[skidlids]

I'm in that age and bike group also, but have never given up the bikes so I'm not a born again.

Surely part of the blame has to be the large increase in traffic on the roads caused by the reduced speed limits. One journey I do on a regular bassis use to take me 35 mins sticking to the speed limits it now takes 55 mins on a quiet evening. Now if I left home at 19.55 and arrived at 20:30 I wouldn't meet those who started their journeys at 20:35, now as I arrive around 20:50 I will meet those drivers on the road after 20:30 which obviously increases my chance of getting involved in a accident with them, when originally it was a impossibility.
So maybe the authorities should accept some of the blame for the increase in accident figures