Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:39:16 -0000, "pk" said
in :

Which does not actually change the documented fact that pedestrians
are far more likely to be injured on the footway by motorists than
cyclists.

I think the fact that is documented it the number of reported injuries not
the number of injuries per se, there is after all a legal duty to report
motor accident causing injury there will be close to 100% reporting of car
related injuries but a far lower proportion of the minor cycle/pedestrian
collisions will be reported.

Reporting of injuries does indeed vary according to severity and
cause. Nearly all fatalities, and most serious injuries, are
recorded. Trivial injuries are mostly unreported, we can only infer
things form the relative prevalence of those injuries which are
reported. For example, we know that half of all injury admissions
to hospital are due to simple trips and falls, and many of these are
on footways. My council says that the major cause of footway trips
is damage to the footways by motor vehicle encroachment.

probably better, though, to stick with the figures we do have rather
than suppositions. And also probably better to look to the causes
and how they might be fixed, rather than advocating draconian
responses to the symptoms. Especially since the symptom is, in many
cases, entirely legal now.

Guy

If cyclist did not break the law by cycling on footways, the number of
incidents (both reported & unreported) would go down.

--
Tony the Dragon