Why don't more people cycle?

[PhoebeMcPeePee]

I am amazed more people haven't found cycling as a form of exercise. It is a total revelation for me - 4/5 months ago I could barely get to the local shops & am now comfortably cycling 20+miles and LOVING IT! I've never really enjoyed exercise or found a sport I was any good at (used to force myself into the gym or to classes to keep trim) but I actually look forward to going on my rides. Oh and my legs have never been firmer which is always a bonus

Is it because, like me, people assume they just can't ride, or fear of traffic etc?

The stats just do not support the 'it's too dangerous' position

So why are cyclists constantly saying it needs to be made much safer with more cycle paths etc?

Too many cars for me.

Dd's bike is stored in my bedroom so I don't really want another one in there. Plus I rarely go out on my own (3 young dc)and trying to cycle with 3x6pt bottles of milk from the shop would be tricky... etc

There's statistically dangerous, and there's how it feels - the "hairiness" of it if you like. Statistically you may be relatively safe, but unless you are extremely confident you are likely to have a stressful time, feel harassed or in danger, or just not find it enjoyable being on a busy road with lorries thundering past and cars doing 45 in a 30 zone like round here. And you know if you do have an accident you are going to come off worse.

It's hard to build up the confidence. When you learn to drive you always have someone else next to you telling you what to do, you're on your own on a bike and feel a lot more vulnerable. I would love to cycle more, but the combination of difficulty of storage of bikes and traffic / parked cars (and for me lack of suitable regular journeys) puts me right off. Parked cars are a real pain for it, where I live there are lots of fairly busy roads that have little clusters of parked cars at intervals so you are having to go in and out all the time, feel vulnerable approaching junctions in case emerging drivers don't see you because of the parked cars etc.

So why are cyclists constantly saying it needs to be made much safer with more cycle paths etc? - too make it even safer obv? I am simply stating that it most road conditions, biking is not this death-challenge that people wish to portray it. And of course as more people ride it will get even safer.

I did, but DH had a bad accident a couple of years ago when a driver didn't pay attention and went onto a cycle path knocking dH off. DH shattered his kneecap and broke his leg. dD was with him and fine but if could have been do awful because of a stupid driver not paying attention.

No, they have been specifically commenting on how dangerous it is to share the road, saying how ignorant drivers are etc.

There is no way I want me or my children to share a busy road with lorries, busses, trams and cars.

Okay Soup - your choice.

Yes, it is.

My dad was a competitive cyclist and cycled everywhere as a young man.
I cycled everywhere as a child.
The roads in London are now far too busy and dangerous IMO.

Crazyoldbaglady, have you seen pictures of the Netherlands in the early 1970s? The roads could have been been anywhere in the UK, with equally bad provision for cyclists. I don't think that it's too late to change things here.

Rudy even after all these people have given their reasons??

Well quite. One planner answers the protest "But we are not Amsterdam or Utrect!" with "20 years ago neither were Amsterdam or Utrect now".

Bit of a problem in the UK is the slavish attachment to driving cars.

What do you suggest to me having absolutely nowhere to keep a bike? And no money to buy one?

I will think my reason is valid.

Unfortunately my circumstances mean that I can't currently save anything. And if I could, it would be to put away for emergencies, not to buy a bike .

And no, nowhere! I could maybe put it on my bed when not in use. Or in my baby's bedroom.

I think not wanting to get killed by a car hitting you is a very valid reason.

If it really is the norm where you live, then presumably you live somewhere with a decent cycle infrastructure, and where there are enough cyclists that motorists are reasonably aware of how to drive around cyclists, which takes care of around three quarters of the reasons given here.

If anyone is thinking about trying out cycling look on the British Cycling website for sky rides and breeze rides. I love going out on Breeze rides. There is a leader who advises you and you just feel safe in a group. It is also much easier to cycle if you are in a group, if you have ever watched a bike racd they cycle in a peleton for a reason. I can't wait till the Breeze rides start again in my area. Give it a try!

I'm taking up cycling as my new 'thing' this year.
But I'm really scared of falling off and I'm pretty wobbly.
I think most people can get over that though,and suspect the main reason people don't cycle is because they're too unaccustomed to physical exercise,especially in the outdoors with all that narsty weather,when they can just jump in the car instead.

I have no sense of balance and hearing aids don't work in the wind. So while I can ride a bike and have done round quiet suburban areas or rural cycle paths, I can't lift a hand to indicate, have no clue what is behind me, and my head doesn't turn which makes cycling with traffic quite terrifying. Many people have similar minor issues making them less than confident in traffic.

And I know quite a few people who do cycle in London traffic - and all of them have been knocked over at least once over say 5 years, some injured quite badly. If MrNC hadn't learnt to fall from doing judo, he probably wouldn't be able to walk now.

You could argue that people who drive have accidents at a similar rate, but most of those are minor prangs that don't cause injury and aren't nearly as scary. Compared to public transport, cycling is scary, sweaty, terrible on hills, and you can't read a book. Even if it is often more reliable and cheaper.