Interesting Article on Bike Safety applicable anywhere.

[John Lewis]

Ontario Coroners Report on Bike Safety Has Lessons That Apply Everywhere
Includes recommendations and comments on helmet wearing.

http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/ontario ... where.html

john

[Oxford]

This comment is interesting and why cameras I believe help to tip the balance back in favour of the cyclist having a voice and importantly showing that potentially they are not at fault:

Whose Fault is it?

The coroner found that cyclist's behavior contributed to 71% of the accidents, through inattention, failure to yeild, or disregarding traffic signals. Drivers behaviour contributed to only 62% of the accidents, mainly by speeding, inattention or failure to yield, but the coroner suggests that this is possibly a significant under-representation of the facts because, by definition in this study, the cyclists are all dead and can't defend themselves.

[jules21]

agree Ox.

The great majority of the accidents involved the cyclist being hit by the bumpers, hood or windshield of cars. The coroner infers from this that "the majority of collisions took place when the driver was attempting to pass the cyclist."

Clearly, there is an issue here of sharing the road; the great majority of accidents are cars hitting cyclists, not cyclists hitting cars.

it appears that for many of the fatalities resulting from motorists hitting cyclists while attempting to pass, blame was at least partly apportioned to the cyclist. as the coroner noted and personal experience tells us cyclists, this is likely the result of motorists making up false accusations about the deceased cyclist's behaviour, to avoid blame, with the cyclist unable to defend him/herself.

in accounts of the investigation into scott people's death in victoria, the police appear to take a procedural approach to these investigations - acting on available evidence. it's pretty clear that will usually go against the cyclist.

fundamentally, the responsibility for safe passing should fall squarely on the motorist's shoulders.

[greyhoundtom]

it appears that for many of the fatalities resulting from motorists hitting cyclists while attempting to pass, blame was at least partly apportioned to the cyclist. as the coroner noted and personal experience tells us cyclists, this is likely the result of motorists making up false accusations about the deceased cyclist's behaviour, to avoid blame, with the cyclist unable to defend him/herself.

in accounts of the investigation into scott people's death in victoria, the police appear to take a procedural approach to these investigations - acting on available evidence. it's pretty clear that will usually go against the cyclist.

fundamentally, the responsibility for safe passing should must fall squarely on the motorist's shoulders doing the passing.

Fixed it for you.