Let me say, first of all, that I am a cyclist.

There has been a lot of publicity lately about the dangers of cycling, especially in London. Much of this has been directed at drivers, and in particular, drivers of large lories and buses. Not so much has been said about the responsibility cyclists should have for their own safety.

A problem is never solved unless all aspects of the causes are acknowledged and resolved.

From 2001 for five years, when I moved to Kingston, I mostly commuted to and from Westminster on my scooter. It was then that I really began to realise just how inconsiderate the majority, and I really do mean the majority, of cyclists can be. I do not just mean by cycling on pavements, jumping red lights and, most unacceptable of all, not even slowing down when traffic stops at zebra crossings. But also by the way they weave in and out of traffic. This leaves other road users having to avoid them – often very difficult for a young child or the elderly.

It is all very easy to accuse drivers of not considering the safety of cyclists when they are involved in an accident, but that always begs the question, has the cyclist given the same consideration to their own safety, that they expect from others.

Those little messages for cyclists, sampled here, seen on large vehicles must have been noticed by many. These people could be forgiven for thinking the advice is painfully obvious. So why do, what we must assume to be the intelligent to highly intelligent, need to be reminded about this? Perhaps it’s the Lycra effect! Do too many cyclist not only imitate the dress of our successful sports cyclists but also their desire to race? Certainly, observing the way cyclists behave has led me to believe they do the race. This leads them to take too many risks.

Except when taking part in organised road races, the road should only be used for cycling, not racing.

There is another important safety measure that the majority of cyclists do not consider, or appreciate. Visibility. Cycles are very small, very quiet vehicles that can often be missed, especially when ridden at speed. It therefore makes sense to intensify the visibility, which is most easily done by cyclists wearing hi viz clothing. In areas where there are many cyclists, those that wear hi viz clothing really stand out. It may only take seconds longer to recognise a cyclist in dark clothing, but those seconds could be absolutely crucial in avoiding accidents.

Going back to the accidents with large lories. Although the accidents, and especially fatal accidents, received a lot of publicity – and I don’t have a problem with that – I do not recall many leading to the arrest of the driver, let alone prosecution. If this is the case, does this suggests the cyclist was in partly to blame? The call for large lories to be banned at certain times of the day may be a popular political ‘sound bite’ but is it in any way justified? The effects on society as a whole should also be considered.

Should further legislation be considered?

I wonder how many cyclists familiarise themselves with the Highway Code before they start to cycle. This is compulsory for all other vehicle users. It may be difficult to enforce but if a voluntary theory test for cyclists was available, a certificate to this effect may help them show they are serious about safety. It may also make them a better cyclist!

There is legislation making motorcyclists wear a helmet (and I remember the protests this cause at the time). Should this be extended to cyclists, although most do wear one.

Should the use of hi viz garments be compulsory? They are in many areas of employment. Some researchers conclude that they do not make a difference whilst others believe they do. But surely the most important consideration should be if there is a possibility that safety is improved, they should be worn. Oh! and as they are so widely used, this could not be considered “a breach of their human rights”.

And Finally

There are other considerations that should be taken into account. I have heard a number of people complain that when they ask a cyclist not the cycle on a pavement, they just get abuse. Cyclists who cycle on roads when there is adequate provision of a cycle lane shared with pedestrians can cause unnecessary traffic hold ups, and annoyance. Once whilst driving round the roundabout near the Kingston Gate, Richmond Park a cyclist almost collided with me because he was cycling the wrong way around the roundabout. He tried to argue that he had the right of way! Cyclists should remember that they are very vulnerable, so if they go out of their way to antagonise other road users, those other road users will inevitably be antagonised. That may make them far less concerned about the safety of cyclists.

Encouraging other road users to be concerned about the safety of cyclists, is mostly the responsibility of cyclist.