Cyclists need to be protected from other traffic, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.
Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:
“Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users. Every single one of my friends who cycle regularly has had a potentially-fatal clash with a motor vehicle.”
“The only real way to protect cyclists from these clashes is to separate them from motorists. Cycle lanes are a good start, but ultimately, there needs to be a physical barrier between cyclists and motor vehicles, so the two can’t collide.”
Matthew-Wilson says the major problem is that road planners tend to see cyclists as a nuisance rather than legitimate road users.
“Road planners tend to see the road as a pipe: the more vehicles you fit through the pipe, the better. However, this sort of road planning inevitably causes competition between motorists and cyclists. The end result is multiple deaths, countless injuries, and a population that is increasingly scared to ride bicycles on public roads.”
In 2010, there were 10 recorded cycling deaths, 149 serious injuries and 695 minor injuries. However, says Matthew-Wilson, many incidents simply go unreported.
“It’s time for the government to stop treating cyclists as a nuisance and instead to start treating cyclists as valued citizens who ease congestion, reduce pollution and save fuel. Aside from the weather, the only real downside to cycling is the road conditions that the cyclists have to endure.”
