Doug Kanter wrote:
"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:7maUf.1345$Qm2.273@trndny03...


I like the bike idea. But, only if roads are REALLY designed to make it
safe to use bikes. One step in that direction would be mandatory annual
driving & vision re-testing for anyone over 50. A few years back, an old
lady here hit two girls who were standing ON THE SIDEWALK. She said she
thought they were garbage cans. As much as I love biking, there aren't
many places I feel safe.

While such incidents make for great headlines, they're not indicative of
the true level of risk involved. On balance, you're probably much safer
riding a bike than you are driving a car. The health benefits of the
exercise far outweigh the risks.


That's just plain silly. If your car's tapped in a minor way by another car,
you may get a dented door or fender. If the same thing happens to you on a
bike, your risk of serious injury is vastly greater. The "if" factor isn't
so remote, either, considering that at least 80-90% of the drivers on our
roads fall into one or more of these categories:

-Clinically dead, but nobody's noticed yet
-Blind
-Drunk
-Too stupid to operate anything more complicated than a spoon
-Talking on the cell phone
-Exhausted

I'd love to see a lot more bikes in use, but until the factors on that list
are dealt with, I want a nice metal box around me.

Over 42,000 people die on the roads every year. Cycling deaths are ~700,
which means 60 times more people die in cars than on bikes. People take
driving for granted, but it's actually one of the most dangerous things
we do regulary, other than taking a shower.

In order to understand risk, you have to examine the data. Gut reactions
are almost always wrong. Look at how many people get all worked up over
West Nile Virus, when only a handful of people die from it each year. In
contrast, the flu kills around 40,000 people every year. I'm an avid
kayaker and when I discuss it with people many express concern about it
being dangerous. The average number of deaths in all forms of kayaking
in the US is 12 per year. Millions of people are afraid of flying, which
is the safest mode of transport in existence. When it comes to risk, the
perception of the average person isn't even close to the reality.