Many people would like to make the swap to cycling to work, but there are some clear and understandable reasons why they have been put off from making the swap. It could be something as small as bad cycling Conwy facilities or it could be the lack of support for cyclists in the local area. Here are some of the main reasons why people choose not to cycle. 

Bad Driving & Bad Drivers

This is a huge one – roads weren’t specifically built for cars, and yet they dominate them. Dangerous driving is one of the main reasons why people avoid cycling. Cyclists are regularly verbally and sometimes even physically abused by motorists. For the most part, cyclists don’t go out of their way to annoy other road users, they stick to the edge and try to stay as safe as possible – but for some motorists this isn’t enough.

Perception of Danger

The fear of being involved in an accident whilst cycling is sky-high. There are obviously stories that circulate about cyclists being involved in collisions with cars, lorries, vans or even other bikes. Many people choose to only focus on those negatives, and this does give them the cycling fear. Even something as small as a car passing by too closely could shake a cyclists confidence enough for them to stop riding. 

Facilities

There have been improvements made in recent years to bring the standard of cycling facilities up to par, but there are still areas which suffer from bad roads, no bike stands or no facilities at work to get changed. Cycle routes are often covered in rubbish or grit which is unsuitable for cycling on and it destroys your bike in the rain – covering it in a concrete layer. The alternative rural roads are basically pot-hole strips with failing tarmac. Many local councils don’t understand cycling or what facilities are required. 

Weather

Unsurprisingly, the british weather tends to put a fairly large dampener on whether people want to go cycling or not. Whilst some thrive on the feeling of a little spray on their face, others would rather forgo the ride and stay nice and dry at home with the television on – I don’t think we can blame them. 

Substandard Infrastructure

For a lot of cyclists, their routes will include on-street riding with traffic bullying its way past at speeds of 30mph plus. Additionally, many places across the UK don’t have adequate cycle paths. Many cycling campaigners have argued that the inclusion or introduction of cycle paths would hugely reduce the pressure put on inexperienced cyclists to share the road with vehicles – if there was a safer alternative available, more people might be convinced to get their bike out of the shed or garage!

Accidents

This falls into two main categories, the people who’ve had an accident and now fear returning to the saddle, and those who are itching to get back on the bike as soon as they’re healed up. When you have an accident on a bike you are very exposed – many people are often lucky to walk away from an incident with minimal injuries. Wearing a helmet is often the only way to ensure your head isn’t going to suffer – as there are usually many broken bones involved and this could equate to having to take time off work.