The rapid increase in cycle usage is a wonderful thing and, frankly, it should be encouraged since there cannot be a greener, efficient and healthier means of transport and fitness regime.
We all notice in other countries such as India, The Orient, Holland etc that cycling is a way of life for many and provides the only realistic method that is affordable to travel from one place to the other.
The problem is that with the amount of bustling traffic on London’s crowded roads cycling can be dangerous and given the ease with which you can lose your centre of gravity, and fall over, a cyclist is vulnerable to even a car door opening let alone the gigantic wheels of a HGV lorry.
What protection does a cyclist have?
- Avoidance action
- A helmet
- A bell
In effect the cyclist has to hope and pray that the offending car or lorry eventually sees them in one of their mirrors and stops what they are doing that could put the cyclist in danger.
What is the answer then to this dilemma?
Should we discourage the use of cycles so as to preserve life or should we do something to help them? Answer, a Claxon!
Football supporters use them all the time. They are effectively compressed air in an aerosol with a horn at the top but they can be as loud (in decibel terms) as any car horn. There are many manufacturers now who make them specifically for bikes and you can actually get one that is re-chargeable with a bike pump.
One blood curdling blast from this will, I believe, stop the offending motorist doing something that would endanger the cyclist. Lets face it most motorists use this all the time for the same purpose but they have a metal body to protect them.
So, on your bike to the bike shop to buy a Claxon and, hopefully, this will make a difference to your life expectancy.