New Stats Show Increase in Bicycle Crashes
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/traffic/bike_crashes_2011.htm

2011 Bicycle Crashes in Fairfax County

Fairfax County had 46 reportable crashes involving bicycles in the first half of 2011. Two of these were hit and run crashes where a bicyclist was struck and the motorist fled the scene. None of these crashes involved the death of the bicyclist. In 58.7% of the crashes, the bicyclist was held at fault.

Fairfax County had an estimated 2,176 reportable crashes in the first quarter of 2011.
Crashes involving bicycles in this same period represent less than 1% of this total.

For the first half of 2010, Fairfax County had 32 reportable crashes involving bicycles.

Complete data and a map of 2010 Bicycle Crashes in Fairfax County can be found here... http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/traffic/bike_crashes_2010.htm


Attachments:

Complete List of 2011 Reportable Crashes Involving Bicycles
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/traffic/bike_crashes_2011.htm
Attachments:

well, if that's aint just fucking great..............


13 driver@fault, over TWICE as many Cyclist@FAULT

who needs to learn how to share the road, eh?

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
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> well, if that's aint just fucking
> great..............
>
>
> 13 driver@fault, over TWICE as many
> Cyclist@FAULT
>
> who needs to learn how to share the road, eh?

+1

That list needs to be tattooed on roadwarrior's fat, pasty white ass.

Under a third of the incidents were determined to be driver fault, yet the release highlights driver-fault incidents. Another useless press release that should have highlighted the most common reasons why bike riders find themselves in a collision with vehicles.

Why the fuck do bikers ride in the road, holding up traffic and putting themselves in danger, when there is an empty sidewalk next to the road?

Snapple Wrote:
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> Why the fuck do bikers ride in the road, holding
> up traffic and putting themselves in danger, when
> there is an empty sidewalk next to the road?


Because that empty sidewalk is far more dangerous than the nice, wide, safe road...according to RoadWhoreier

The main reason why you you see more accidents apparently caused by cyclists is that the majority of naturally more cautious cyclists have been driven off the roads because drivers around here do not understand how to share the road properly.

I've ridden urban, suburban and rural roads in different countries and different US cities - this area is has the worst drivers when it comes to dealing with cyclists, especially in overtaking way too close

As a result, I stick to the roads in my development and cycle trails - something I've never had to do before. Competing with mad asian minivan drivers, mexican landscapers towing fleets of mowers, petrol tankers which shouldn't be on minor roads, kids who haven't been trained to drive properly and PO'd commuters is just not worth it

When I lived abroad, I often cycled to work and many of my friends around the world still can - just not here.

There are three reasons why you don't cycle on the sidewalk. Firstly you have to stop at every minor junction which means you can never get a rhythm going, secondly its dangerous to pedestrians (which you'll know if you've ever seen the damage a bike can cause to a pedestrian) - and thirdly most of fairfax has no sidewalks.

If you live in a part of the county urban enough to have sidewalks - its urban enough for people to be able to cycle and should have dedicated cycle lanes

Thank god there is some written proof that these leotard wearing douches don't know what they're doing out on the road.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

psycho Wrote:
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> The main reason why you you see more accidents
> apparently caused by cyclists is that the majority
> of naturally more cautious cyclists have been
> driven off the roads because drivers around here
> do not understand how to share the road properly.

As evidenced by the above chart where 56% of the incidents were clear bicyclist fault and under a third are drivers' fault. It looks like the cyclists don't know how to share the road with two-ton pieces of metal.

And many were marked "unknown" which can go either way, but skews the difference.

This area is truly the worst for bicyclists. I have known people who have bicycled cross-country, and this area is the worst by all accounts. While I am sure there are bicyclists who are reckless, the attitude of most car drivers is that they don't have to share the road.

They don't recognize that parked cars take up bicycle lanes when they do exist. Road rage exists and there are frequent car accidents as a result, either a direct fight or driving erratically to catch up to each other causing accidents with themselves and/or other cars. You take people with that attitude (the attitude that causes them to feel road rage towards other car drivers) and have them driving near bicyclists and you can easily fathom why the bicyclist is at a huge disadvantage.

Basing your attitude towards bike riders on their athletic gear is ridiculous, as an aside.

46 down. Not too bad a start.

Regardless of fault, we all know which side loses in all accidents. Go fucking nuts asserting your rights to your share of the road while ignoring your own adherence to the laws. You won't make a difference. People are ignorant and they suck.

Excuse me while I set out in my car to stop all distracted driving by people using smartphones. Since I'm right and they're wrong by law, I should complete this task rather quickly and will report my success soon.

I will use my righteous smartphone to update this thread with my progress while I'm on the road. Any accident in which I am involved will entirely be the fault of those ignorant lawbreaking motherfuckers. I will be fully compensated for damages and will sustain no injuries because I'm the underdog. It is up to everybody else to look out for me because I have the most to lose and am on a mission from God. That's just how it works. I will not use the sidewalk because... are you crazy?!?!... that would be illegal.

Once everybody magically becomes considerate and aware, all will be fine and I will have vanquished this great danger to us all. Save your thank yous and applause for my inevitable victory. I want it all at once.

Bonus: Now that July 1st has passed, I get to run red lights at my discretion while on my quest. Here's a video of me in action.

The fact that invariably the driver WILL be charged and ticketed while the bicyclist isn't really irks me. WTH? If anything, the bicyclists need the reminder that they are supposed to be following the laws as well. Ticket them!

These bike threads entertain me to no end... it's so one-sided because the people who actually do bike aren't sitting around on the internet dueling wits (in the loosest sense of that word) with armchair jockeys, they're actually, you know, doing it. I envision a bunch of fats sitting at home in a La-z-boy pile of Doritos getting apoplectic about this issue, meanwhile 99.9% of the bikers are not even reading this, out enjoying the sunshine and getting a nice tan and some exercise as the wind whips through their hair. So you all can rant and rave until your arteries finally clog up and you have that long-awaited stroke, but I think it's pretty clear who's got the upper hand here. And please, go ahead and say what you want about this - I don't care, because I'll be out doing something and won't read your reply anyway. Meanwhile, your increased stress level from getting irate is just going to bring you one day closer to your inevitable demise...

Smug douche. Does it make you feel better to hope others have an eary demise.

Asshole.

Actually, I'm out on my bike quite often. If I can fit it in a backpack, I bike to the store instead of wasting gas. I try to bike a 10 mile route 3 times a week. I've never come close to getting hit. Because I pay attention, follow the rules and avoid get on any major arterial roads. Not like these self rightous, carbon fiber worshipping assholes.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

It's due to the influx of immigrants who are used to using bicycles as their primary mode of transportation in their native countries. They ride after dark, early morning, and all times of the day to and from their jobs. In addition, they're hard to spot because they're smaller than normal people and wear clothing that makes them hard to see.

tee hee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These bike threads entertain me to no end... it's
> so one-sided because the people who actually do
> bike aren't sitting around on the internet dueling
> wits (in the loosest sense of that word) with
> armchair jockeys, they're actually, you know,
> doing it. I envision a bunch of fats sitting at
> home in a La-z-boy pile of Doritos getting
> apoplectic about this issue, meanwhile 99.9% of
> the bikers are not even reading this, out enjoying
> the sunshine and getting a nice tan and some
> exercise as the wind whips through their hair. So
> you all can rant and rave until your arteries
> finally clog up and you have that long-awaited
> stroke, but I think it's pretty clear who's got
> the upper hand here. And please, go ahead and say
> what you want about this - I don't care, because
> I'll be out doing something and won't read your
> reply anyway. Meanwhile, your increased stress
> level from getting irate is just going to bring
> you one day closer to your inevitable demise...



Burke Lake Park much?