While reading the Velo Cape Breton newsletter this morning, I came
across this passage from Bob White's article on Winter Cycling:

On Feb 9, 2007, at 9:51 AM, Velo Cape Breton wrote:

> Narrow roads – as the snow accumulates the roads become narrower which
> not only tightens the traffic, but takes away our emergency “bail”
> zone. Be mindful of not only the traffic coming from behind (most
> accidents involving cyclists are from behind) . . .

I agree with his assertion that you have to remain mindful of traffic
coming from behind, just as you should remain mindful of ALL traffic
when you're on the road. However, I STRONGLY disagree with the
statement that follows: that MOST accidents involving cyclists are
FROM behind.

According to the Washington State Bicycle Collision Data for 1994 to
1996, which is available as a PDF document at BicycleSource
(http://www.bicyclesource.com/images/washington-study.pdf), "Bicyclists
being hit from behind by a motor vehicle, COMMONLY MISPERCEIVED as a
leading cause of bicycle collisions, accounted for only *5%* of all
collisions."

I've heard that particular experience echoed in study after study of
bicycle/motorist collisions from all across North America, and around
the world. The hit from behind accident is always EXTREMELY rare, and
when it DOES happen, it usually happens at night to a cyclist who isn't
carrying a proper rear light.

Since getting my current bike in August of 2004, I've only had a
handful of near misses. NONE of these have been nearly being hit by a
motorist from behind. Even motorists who squeeze me too close
generally pull out as much as they do some time before reaching me.
Most of my near collisions have been caused by motorists pulling out,
turning or changing lanes IN FRONT OF ME when they underestimated my
approaching speed or weren't looking properly in the first place.

Statistics show, and my experience has taught me, that the GREATEST
risk to a cyclist is the risk of being hit at an INTERSECTION from IN
FRONT or FROM THE SIDE. The increase in risk is caused by a simple
increase in the complexity of the rules road users must follow at an
intersection vs a straight stretch of road.

On straight sections road, the rules are fairly simple. Ride on the
right and follow the road. It's hard to make a mistake following such
simple rules.

However, the complexity of the rules increases significantly at
intersections. What YOU must do depends on which way you intend to go,
traffic signs and lane markings. You have to remember to signal, to
shoulder check, to merge into the correct lane, to position yourself
properly IN the lane, to yield when appropriate, etc. Even if you're
NOT turning, you still have to watch what everyone ELSE in the
intersection is doing, and you have to be mindful of traffic signs and
signals.

All you need to do to avoid a hit from behind is simply ride further
into the lane to encourage motorists to move into the next lane to pass
and make sure you have appropriate lights when riding after dark.

Statistically, the hit from behind is extremely rare. What causes MOST
collisions is cyclists not knowing how to deal with intersections since
there is precious little education out there to teach cyclists how to
operate on the road safely.

Improved education, both for the motorist and the cyclist, would do
wonders for the safety of cyclists in Nova Scotia. Perhaps it would
cure this rampant case of cyclist inferiority complex that most
cyclists, even some experienced ones in this province, seem to have.

"Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of
vehicles." - John Forrester, Effective Cycling

John A. Ardelli
http://pedalingprince.blogspot.com