Kentish Express Ashford & District
Shocking figures reveal dangers of cycling on roads
Almost 400 cyclists were killed or injured on Kent’s roads in a year, with impatient drivers and poorly maintained roads said to be to blame.
Canterbury was identified as the county’s most dangerous place for pedal pushers, with figures revealing 53 riders were injured - nine of which were serious or fatal.
Cyclist Jonathan Parker, who last year rode from London to Paris in world record time, is not at all surprised by the statistics from Kent County Council.
The 42-year-old said: “There are two issues which make areas dangerous: The state of the roads and the attitude of drivers.
“I travel around the county, and the roads in Tonbridge are in a better state than Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay.
“Potholes are a danger and punctures are common.
“When I have gone out to Spain in a group we have ridden several thousand miles without getting a puncture, however, here it is a different story.
“Secondly, drivers get impatient. They cannot afford to wait a few seconds behind a cyclist and go for a risky overtake which can result in serious injury for us cyclists and that is a massive injustice.”
Mr Parker says cyclists should not be forced to the side of roads when riding through big towns or cities such as Canterbury.
“We are allowed to ride two abreast and it is much safer for us to do than to ride in single file.
“Some motorists get livid and want us to ride in the gutter, but we are not supposed to.”
The Highway Code says vehicles should give cyclists “at least as much room as you would a car” and says cyclists can ride two abreast except on “narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends”.
KCC officials and police have embarked on safety initiatives, last month they spoke to drivers and cyclists, reminding them of the rules.
The council’s casualty reduction manager, Steve Horton said: “Lack of consideration or misunderstanding can easily lead to tragic consequence.”
CI Anthony Dyer added: “Nine out of 10 collisions are because of human error so it is important that we help to educate all road users on how to stay safe in order to bring the number of casualties down.”
‘Some motorists get livid and want us to ride in the gutter’