycling ad, which got banned for being socially irresponsible.

Cycling_ad-banned

Funny or not, around 50% of Premiership sides are sponsored by gambling companies.