Cyclist hit and runs - what is the answer?

An 80 year old woman was knocked down and seriously injured, on the
pavement yesterday, in another cyclist hit and run incident[1].

We don't want to adopt the deeply flawed and institutionally abused
system introduced in this country for motor vehicles to combat this very
problem, and indeed already adopted for cyclists elsewhere in the world
- that is cycle registration and number plates.

The question is then, how best to halt the increasing number of hit and
run incidents perpetrated by cyclists, before the popular press force
knee-jerk cycle registration onto our statute books.

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/4547926.stm

--
Matt B

"Matt B" wrote in message
...
An 80 year old woman was knocked down and seriously injured, on the
pavement yesterday, in another cyclist hit and run incident[1].

We don't want to adopt the deeply flawed and institutionally abused system
introduced in this country for motor vehicles to combat this very problem,
and indeed already adopted for cyclists elsewhere in the world - that is
cycle registration and number plates.

The question is then, how best to halt the increasing number of hit and
run incidents perpetrated by cyclists, before the popular press force
knee-jerk cycle registration onto our statute books.

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/4547926.stm

--
Matt you can talk about it until the cows come home...the anti car brigade
will regurgiate their views, the liberal minded will spout their recycled
views, and life will grind on. The debate is like a juggernaut in that it
grinds relentlessly on and nothing will change. One needs to remember it is
not a motorist that performs a hit and run but a human being who has some
sort of problem with accepting the application of laws to him/herself and is
unwilling to face the consequences of his/her actions. Motorists are not a
seperate species to homo sapiens not matter how much you would like them to
be. I have no sympathy for their actions.

Some members of urc resemble my parents and their ilk who'd eagerly report
the latest 'despatches' of their peers from the births, marriages and deaths
columns of the local comic. Yes, death natural and unatural is where you
look for it. A morbid preoccupation with it is unhealthy.

As for legislation - how will that reduce hit and runs?

Matt B wrote:
An 80 year old woman was knocked down and seriously injured, on the
pavement yesterday, in another cyclist hit and run incident[1].

We don't want to adopt the deeply flawed and institutionally abused
system introduced in this country for motor vehicles to combat this very
problem, and indeed already adopted for cyclists elsewhere in the world
- that is cycle registration and number plates.

The question is then, how best to halt the increasing number of hit and
run incidents perpetrated by cyclists, before the popular press force
knee-jerk cycle registration onto our statute books.

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/4547926.stm

--
Matt B

FFS get the police to do their job and stop people riding on the
pavement. It is already illegal.

vernon levy wrote:
"Matt B" wrote in message
...
An 80 year old woman was knocked down and seriously injured, on the
pavement yesterday, in another cyclist hit and run incident[1].

We don't want to adopt the deeply flawed and institutionally abused system
introduced in this country for motor vehicles to combat this very problem,
and indeed already adopted for cyclists elsewhere in the world - that is
cycle registration and number plates.

The question is then, how best to halt the increasing number of hit and
run incidents perpetrated by cyclists, before the popular press force
knee-jerk cycle registration onto our statute books.

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/4547926.stm

--
Matt you can talk about it until the cows come home...the anti car brigade
will regurgiate their views, the liberal minded will spout their recycled
views, and life will grind on. The debate is like a juggernaut in that it
grinds relentlessly on and nothing will change. One needs to remember it is
not a motorist that performs a hit and run but a human being who has some
sort of problem with accepting the application of laws to him/herself and is
unwilling to face the consequences of his/her actions. Motorists are not a
seperate species to homo sapiens not matter how much you would like them to
be. I have no sympathy for their actions.

Some members of urc resemble my parents and their ilk who'd eagerly report
the latest 'despatches' of their peers from the births, marriages and deaths
columns of the local comic. Yes, death natural and unatural is where you
look for it. A morbid preoccupation with it is unhealthy.

As for legislation - how will that reduce hit and runs?

Legislating to give every child a right to cycle training might.. At
present the current provision is woefully inadequate. I'd suggest that
much pavement cycling occurs because kids haven't been taught to ride
on the road (and subsequently turn into motor vehicle operators who do
not expect cyclists to be on the road.)

...d

Matt B wrote:
An 80 year old woman was knocked down and seriously injured, on the
pavement yesterday, in another cyclist hit and run incident[1].


'Another' cyclist hit and run incident??? In the whole of the UK each
year there are only 60 or so recorded injuries due to collisions
between pedestrians and 'pavement cyclists', most resulting in minor
injuries and few of these were 'hit and runs'.

Nationally over 15% of all crashes which involve a motor vehicle and a
vulnerable road user, such as a pedestrian or cyclist, are 'hit and
runs'. In some areas over half of all crashes involving a motor vehicle
which result in death or serious injury see the driver doing a runner.
In total there are around 25,000 'hit and runs' committed by motor
vehicle drivers each year in the Uk and the total is rising every year.


Whilst I am not saying that 'hit and run's by cyclists should be
ignored they are simply symptomatic of a much greater problem in
society and when it comes to such behaviour it is the users of motor
vehicles who set the standards.

What's the answer? the only one I can see is to strive to develop a
fairer, more inclusive and equitable society where everyone is expected
to acknowledge the responsibility they have to others. In fact what's
needed is a total turn around away from the 'look after number one'
competitive individualism which dominates today towards a system which
places much more emphasis on social values.

FFS get the police to do their job and stop people riding on the
pavement. It is already illegal.

Must have had a brain fart when I originall responded as if it was a
motorist at fault. Still, the original premise holds true, talking about
irresponsible motorists/cyclists does bugger all apart from reveal the
colour of one's navel fluff.

To achieve a wholesale reconstruction of society whereby everyone acts
responsibly is as likely as hell freezing over. Witness the failure to get
folk to stop drinking and driving.

Matt B wrote:

The question is then, how best to halt the increasing number of hit and
run incidents perpetrated by cyclists,

Increasing number? Have you any actual figures showing this? The number
of actual collisons between cyclists and pedestrians is much lower now
than than it was10 years ago and certainly shows no sign of rising
significantly.

The figures below for casualties arising from collisions between
pedestrians and relate to all collisions, including those that occurred
on the road. They relate to the year and, in order, the number of
pedestrian deaths, pedestrian serious injuries, pedestrian slight
injuries, cyclist deaths, cyclist serious injuries and cyclist slight
injuries.

2001: 0, 53, 162 ..... 0, 4, 46
2002: 3, 40, 127 ..... 1, 9, 29
2003: 4, 38, 172 ..... 0, 7, 42
2004: 1, 42, 167 ..... 2, 6, 51

An answer in Hansard gives the following figures for pedestrians
injured (including slight injuries) on the 'footway or verge' as a
result with a collision involving 1) a motor vehicle and 2) a cyclist
between 2000 and 2003.

Motor vehicles Pedal cycles

2000: 3,445 ..... 77
2001: 3,504 ..... 78
2002: 3,432 ..... 65
2003: 3,453 ..... 72

http://www.publications.parliament.u...t/50316w01.htm

It is not stated but it seems likely that these figures relate to all
'not on carriageway' collision, that is including those which also
occurred on shared use pavements, pedestrianised areas and so on where
the cyclist may well have had legitimate access. A House of Commons
written answer given on 20/11/02 supports this assumption as this
states that in 2001 there were 64 collisions between cyclists and
pedestrians on pavements in the whole of the UK which resulted in a
pedestrian injury (most of which will have been minor), rather than the
'78' figure given above.

http://www.publications.parliament.u...w18.html_sbhd3

Matt B wrote:

The question is then, how best to halt the increasing number of hit and
run incidents perpetrated by cyclists, before the popular press force
knee-jerk cycle registration onto our statute books.

Matt B

Another question is whether there has been an any increase in the
number of hit and runs by cyclists or is the knee-jerk media already
misreporting the problems?

Laters,

Marz

I'm looking at doing a Channel to Med ride next year. Probably Calais to
Monpelier (sp?) and if there's enough time a pootle to Spain. I'm counting
on my basic French to carry me through. I intend to camp all of the way
and catch the coach service operated by a Teeside company back. Are there
any pitfalls for cycle tourists in France? Is there anything that I would
have difficulty buying to replace a broken part on my Dawes Galaxy?

Cheers

Vernon

vernon levy wrote:
I'm looking at doing a Channel to Med ride next year. Probably Calais to
Monpelier (sp?) and if there's enough time a pootle to Spain. I'm counting
on my basic French to carry me through. I intend to camp all of the way
and catch the coach service operated by a Teeside company back. Are there
any pitfalls for cycle tourists in France? Is there anything that I would
have difficulty buying to replace a broken part on my Dawes Galaxy?

AS long as you can manage the french for 'excuse me, pleas could you
tell me the neares place where I can find someone to weld my frame back
together' you should be fine..

...d