Sure there are cases of right and wrong, and many variables which all contribute towards the outside perception of whatever group you belong to, but the biggest issue is people and their sense of entitlement. Not to mention those who wear rose tinted glasses for their cause and refuse to see things any other way.
Cars and motorists. The enemy of all except for themselves. Doers of most harm, the biggest threat to cyclists and pedestrians alike. When the driver of a car has a moment of entitlement, the result can be catastrophic. Of course there is the question of if an act was malicious or ignorant. Trying to cause harm, or just poor judgement or a lapse of concentration. (not always mobile phone related)
On the flip side it could be argued that they are also the group held most accountable. Vehicles require legal checks, drivers "should" be insured. Cameras to catch any wrong doing, and a whole road traffic act to abide by. That is not to say that any or all the above are any kind of certainty.
The stats prove that motorists are indeed a mixed bag, with tens of thousands of convictions annually for speeding, red light jumping, and other seriously entitled and dangerous behaviours. The consequences of which can be catastrophic and tragic.
Then there are cyclists. The majority being well meaning people, using bicycles to commute, stay fit or just simply have some time to themselves. Many are considerate of others, be they cyclists, pedestrians or even motorists. Maintaining their bikes, riding with caution, and following the rules of the road.
Then of course there are those who don't. A minority I would say. Red lights mean nothing, pedestrians can get out of their damn way. Just like the motorists, no consideration for those around them, not even their own tribe.
This is where things seem to differ though. All sorts of reasons and justifications can be given as to why the one way street doesn't apply, the red light was dangerous to stop at, or the pedestrians should wait for them to pass through crossings, even though the highway code demands they stop.
Sadly there are some who feel cyclists simply cannot be in the wrong. Jump a light and hit a car, car should have been looking out for them. Distracted on their phone for the next delivery, hit a pedestrian, just trying to make a living
To me, these people are as bad as those who complain about cyclists not paying "road tax", or that assume all cyclists are the same as the one that cut them off in traffic, then called them a wanker.
Both groups have many members, the majority by far who do everything right, by the rule, and try to be considerate of everyone around them, but sadly there are a few who don't, and they are the ones always used as the examples for opposing groups.
Of course there are pedestrians who are a whole different kettle of fish. The different groups all have their quirks. School kids too busy messing about to look before crossing. Commuters, faces in their phones, bumping into each other, pavement furniture, and walking into the road without looking. Tourists, most of us have been one. Confused about which way to look before stepping out, or simply being unaware they are walking in a bike lane.
The common factors are as I said. We are all humans, we all have our own believes and occasionally exercise a sense of entitlement, or a false sense of safely. However the consequences can be very different.
But let's not kid ourselves. If all 100kg of me runs into a pensioner or small child while out for a run, I can cause serious harm to them as they slam into the ground.
If a pedestrian walks into a cycle lane or the road while I am hurtling along at 18-20mph, I am likely to do even more harm. It's simple physics. Just as a car can cause harm when striking a pedestrian, a bike or pedestrian can cause harm to each other in a collision too.
What usually comes up here is "but cars kill people"... Well statistically so do cyclists and so do human beings. The liklihood is far higher for a car (sorry that should be car DRIVER) vs other, and a driver is unlikely to be injured if a cyclist or pedestrian collide with their vehicle. The statistics of course support the fact that the car /other vehicles/ motorist will be most likely to case harm or death. But that isn't an excuse to run or ride around like an entitled idiot.
To simply claim that bikes DO NOT cause harm or pose a risk to anyone is ignorant. But for some it is the belief they hold, and regardless of what happens the cyclist will NEVER be in the wrong. Should you try to make the case that they were, you are an entitled motorist. If you are a cyclist and call a cyclist out, either you should not be riding a bike, or you are NOT a cyclist but merely someone who uses a bicycle. Yet somehow this separation is never suggested with motorists. They are just all the same.
One thing that has recently caught my attention is the argument of how cargo bikes can replace lots of van journeys. In general I agree, there is certainly a place for it, and we are seeing more and more cargo bikes out there.
But I have questions.
Now that the cargo bike is articulated, 25ft long and 250kg (quarter of a ton) can we agree they are likely to cause significant harm in a collision?
As the definition of a cargo bike now includes e-bike 4 wheeled mini van style vehicles, should they be using the cycleways, shared pedestrian and cycle spaces etc?
As much as I love the idea that we can cut vehicle use and make the air cleaner for all, and the roads safer, I also appreciate that we live in the UK and the weather is unpredictable at best and abysmal at worst. So it is not always practical to use cargo bikes etc. There are certainly certain situations were the owner of property would not want their items carried by bike.
If we do reach this utopian ideal that 70% of last mile deliveries are done by cargo bikes, 4 wheel e-bike vans, articulated cargo bikes etc.... What do the roads then look like? Would such users be happy to have some form of ID on their vehicle to allow for accountability?
I'm all for the transport revolution, but I am also very aware of the realities of human behaviour too.
If people from ALL groups could just take a moment to recognise that there are those among you who do a disservice to your cause, and are the precise reason you hopes and dreams cannot become reality, then maybe one day there is hope.
In the meantime, we continue to act with entitlement and ignorance, dismiss that there are issues to be over come, and most of all, blame someone else for the problems, rather than taking a look closer to home and calling people put for their poor behaviour.
