[binand]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Luckily it was she, who got hit instead of a youngster with his/her whole life ahead of them!!!

Btw, I hope you didn't mean this the way it sounds, because it comes across as a very callous statement to make.

[rohanjf]

Professional cyclists wear reflective jackets. If a car is doing 80-100 kmph, even a low beam can help the driver spot the cyclist from safe distance.

The problem is, you'll see only what you are looking for. If the car driver is not looking for cyclists, these kind of accidents are bound to happen!

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

Professional cyclists wear reflective jackets. If a car is doing 80-100 kmph, even a low beam can help the driver spot the cyclist from safe distance.

The problem is, you'll see only what you are looking for. If the car driver is not looking for cyclists, these kind of accidents are bound to happen!

Agree on the visibility but not the jacket bit - I am curious which professional cyclists you have seen who wear reflective jackets. Only ranndonneurs (who do long rides from 200-1200km or so) wear it - but they are recreational cyclists. Professionals dont wear reflective jackets!! Its an individual choice- lighting, reflectors on bike, on person, reflective clothing or jackets.

Originally Posted by sudev

From cyclists point of view smooth roads are ideal but mind you they are very - VERY - unsafe. I would try and spread the word to all my cyclist friends.

Completely disagree sir! Look at it as a cyclist. You have no safe options - your safest option is to be highly visible and choose routes that have the LEAST traffic.
So in gurgaon we head out on Sohna road (beyond badshahpur) and GFR. Noida cyclists go to expressway. If I were to take the logic of slow speeds, would the national team (cyclists at 40 kph or more) cycle in sector 18 market where there's least chance of being struck by a car doing 100 kph?

Put a cyclist's hat on and tell me where you will cycle if u stay in Noida?

Originally Posted by sudev

Cycling on expressway? Inviting disaster. In countries where safety is practices police would have hauled you up.

Agreed. Then again, france has the piste. If everyone had roads like http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/p...793&size=large - I would never cycle on main roads. But I'm in India - I cannot keep dreaming and wishing for something that won't happen. You know how the ambedkar nagar-chirag dili section of the cycling track has become a 5km long parking lot.

What do we do in India? stop cycling?

[avingodb]

One fine print that everyone has missed in this accident news

"She was on a motorcycle, trailing and guiding the group of cyclists, before being hit by a speeding taxi while going towards Noida from New Delhi. She was flung to a distance before dying on the spot." from India Today article cited above.

I think no one else but the cabbie is the cause of the accident.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Agree on the visibility but not the jacket bit What do we do in India? stop cycling?

India has not yet woken up to the idea of cycling. However we can do our bit. Cyclists need to wear reflective clothing and proper head gear. We cant block one side of the road as most cyclists do.

I do not agree with the idea of not biking on the freeways as they are to be honest much more peaceful than cities however the risks are also far greater.

To the Indian driver - be compassionate to people on the road. Learn to respect each other. To the cyclist - follow the rules and do everything in your power to be safe.

Its high time we had a concept of lanes in India. Let the cyclist take the left most lane - it really does not need to be any wider than 3-4 feet. Then we need to have another lanes for emergency vehicles, and then bikes, then buses and finally the cars. This can be done.

Its high time India became a civilized country.

P.S. (and slightly OT): I drive, ride and bike all in Bangalore. I have made peace with the fact that people will cut into lanes, buses would try to ram me in the median, bikers would weave in and out of lanes and pedestrians would come on the streets from no where. I still would drive in my lane as much as possible, drive sensibly and have a heart for others. This really helps in lowering your BP. Try it.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

India has not yet woken up to the idea of cycling.

India has been cycling since the day it was introduced, probably not on 25K cycles, but on 2K cycles.

Its high time we had a concept of lanes in India. Let the cyclist take the left most lane - it really does not need to be any wider than 3-4 feet. Then we need to have another lanes for emergency vehicles, and then bikes, then buses and finally the cars. This can be done.

To implement this, we need 8 lane road (4 lane each way). Not sure how many cities can support this.

[MotoNanu]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

India has not yet woken up to the idea of cycling. However we can do our bit. Cyclists need to wear reflective clothing and proper head gear. We cant block one side of the road as most cyclists do.

I do not agree with the idea of not biking on the freeways as they are to be honest much more peaceful than cities however the risks are also far greater.

To the Indian driver - be compassionate to people on the road. Learn to respect each other. To the cyclist - follow the rules and do everything in your power to be safe.

Its high time we had a concept of lanes in India. Let the cyclist take the left most lane - it really does not need to be any wider than 3-4 feet. Then we need to have another lanes for emergency vehicles, and then bikes, then buses and finally the cars. This can be done.

Its high time India became a civilized country.

P.S. (and slightly OT): I drive, ride and bike all in Bangalore. I have made peace with the fact that people will cut into lanes, buses would try to ram me in the median, bikers would weave in and out of lanes and pedestrians would come on the streets from no where. I still would drive in my lane as much as possible, drive sensibly and have a heart for others. This really helps in lowering your BP. Try it.

I agree to a part of what you said and disagree with the rest. It is not because you are wrong, it is NOT going to happen! Call me pessimist, but I do not see any of the metro supporting a 8 lane road in India. Forget about other cities.
Let us say even by some miracle, this does happen, it does not solve the problem. People will still find gaps and zig-zag their way. 4 lanes means more opportunity for messing things up!

What I agree in your post is that it is high time we start being sensible and learn to use the existing infrastructure in a way that suits the best for us. I feel, even in a choked city like Bangalore, if we follow lane discipline, act a bit like human, things can really improve. Yes, the density of traffic is far more than the capacity but it would only result in delays not necessarily life! The sad part is only a minor percentage follows the rule and they become a laughing stock, worse, potential victims of harassment.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by msdivy

India has been cycling since the day it was introduced, probably not on 25K cycles, but on 2K cycles.

Right. It is still the largest selling "vehicle" in India. I have seen my son's bicycle I "traded in" for Rs 500.00 while buying a full size one for him recently, being slightly refurbished and put up for sale for Rs 1500.00, and a working class chap buying and paying for it in monthly installments. I wish I had known him beforehand, so that I could have given it to him for free.

My son wants to cycle to his school which is 5 KM away, but I dare not allow him. He has to ride along a four lane highway, which I myself will be loathe to negotiate by bicycle.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by msdivy

India has been cycling since the day it was introduced, probably not on 25K cycles, but on 2K cycles.

Yes, but back then, cycling was a necessity, now it is more of a hobby/passion kind of a thing.
Add to the fact that we did not have so many high speed vehicles in the city. So the typical Indian driver sees the cyclist as someone who is moving slow, prone to an accident and who is simply making a nuisance on the roads. Not true- but that is the view.

Originally Posted by msdivy

To implement this, we need 8 lane road (4 lane each way). Not sure how many cities can support this.

Again my logic would be simple here : Start with the left most user and work your way to the right. So first mark sufficient space for the Cycle, then the Emergency vehicles (ambulances), then the bikes and then buses and then the cars.

In case we run out of space both the bus and the car then merge them onto one. If we run out of space for the bike, the bus and the car then merge them onto one.

I have another wild suggestion - people can occupy the emergency lanes but the moment an emergency vehicle comes in on that lanes, you move to your respective lanes (or lanes on the right). We can set up a call center where any ambulance or any private vehicle (when there is an emergency) needs to call and specify the route he/she would be taking and once confirmed it would be relayed to the location and those emergency lanes can be cleared. (Simply install a signaling system on the emergency ways to signify if the lanes are free to be used by public or not - same green or red).

The point is that if we want to find solutions to our problems we can find it. These are simply things that are on top of my mind. I am sure we can come up with way better solutions if we put some brains on it.
And then make sure every single Indian follows the rules. Make the fines/penalty such a big deterrent that it makes breaking the rules very very expensive.I am sure the Indian govt would not be averse to make a extract a bit more money.

The whole point of this is to make the Indian roads a bit more safe than they are at present. If we are able to even reduce the fatality percentages by 10-20% the benifits of such a system would be immense.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Yes, but back then, cycling was a necessity, now it is more of a hobby/passion kind of a thing.

Not really! For you and me, yes. But the number whose only affordable vehicle is a bicycle, is still legion!

Bangalore does not have a suburban train culture. Come to Chennai, visit any Cycle / Two-wheeler stand abutting a suburban train station and see for yourself. If you have an acre plot abutting the station, you can clean up simply by collecting rent for cycles! I know of stands that keep 2000 cycles, and collect Rs 150.00 per month per cycle! Now do the math!

For two-wheelers, it is Rs 10.00 per day!

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Not really! For you and me, yes. But the number whose only affordable vehicle is a bicycle, is still legion!

Bangalore does not have a suburban train culture. Come to Chennai, visit any Cycle / Two-wheeler stand abutting a suburban train station and see for yourself. If you have an acre plot abutting the station, you can clean up simply by collecting rent for cycles! I know of stands that keep 2000 cycles, and collect Rs 150.00 per month per cycle! Now do the math!

For two-wheelers, it is Rs 10.00 per day!

Slightly OT: I so dearly wish there was an efficient local train system in Bangalore. This Metro is going to take a zillion years to complete (at the rate which is worked upon).

Its good to know Chennaites use thier cycles.That would make the lane & reflective lighting (specially at night) thing even more important.

I take my Firefox out once a month on a longish (in term of a cycle really) trip and would do the odd jobs required for my home sometimes. A lot of elders specially have come up to me and congratulated me to cycling rather than riding.

[mango_pal]

I'm an amateur cyclist, and have competed in plenty of competitions in India and the East (Singapore, Thailand).

I ride regularly on the Eastern and Western Express highways at 5:30-7:30 in the morning, it is legal.
I do not cycle on the Bombay Pune Expressway, because:
a) It's not allowed
b) It would be an invitation for disaster.

Whenever I've cycled abroad, safety always comes first. From the cyclists themselves as well as other road users.
As cyclists, we know better than not to use protective gear (Read: helmets, rear lights, etc) we ALWAYS know what is happening all around us. And we use signals whenever we have to and stick to the extreme left lane.
Other road users also tend to respect you and honk when approaching, stay as far away from you as possible.

However, in India, things are different. Especially among the new cyclists, who don't value safety, use lights, indicate when turning. But by and large, most of the cycling community understands the importance of safety.

I've ridden on the DND plenty of times when I was in Delhi and its a huge road. In cases like this, why would cyclists be anywhere except on the left side of the road?
The number of close shaves I've had with over 30+ k km of cycling in India is ridiculous, and none of them were because of mistakes caused by me. They were because of idiots who try to disrespect you because of jealousies, inferiority issues or just for "fun". And I'm a very aware road user.

When I cycle in Delhi, I always have an SUV driving behind me to protect me from these idiots.

I feel scared to ride my bike, my passion in my country.
I drive up to the highway and then start riding because I'm too damn scared to ride within the city of crumbling roads and moronic drivers. And I love my bike too much to subject it to Bombay's "roads".

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

The whole point of this is to make the Indian roads a bit more safe than they are at present. If we are able to even reduce the fatality percentages by 10-20% the benifits of such a system would be immense.

I understand that 8 lane may not be possible inside cities now. Now plenty of development is happening in the outskirts. But none plan for 8 lane road. In case if planned, it grossly misused - case in point being ORR in Bangalore, where everybody drives on every lane.

[MotoNanu]

Originally Posted by msdivy

I understand that 8 lane may not be possible inside cities now. Now plenty of development is happening in the outskirts. But none plan for 8 lane road. In case if planned, it grossly misused - case in point being ORR in Bangalore, where everybody drives on every lane.

My point exactly! First the traffic sense/ discipline has to kick in. Without it, all the development in infrastructure is only going to increase the mess exponentially!

[yosbert]

For those advocating cycle lanes, please have a look at the cycling lanes that were marked in Jayanagar in Bangalore sometime back. The lanes are used as car parking lanes in many places or as a license to encroach upon the road.

More than the infrastructure, its the attitude towards cyclists/cycling that needs to change in India. Currently they are viewed as non-entities or worse as encroachers of valuable road space by most people driving a motor vehicle.