Originally Posted by
Phil_gretz
You may be operating under a false assumption here. Of the struck and killed riders that I read about, the vast majority are experienced bicyclists. Often, they are cycling advocates, long-time riders, and commuters. Like you, I haven't taken the time to research this, it's simply my instincts after having read of cycling deaths in the last decade.
I think that inexperienced riders generally are aware of their limitations and hesitate to accept the risks of riding in traffic. Newer riders stick to MUPs and the like. That's my sense anyway.
Based on absolutely no statistical data whatsoever....I think you are correct.
I know when I started commuting I went out of my way to avoid roads like they were cancer. I was terrified of the idea of riding on the street with cars. I'm comfortable with it now and do it every day, but I can't sit here and say my risk level hasn't gone up by riding on roads. It's gone up considerably.
I just cannot believe that there are large numbers of rookie riders who say "I'll go ride in traffic. Seems safe."
I'm sure there are a few. And I'm sure they do dumb stuff that puts them at a higher than average risk. But I have to believe that the VAST MAJORITY of people riding on the roads do it regularly.
I'll go a step further to say that the people new at riding on the road are more aware of their surroundings than someone who's been doing it for years. When I first rode on the street with traffic I remember being HYPER AWARE of my surroundings because it was all new and scary. Now that I'm comfortable with it I'm still paying attention but I'm not laser focused on every possible danger due to fear.
People who've been riding for 25 years and feel totally safe.....that's a big danger. You should never feel totally safe when riding in traffic. Never. There should always be that element of "If I lose focus on the road, I die." Fear does remarkable things to keep you alive. Complacency is your enemy. And new riders are usually not complacent.
There is a healthy median between terror and total complacency. Both are bad. Unbridled terror makes you do dumb things in panic. Complacency lets your think about a project at work while riding instead of paying attention to that red light. A health average of knowing you are in a dangerous situations but not begin paralyzed by it is where you want to be.