Cycling vs Motorcycling safety

[M.C]

Been trying to work this one out in my head for a while now. Cycling feels unsafe because you can't power away from cars, ultimately you're relying on them 'safely' overtaking you. But as you're slower/lighter your stopping distance's a lot shorter, so if something does happen you can normally avoid it.

I also find filtering a lot safer on a bicycle, I guess for the above reason (stopping distances), but you just seem to see more and being smaller you get stuck less.

Motorcycling's pretty much the opposite as above. I think also having had motorcycle accident(s), and not having had cycling accidents beyond falling off due to my own stupidity, or a bike fault might be a factor as well. Anyone have any thoughts?

[duhawkz]

On a push bike you have got to make doubly sure your seen, it makes me cringe when i pass people in the car and their wearing a black hoodie, with pound shop lights on their bike

I think just about every piece of my cycling kit has some form of reflective striping on it, and my jacket is day glo yellow.
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"The guy is a worthless cunt and I honestly believe I would be a slightly happier person if he died." - Chris-Red

[B5234FT]

It's always amused me that most motorcyclists wouldnt dream of commuting through busy traffic without wearing at least a jacket, gloves and a helmet, but on a bicycle, lycra is acceptable.

Likewise, ride a motorcycle with a defective brake light and you'll likely be pulled over. Ride a bicycle with no lights and thats fine.

Granted there are idiots everywhere, but lack of regulation encourages them.

If you do the same speeds on your pushbike as your motorcycle, I'd question the stopping distance argument, so if that worries you, simply ride the motorcycle slower, but like small motorcycles, bicycles are more forgiving and approchable in terms of physical bulk

Every cyclist commuter I know has had an off caused by another vehicle.

Asked another way, if I took your existing bicycle and fitted a small engine so you didnt need to pedal and it could out accelerate traffic from the lights, but otherwsie had the dynamics of your current bicycle, how would you feel about it then?

[duhawkz]

It's an offence not to have lights on your push bike after dusk iirc its an ~80 pond on the spot fine
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"The guy is a worthless cunt and I honestly believe I would be a slightly happier person if he died." - Chris-Red

[B5234FT]

[duhawkz]

I've been pulled over for no cycle lights on my way to work, in the distant past.

I'd have thought it would be nice little cash cow, ripe for milking
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"The guy is a worthless cunt and I honestly believe I would be a slightly happier person if he died." - Chris-Red

[M.C]

[B5234FT]

[stinkwheel]

[duhawkz]

[M.C]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Ste]

[B5234FT]

Oh absolutely, but given the grey cells are a given as it would be me riding either, Id rather be on a motorcycle wearing cordura than on a bicyle wearing lycra when the SMIDSY occurs.

[Baffler186]

I feel much safer on a motorcycle because:

I'm going faster and a quick swerve has got me out of trouble on more than one occasion.
I'm wearing full gear rather than lycra.
I'm higher up, louder and arguably more visible.
My tyres are much wider.
If I need to stop I have better brakes that work equally as well in the wet.

And finally based on several years of using bikes and M/bikes; people in my city tend to respect motorcyclists far more than they do cyclists.
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Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[M.C]

[Ste]