I didn't see a solution is what Andy was saying anyway - I felt he was merely observing that the current direction of safety research in the UK will by, its very nature, be a law of diminishing returns.

The missing moral 'piece' in this thread might be 'how can the developed world continue to spend hugely on their own road safety efforts when the Developing world is estimated to be facing a road casualty disaster that we could be helping them to avoid (Web: India/150,000pa deaths by 2015) rather than spending millions of pounds fiddling with speedbumps in Oxfordshire?' There is that better?

I gotta agree. It isn't even that dangerous for mountain bikers-- of the thousands of tours I've only head of one tourist death.

I even doubt that the Yungas road was any more / less dangerous than any mountain road in Bolivia/Peru/Ecuador.

The new road to Machu Picchu was much scarier than the (old) yungas, IMO. The New Yungas is a beautiful high speed curvy road.

I'm particularly bitter about the Yungas as I spent $50 USD (3 or so days worth of accomidations in La Paz) on a mountain bike tour of it. While it was fun, not even close to worth the expense. $50 is a ton in bolivia!!

Yes big nursey!
:mchappy:

Good man! Don't pay people to do what you can do better yourself.:thumbup1:

The first part of the solution is to look at the problem. When banging your head against a brick wall it's better to stop, then consider the door, ladders, pick axe, dynamite, a helmet etc. Banging your head harder seems to be the only solution currently allowed to be thought about though. :offtopic:

Totally agree that for a tenth of our road safety budget we could save thousands in India and still have a few quid to help a few people nearer home too. I'm sure our old armco might be useful somewhere if we'd just ship it and see it installed? That'd be moving cash from one budget to another though, something else that upsets the status quo, although what Francis Rossi has to do with.....further :offtopic:.

Still don't think the A44 is really in that bad in the scheme of things though.

Andy

I would like to nominate a stretch of 'road' that is not listed here...
South of Mendoza in Argentina, about 130km's, just after San Carlos on your way to Bariloche, the famous Ruta 40 turns into gravel. Not dirt, gravel. Before today I had the joy of saying I've never come off a motorbike, something I was quite proud of, today I popped my cherry so to speak... Going 65 km/ph, which is not fast at all, I got serious speed wobbles, can't explain what happened next but basically the front wheel stopped and the rest of us kept going, an d my bike did several somersaults and landed on me, great fun altogether. I walked away with just a few scratches but the bike had to be trucked back to Mendoza for some expensive repairs over the next few days, but my pride is the most hurt. People beware Ruta 40...
IronArse, formerly Jagermini

Hope you're still going strong man, haha! :scooter:

haha, not a goner yet. again though, no quoting on that. and the driveshaft has just gone. and there may be a problem with the gearbox, its making bad crunching noises. and our stove is broken and the tent poles have snapped, and we have no passports. but we are still alive!!! woop!!