Piano wire is no laughing matter for the 150 cyclists who die each year

Alison Steed

OK, I admit it, I like Lycra! I know that may seem bizarre to many of you who chug around in your cars, but as a cyclist it is something I could not do without. And if you agree with Matthew Parris, who wrote on these pages that we deserve to be “decapitated” for wearing bright, clinging colours, then tell that to the families of the 150 people a year who die in cycling accidents.

To be fair, there are some inconsiderate cyclists around. But there are plenty of rotten drivers too, and the chances are that they will do more harm to us than we will do to them.

Although Matthew was (probably) joking when he suggested putting piano wire across the road at head height, you may be surprised to learn that it does actually happen, albeit with fishing line in the instances I know of. What may seem a joke could end up killing someone - and for what, because you don't like cyclists, or cycling ?

There are already so many other dangers. This year while out training for a triathlon I was knocked off my bike by a van driver who sent me flying into the verge and didn't even bother to stop to see if I was all right. Another cyclist had two pints of milk poured over her by louts in a car overtaking her, blinding her long enough to have had a bad crash if something had been coming close behind. Thank heavens there wasn't, but I doubt these idiots had planned it that way.

Perhaps some people think these events are amusing, or even that we deserve it, but I cannot understand why. At least we are not clogging up NHS waiting lists with diseases that could be avoided with some cardiovascular exercise.

Yes, we may ride two abreast at times, but more often than not we move out of the way. We pay taxes, too, and have every right to use the roads. So forgive us if that makes us “self-righteous”.

As for bottles being slung into the hedgerows by cyclists - well, maybe this happens, I cannot say that it doesn't. But for anyone serious about the sport, over-the-counter bottles are useless - they don't fit on bottle cages and are extortionately priced. So maybe Matthew should point the finger at runners instead; I believe he can do a mean marathon himself.

The idea that all cyclists behave in the same appalling way as Matthew describes is as ridiculous as saying that all cyclists take performance-enhancing drugs. Some do, but clearly to label everyone that way is rubbish.

We cycle because we enjoy it, despite the dangers and the idiocy of some other road users. And a bit more consideration all round - from columnists and drivers as well as cyclists themselves - might do much to reduce the death toll.

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