philbob57

Haven't ridden without a mirror since the day after I saw Rhode Gear's first ad 30 years ago or so. I could hear pretty well then, which is how I know that helmets can change sound.

Kapusta

Actually, without factoring the percentage of people that participate in an activity, the number of deaths per 100,000 does not tell ANY story about the relative dangers or chances of dying while participating in the said activity. Nothing. Nada. Zip. It is utterly meaningless, and in this case completely misleading.

For example: what do you think the number of deaths per 100,000 are due to playing Russian Roulette? I am going to guess it is zero, or very close to it. Does that mean it is safer than cycling or driving? No. It is that low because means nobody (or almost nobody) is playing it.

If you are going to use driving deaths to put cycling deaths into context, you need to consider the number of people actually participating in each. I've looked into this in the past and specific numbers are (unsurprisingly) hard to pin down, but it is clear that the number of people cycling is a tiny fraction of those driving or riding in a car. Regular driving outnumbers regular cycling AT LEAST 6 to 1 with the most conservative estimates I find (i.e., fewest estimated drivers, and most estimated cyclists), and that is not including people who are passengers in the cars. I think the reality is that the ratio is much higher than that.

So factor that in to the numbers you give, and you get a picture that being a regular cyclist is statistically much more likely to kill you than being a regular driver (or passenger).

I'm not saying that deaths per 100,000 on its own is not a useful statistic. It is very useful for answering certain questions (just not the one the OP is asking). It is very useful when deciding where to focus public resources/effort to save the most lives.

I agree, that would be a lot more accurate. Or by the amount of time people spend cycling or driving. I am going to guess that either one of those (especially distance) would show cycling even more risky compared to driving.

I'm not being alarmist, or suggest that one should not cycle on the road... I do it all the time. But I would not downplay the risks, either.

eepok

Education, Experience, and a Role Model. That's what you need.

Education is more than just knowing facts (laws and stats). The League of American Bicyclists and Cycling Savvy both have great curricula to help you become a genuine competent road user on a bicycle. Most people I've known to go through those courses also say they're better drivers as a result. One of the most important things you learn from either course is that YOU INFLUENCE YOUR SAFETY. In many instances, you can nearly CONTROL the safety of a situation. Once you have that with you, most of your road fear melts away.

After that, you need experience. You need to see your education implemented.

Lastly, most people need some sort of competent on-road role model. See how it's done. Learn a little nuance. Someone to instill bicycle wisdom as much as bicycle competence.

dharring67

I have been riding in Atlanta for 25 yrs (urban). Never hit. This year, hit 3x. Worst was last week and it put me in emergency room with serious injuries. NOT riding on the road anymore. Switching back to MTB, where my level of danger/risk is controlled more by myself. I am done with riding on the road.

tvboy2

Hey, I get it but I’ve been hit once and Inrarely think about it.

I do use a taillight and front daylight warning light that’s like 800 Lumens which helps people see you at cross streets and from behind in their mirrors.

I also don’t do anything unpredictable like quick cuts across lanes. If you need to take a lane, do it decisively and over-play the hand/arm signals. If you attitude is “I’m riding here!” almost every car yields. And the ones that honk or yell? Just wave and say thanks.

Every passion has risks. Sure, a drunk or a texted could get you, but that could happen on foot or in your car.

Get out there!



QUOTE=einstruzende;21055835]I was a pretty serious cyclist from 2003 through 2010, and ended up switching to running for years. Trying to go back to cycling, but I find I am now convinced I'm going to be hit by a car and killed.

I know, statistics probably say better chance of getting hit by lightning or something, but it's always there, and it is almost paralyzing my motivation.

Anyone go through this? I did have one cycling acquaintance die on the road back in 2009, I think that has something to do with it. He seemed invincible.[/QUOTE]

stephr1

Absolutely! A little bit of fear can keep the senses in a more "hyper" state and, hopefully, make one much more situationally aware of surroundings and potential "hazards" (including possibly anticipating dumb things people might do).

I wanted to add that my ride (mtn. bike) takes me part on trail (mostly paved with a few off-pavement areas for some fun , part on street. I also ride just at sun up so the car count is at minimum (during the Summer....no so much in winter). Fewer cars, reduced no. of chances for having an idiot ruin my morning....not that a few haven't tried

As one motivational speaker is supposedly quoted as saying (might have been Tony Robbins):

"Feel the fear....and do it anyway."

My saying as applies to my biking:

"Be smart. Be safe. And always have a plan b, c, d, etc."


.

GaryTheSnail

I used to ride in the road. I got hit once, and it was a lucky hit with minor injuries. I considered that a wake up call. Now I only ride on gravel or trails.

It's not IF you will get hit, it's WHEN you will get hit, and how bad your injuries will be. Do you feel lucky?

stephr1

"Well, do you, punk?"

Dave Cutter

A little harsh... and to-the-point... but not wrong.

I have, and experience, every emotion know to humankind. Of course.... the entire animal world has those very same emotions. As a human... I try to control my emotions BECAUSE I CAN... and that control is to my own benefit.

Cycling is safe. Discard the fear. Experience the joy.

Cactus Jack

I was a walker turn cyclist I must admit I've had more run-ins walking with cars that I have with cycling they seem more courteous then when I was walking. Crosswalks with right turns are the most dangerous. Drivers are looking left for on coming traffic while slowing down but not stopping to make the right turn. Always wear a helmet when cycling.

trek800

I have had few misses by cars and one accident with another biker. I was driving a car when a biker rear end me. The biker was bruised and mostly embarrassed. He picked up his bike and carried to the side of the road with a bent front rim.

Now a days, I only bike on quiet suburban roads and bike trails. Even being on the trails is not safe. A woman was walking on a bike trail and the car driver fell asleep and killed the woman. That is the problem; a biker only weighs a few pounds compared to the monster SUV which weighs thousands of pounds. Since SUV are the preferred over lighter cars, the danger for anything smaller is greater. What is a dent fender on the SUV is death or severe injury to a biker.

Life is unfair and then you die. So find a place to bike where your fear is minimum and keep riding.

Cycle Tourist

Well said. Occupy your space in traffic and be seen. Riding with traffic is easy and relatively safe if your seen. Communicate with drivers with gestures, eye contact
and the like.
Riding with RVs on narrow shouldered roads in a fully loaded touring bike can be daunting but the usual commute in heavy traffic on city streets is pretty safe. Be seen. Occupy the space you need and let drivers know your intentions. You'll be busy so fear won't have as much chance to enter in.

db9091

Most unsafe time is in the dark. I had a guy, who stopped at a sign, still almost drive into me right in front of him with blinking lights!
Daylight with a group is safest. I do greenways 80% of the time and roads to connect as I need to unless with a group or training for a century.
(but we do have an amazing set of greenways here, many not on the maps)

In my area, RDU in NC, Wake County drivers and cyclists have risen, but the rate of <2 deaths per year has stayed the same these last 18 years.
Now pedestrians are being killed in droves (60-70 a year in Wake Co.) which I attribute to pedestrians being on phones more than drivers being on them.

I do find that riding in the road gets more respect from drivers than being in a crosswalk like a pedestrian. Bikes are not treated as pedestrians by drivers (cause they don't know the law) and thats even when walking with the dumb bike!

In the end, I'm with the attitude of "die on the road is better than dying of old age".

As to radar, my Garmin has an nice little dot. It shows me the relative place in line of cars, and relative speed, and I'm sure I'll be able to see the nice dot approaching that hits me. Radars don't save you.
The only use of the radar is to tell when an annoying idiot is riding your blind spot, too timid to pass you, so I can wave them by me. So it cost $400 to add that feature!

jkinner

I’ve been riding over 40 years and haven’t been hit or brushed yet and I want to keep it that way. I stay to the right as much as possible, but won’t hesitate to occupy an entire lane if there is no shoulder or a very narrow shoulder, but will enable cars to pass me at first opportunity. What bothers me the most today are the distracted drivers - those using their smart phones while driving (and not hands free). When I look in my mirror and see the driver’s head down and the car drifting to the right towards me I know they are texting or checking something on their smartphone. And I haven’t been wrong yet. I see the same thing when I’m driving my car - driver’s head down, car drifting to the right. And by the way it isn’t limited to smart phones. Drivers today are being looking at the screens in their cars - checking navigation, changing stations, maybe even surfing the web - all while driving. The solution is for you to become a bigger distraction than their smart phone or in car screen. Wear bright clothes - I’m referring to fluorescent yellow and orange. Have a strobe flashing toward oncoming drivers. If you are long distance tourer consider getting a small flag for the back of your bike as well. If warranted, take up the entire lane - you have the same rights to the road as any motor vehicle operator. Now get back on that bike.

KraneXL

You can't convince someone that the roads are safe, especially when they're looking for reasons to believe otherwise. The best you can do is to address the origins of their fears, and help them deal with and overcome them.

You can't just say to someone "get over it" and their fears to go away. Its a lot more complicated than that. Furthermore, it has to be something they really want to do. Which I suspect, is not the case here.

This is like a phobia: an irrational fear. Its like saying snakes are dangerous, which they're not. People aren't on a snakes food list, and they only get bitten when we encroach onto their territory and step on them.

Richard60463

You might be a serious rider so limiting your riding to bicycle trails might not be of interest to you but that's what my Wife and I do; no cars allowed...

Lake Ontario

I know, I pwanged a guy and Im a real cautious driver. Usually. I was turning left into my neighborhood and turned in front of an oncoming biker. He was able to slow up a lot but still hit my fender and flew over my hood to land in the grassy median. I was so shook up I thought I was going to puke. He was a good guy though and didnt punch my lights out like I deserved. A bike rider myself, Ive bike-racked to a farmy country road with few cars and mostly tractors ever since. I ride out there almost daily and never saw anybody till a guy came out of his pole barn with a sign that said "lemonade?"... well sure, why not. Now the ride includes an apple for Ben and Jerry, his two donkeys. Find a farm road and relax.

AlmostTrick

+2

A common mistake those with fear of traffic make is to ride meekly, doing everything they can to "stay out of the way of cars"... even when there is not enough space to safely do so. This could be called the "ride the right edge all the time and hope for the best" technique.

The problem is this increases the chance that drivers won't see or properly take these cyclists into account. The law allows for using the lane, and many times it's the safest way to handle certain situations. For safety, there are times where drivers are going to have to slow down behind us for a bit, and we have to be comfortable with this. But it only comes with training and practice. Ride Large and Take Charge.

chaw418

If your fear of getting hit is greater than the fun of taking that risk. Then maybe cycling ain't for you.

If you are motivated to overcome it. Start with baby steps.

Go on cycling roads with no car around then move closer and closer to the city as you get more confortable.

cs1

No need to be afraid. If you get hit by a car it ends rather quickly. You’ll be dead before you know what hit you.

ofgow

As Skipjacks eloquently said:

"You should be scared. It is dangerous.

That fear keeps you alert and keeps you alive. It makes you hyper aware of your surroundings so you see danger developing before it happens. That fear is good.

But it should be a mild fear, not a paralyzing fear. The fear shouldn't overpower your enjoyment. But a little fear....it a very healthy thing."

We recently moved to a semi-rural area very popular with cyclists. I ride a 25-mile loop (alone) on narrow two-lane country roads with no shoulders three mornings each week. It is scary and, perhaps, a bit dangerous. I use a mirror & lights, wear helmet & brightly colored garments, and ride defensively. If I could choose recreational trails or group rides instead, I would. Unfortunately, the few available trails wouldn’t give me the convenience of riding from my door or the climbing I need to do for my training, and the group rides available are all too fast for me (I’m old). So, this is who I am and this is what I need to do.

Sean Rothar

This is what I would say

If you’re out there, don’t concern yourself with the niceties of the rules of the road, just be seen – lights, hi-vis etc

I’m not saying be a dick, but splitting lanes and owning your space are fine – if they can see you, they won’t hit you.

On the road, at any given moment you are trying to anticipate the stupidest thing anyone in your field of vision or sound (motorist or pedestrian) can do. Is this door gonna open? Is this guy gonna make a right? Will this jaywalker freeze in the crosswalk when he sees me?
We scan for these behaviours, like we do potholes and glass on the surface, we internalize it.
We make the fear work for us through vigilance.

Have a good bell, don’t be afraid to shout.

I feel these actions will greatly reduce your risk.

You don’t want anyone to love you, just not kill you.


Listen, if we’re lucky, we’ll get to be old men, and the time will come when we won’t be able to bike anymore.

When that time does come, don’t look back and wonder if you should have.

Good luck.



Very sorry to hear about your friend.

livedarklions

Well, it sure beats dying on your couch from an infection of flesh-eating bacteria.

AliceCuriouse

Your anxiety response to cycling is a very normal development given that you had a traumatic experience (yes, a cycling acquaintance's death is a legitimate traumatic experience) follow by a long period of not cycling. Give the window of time that you were cycling before and after the death, I wouldn't be surprised if the death contributed to your stopping cycling in 2010.

So since you stopped cycling, the anxiety hasn't had time to work itself out -- it's stayed dormant but very much alive until you decided you wanted to cycle again -- this is how trauma works in the body. All of the "rational" responses to your post suggest that people think your response goes against reason, but they would all respond the very same way if they were in your body and situation. It's very normal. And it's also very normal for people try try to reason away their trauma response, but...never works.

Anyhow, the way to deal with the trauma is to proceed forward very, very gradually and stop and listen to what your emotions are telling you. The only way to bring the emotions up so you can deal with them is to get on the bicycle -- even a very small amount -- and then when you feel anxiety, you can stop and listen to yourself. You can even let just pulling out the bike and gearing up let the anxiety come up and then start to think about what is going on, if you have memories or what your fears are...and give yourself time to think about them and respond however you need to emotionally.

If you try to push the fears away (as is being suggested here) you'll end up completely ignoring your body, which is a very bad thing to do when you're on a bike. But it will take a lot of time and patience (maybe less than you think), but give yourself permission to go forward very incrementally for as long as it takes. What's key is that you don't stop looking at it, and don't try to push your feelings away.

AlmostTrick

The thing is, pretty much everyone knows someone who was killed in a car wreck and almost no one thinks twice about getting in a car. I used to frequent car forums and don't recall ever seeing a thread about fear of dying while driving.

The common over concern with bicycle risk and near lack of concern with car death and injury is clearly out of line with the actual risks and statistics. Kinda odd when you think about it. Oh well, it makes me look "brave" I suppose. I've actually have had people tell me I'm brave for pedaling to work. If they were to see video's of my rides they'd likely be surprised at how uneventful they actually are.