Non-Collision Cycling Incidents

[Tim Coales]

Some time ago, I participated in a survey on BetterByBike about non-collision cycling incidents. I'd slipped on something (probably diesel) on a damp club run in October 2009. While trying to get up, 2 more cyclists came down at the same place and a car nearly lost it too.

The following is some feedback from the survey. There's a link at the end if you want to participate in the survey.
Cheers!
Tim

[color=#000080]"Some time ago, you visited BetterByBike and told us about a non-collision cycling incident. We are interested in non-collision incidents because while the majority cause no injury at all, they do cause more hospital admissions than collisions between pedal cycles and moving vehicles. If we can reduce their number, it will help encourage more people to cycle.

Before the survey, people usually mentioned potholes, vehicles passing too close, alcohol, wet drain covers, slippy leaves and mechanical issues as being amongst the most common causes, so we were very surprised to find that slipping on ice was the single biggest cause reported in the study, accounting for 26% of all incidents. The next was slipping on wet roads - a long way back at 8%. We have published analysis of the results on Avonsafe's website http://www.avon.nhs.uk/phnet/Avonsafe/C ... juries.htm . Respondents to our survey were mostly people of working age. Causes of NCIs occurring to children and retired people may be very different.

We want to increase the sample size, so if you have other incidents you can tell us about please visit the BetterByBike site again, and pass the link on to your friends.

You might like to take a look at http://www.icebike.org - an American website dedicated to cycling in snow and ice that includes features on cycle clothing, bike handling skills and how to adapt bicycles to make them safer to use in these conditions by fitting studded tyres and extra wheels.

Thank you for contributing to the most in-depth study of non-collision cycling incidents carried out to date.

Rob Benington
Injury Prevention Manager
NHS Bristol
4th Floor
South Plaza, Bristol BS1 3NX

Please visit http://www.betterbybike.info/non-collision-incidents and fill in the short survey to help us improve cycle safety. Thanks."[/color]

[Amy]

I don't know about anyone else but I dislike riding on those iron covers that are now so worn and polished, especially on corners or a bit of rain...

I was wondering if we could report them to the CTC like the fill-that-hole campaign.

[nick de meyer]

this is interesting yet not really surprising, i'm not being flippant when i say that a road bike in the snow in my view is not the safest, and especially not on ice. i was v surprised by the amount of cyclists i saw cycling when it was really icy last winter, or when frosty. i'm on my mountain bike and off road in powder snow and ice asap, much safer, although ice tyres are a good idea on ice, apparently they need some bedding in first though

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="nick de meyer"]this is interesting yet not really surprising, i'm not being flippant when i say that a road bike in the snow in my view is not the safest, and especially not on ice. i was v surprised by the amount of cyclists i saw cycling when it was really icy last winter, or when frosty. i'm on my mountain bike and off road in powder snow and ice asap, much safer, although ice tyres are a good idea on ice, apparently they need some bedding in first though

[Jon H]

With elf & safety in mind, I will be proposing a motion at the AGM that all club activities in the months of December to March will be carried out on tricycles.

And anyone seen throwing away banana skins will be subject to a lifetime ban.

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="Jon Hemming"]With elf & safety in mind, I will be proposing a motion at the AGM that all club activities in the months of December to March will be carried out on tricycles.

[Dombo]

Totally agree with Nick and Snoop. Each to their own, free choice etc, but when it's icy, or risk thereof, I'll be in the woods on the mtb. Quite happy to take my chances off road in winter, though I do have some studded tyres on order for the station bike, Schwalbe Marathon Winter jobbies, and shall post a review in due course.

[nick de meyer]

does that include banana skins thrown away in the past couple of weeks, or just when it snows as they're more visible then and stand out more?

[Phil H]

Re. Jon's tricycles - I reckon a recumbent trike (e.g. Windcheetah) could be a lot of fun on ice. See if you can powerslide it round corners with a touch of opposite lock ...

[Roy Green]

To cut down on the number of vulnerable cycling vehicles, why don't we encourage more use of tandem trikes (I speak as a past club TT record holder on one!

[Andrew G]

[quote="Jon Hemming"]With elf & safety in mind, I will be proposing a motion at the AGM that all club activities in the months of December to March will be carried out on tricycles.

[Tim Coales]

What I didn't mention was...
while I waited for a check of my injured shoulder in East Surrey hospital, a guy came in on crutches with his wife. We exchanged stories in the x-ray dept - he had come off his MTB while off-roading at Reigate Hill and had broken his tibia and fibula just above the ankle
I'd just damaged my rotator cuff - although it's still giving me pain one year later

BTW, I didn't intend to start a scaremonger thread about riding in icy conditions! I just thought the survey feedback was worth considering and the more people who submit their experiences the more accurate the results.

However, having just recovered when the snow and ice set in, I didn't come out on the clubrun for several weeks more out of concern about being struck by a skidding cary as happened in Rhyll than being hurt by falling off! I witnessed so many lunatic drivers sliding their cars about as if they were WRC competitors