Feedback please: new page on Chapman Central

Please could I have some feedback on this new page? It's been created
to clarify a few things about the regulars in this group and what we
stand for.

http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk:8080/web/public.nsf/documents/mini-faq-cagers

The "Cagers And Why We Hate Them" Mini-FAQ

In response to yet another story about a driver receiving a minor
sentence for killing a cyclist, one of the regulars opined that the
driver should never be allowed to drive again. This is quite mild
compared to the usual urc suggested punishments, but one or two people
spoke up for balance and giving the benefit of the doubt. Which raises
the question: why are we, who are mostly drivers ourselves, so
vehemently anti-motorist?

I think the answer is explained in two parts.

First, we, as regular cyclists, feel keenly the risks posed by
negligent drivers. We have right on our side, for the most part -
studies of collisions involving injury to cyclists consistently find
that the cyclist is to blame in a minority of cases (e.g. 27%, AA;
25%, 17% for adults, Oxford study; 31%, Metropolitan Police). So one
quickly arrives at the followoing back-of-an-envelope calculation:

* Number of cyclists injured or killed in car crashes where
cyclist is to blame: 700
* Number of drivers injured or killed in these crashes: 0
* Number of cyclists injured or killed in car crashes where driver
is to blame: 1,700
* Number of drivers injured or killed in these crashes: 0

Which explains a lot...

Second, we know that we cannot in general let off steam about our fear
and frustration in what might be termed "mixed company" because, as
TRL 549 notes, drivers have a quite extraordinary capacity for
pointing out the mote in the cyclist's eye while conveniently ignoring
the small deciduous forest in their own. (In other words, a driver is
never allowed to criticise a cyclist, however well-behaved the driver
and however badly-behaved the cyclist, since the driver is selfish
scum by definition simply because he drives, and the cyclist is
morally superior by definition just because he cycles.) I have a
theory that they are insecure, poor dears, because they know their
mode of transport is just about the most inefficient around.

So cut us some slack, we've had a hard day.

-ENDS-

Thanks,
Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound
.

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