Majority of drivers say 'aggressive cyclists' threaten their safety on Britain's roads
27 February 2023, 08:06 | Updated: 27 February 2023, 11:31
Two-thirds of road users say "aggressive cyclists" threaten their safety, a new survey has found.
In a poll of 2,010 British motorists by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, 65 per cent of respondents said that they believe the cyclists were a threat to their safety - with 60 per cent saying that the problem is a bigger threat than three years ago.
A similar proportion of those surveyed (61 per cent) said they would not support a law which would assume that drivers are always to blame for collisions involving cyclists despite a staggering 494 cyclists being killed in crashes with cars between 2012 and 2021.
In the same period, only four car-users perished in accidents with cyclists, according to Department for Transport figures.
The survey results come after a high-profile crash in which Channel 5 news anchor Dan Walker was left bloodied after being knocked off his bike by a car last week.
Walker, who left the BBC to join 5 News on Channel 5 last year, was hit by a car while cycling on a road in central Sheffield, leaving his face swollen but seemingly without any serious injuries.
A spokesperson for South Yorkshire police said: "No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing".
Dashcam footage showing the moment of the collision was shared by The Sun.
Not quite the week I had planned but I’m on the mend.
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) February 25, 2023
I’m very grateful for all your kind messages & for my family & lovely friends. I’m also thankful for the paramedics, the police & the people who looked after me in A & E.
I’ve written about it in @thetimes tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/cVwdgh2C8E
Read More: Joan Collins complains to Sadiq Khan after she was hit by a cyclist in Covent Garden
In the video, Walker is seen cycling on his bike before appearing to be hit by the front left-hand side of the car before falling to the ground.
The driver told the outlet: "I looked in my mirror and saw him roll across the road after he'd been hit.
"It was quite shocking - certainly something you don't see every day. He's lucky to be alive."
Walker shared details about the incident on Monday, with pictures of his bloodied face in an ambulance.
He wrote: "Bit of an accident this morning (Monday).
"Glad to be alive after getting hit by a car on my bike. Face is a mess but I don't think anything is broken.
"Thanks to Shaun and Jamie for sorting me out and the lovely copper at the scene."
