As a cyclist, you might be sick of people giving you advice. There are newspaper articles, cycling safety campaigns and much more telling you what you need to do to avoid getting hit by a car.
The fact is that cyclists generally do not hit cars. Cars hit cyclists. Telling you how to avoid being hit is like telling a child how to act and dress to avoid the school bully beating them up rather than telling the bully to stop and implementing measures to protect vulnerable students. You need to address the problem, not tell the victims to change their behavior.
Why do bicycle accidents happen?
When a bicycle accident happens, it is usually because of one if not both of these two things:
- The driver was at fault.
- The local planners did not design the streets to protect cyclists.
Do accidents happen because cyclists break rules?
Non-cyclists often complain that people on bicycles do not obey the rules of the road. Yet, a 2015 survey found that cyclists were less likely to break the rules than motorists. When they did, it was because it made them feel safer. For example, pushing off early at a red light allowed them to get clear away from drivers eager to go when the light changed. If the roads were designed better, cyclists would not need to infringe on the rules.
As a cyclist, you know you need to take extra care since you are much more vulnerable to serious injury than motorists encased in vehicles. If a driver injures you while you are out on your bicycle, seek legal help to fight for the compensation you need and deserve. You have as much right as any vehicle driver to be on the road.
