Speaking as a pedestrian it’d be really useful if it told cyclists that pavements aren’t for them unless they’ve specifically been given permission to be on them (same is true for pedestrian crossings). Cyclists are a particular danger for young kids, the elderly and visually impaired.
Having spent some time in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland etc., the UK is decades behind.
As a driver we are told that I must be patient when there is a cyclist in front of me and wait until there is plenty of space to pass without pressuring them or revving the engine.
So why when I am walking on my lunch on a canal towpath is it acceptable for cyclist to tear along them ringing their bell to force people to get out of the way.
I absolutely agree. Cyclists are an absolute menace to pedestrians and need to be educated properly.
In dire need of better infrastructure and actual health and safety considerations not safety relying entirely on people getting it right.
Do they still do cycling proficiency at schools? Be good to bring it back if they don’t so road awareness is better at a younger age, put that with good information campaigns and hopefully things will improve. Maybe some training during driving lessons on how to deal with cyclists etc too.
1. Take an old Think! ad
2. Slap a VHS filter on it
3. Refilm the final frames in the present with a graphic that says something like “Think! – the danger is still out there”
Et voilà! New campaign, at a fraction of the cost with added nostalgia points.
Anyone got the number for DfT?
Just a reminder for people commenting about cyclists and using your one anecdotal experience seeing one cyclist doing something wrong – a vast majority of adult cyclists own cars, and statistically are more likely to own multiple cars. Travelling which ever mode you choose that day is not “us vs them”.
Awareness campaign? Why waste money on that.
Rules are not being followed, for a reason.
Typically because of one of the reasons below:
1. The rules don’t make sense. People choose not to follow.
2. The rules cannot be followed. People just can’t follow them.
3. The rules are not enforced. There is no real consequence if people ignore them so people ignore them.
Increasing awareness is not going to add any value.
I probably don’t know 90% of the detailed clauses in all sorts of laws, regulations, legislation and parliament acts, but, I stay legal and compliant in my life.
There are a big chunk of rules which are just common sense, such as don’t steal something which doesn’t belong to me or don’t kill someone’s life, I follow whatever makes sense I’m fine.
Then there are quite some rules which are like why not, so I naturally follow them, for example I don’t attack / threat others because if I do I get myself into a fight and I will end up getting loss what’s the point.
Then enforcement is also important. For example, if I do 35 miles in 30 mile/h zone I get a ticket I know ah ok, 30 means 30, even just 5 miles over that’s not ok. I probably know the rules but it is the enforcement which deter me from making an offence.
Awareness campaign? Pfff…Who thinks just by talking and by showing people some stuffs will improve safety?
What’s the point? The UK has the 10th safest roads in the world. Ignoring city-states like Singapore or Monaco, the only nations with safer roads are Japan, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Denmark in that order. There really aren’t any issues and we are actually a lot safer than pretty much everywhere else. If you think driving in the UK is bad just go to another country. For example the US is about 6x more dangerous looking at fatalities.
If they took the number of reports for a specific area or road, maybe look to investing in proper cycling infrastructure in those locations, even if it’s the middle of nowhere, as there’s a route nearby which has a lot of cyclists and they cause several mile tailbacks as there’s no straights long enough for large volumes of cars, vans and lorries to overtake, and in turn people overtake at any given opportunity even if they remain close to the cyclists.
I really is. I’m still recovering after a tested and licenced driver hit me head on while driving on the wrong side of the road. He was entirety unphased by nearly killing me and was more concerned that I’d smashed the bonnet and windscreen of his car with my pelvis. I’m too scared to be on the road anymore as I’m having flashbacks and my leg still isn’t healed fully. This has all taught my daughter that exercise is dangerous
The people who nearly run me over on a daily basis want new road safety campaigns?
Rule for thee and not for me.
I’d say we need some new road surfaces before we have any new road safety campaigns!
As a pedestrian, I’d also welcome a new road safety campaign which targets cyclists and their behaviour.
It is strange how they seemed to just disappear. I remember several of the road safety campaigns over the years (the king of the road hedgehogs, the creepy girl being hit at 30, the group with the pizza in the car) but haven’t seen one in a long time now. Probably due to not watching linear TV, but I don’t see why they shouldn’t do them on YouTube, etc.
How effective they were I’m unsure though to be fair.
And as every time, the cyclist haters are out.
This is the British version of “owning the libs” – running over a cyclist.
I cycled on normal public roads for over 30 years, had three minor accidents with cars during that time, one of those was my fault.
Did any of that put me off cycling? No, the weather did a lot towards that but the final straw was having a bike stolen for the fourth time, despite using good locks.
It won’t be in our lifetimes, but at least when every vehicle is autonomous , they’ll have to slow down and avoid cyclists.
There was a campaign, it was organised by the cycle lobby at the DfT (under Rupert Furness) and it was a colossal failure because it was intended to muddy the waters rather than give what is a very simple and clear message.
20 comments
Speaking as a pedestrian it’d be really useful if it told cyclists that pavements aren’t for them unless they’ve specifically been given permission to be on them (same is true for pedestrian crossings). Cyclists are a particular danger for young kids, the elderly and visually impaired.
Having spent some time in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland etc., the UK is decades behind.
As a driver we are told that I must be patient when there is a cyclist in front of me and wait until there is plenty of space to pass without pressuring them or revving the engine.
So why when I am walking on my lunch on a canal towpath is it acceptable for cyclist to tear along them ringing their bell to force people to get out of the way.
I absolutely agree. Cyclists are an absolute menace to pedestrians and need to be educated properly.
In dire need of better infrastructure and actual health and safety considerations not safety relying entirely on people getting it right.
Do they still do cycling proficiency at schools? Be good to bring it back if they don’t so road awareness is better at a younger age, put that with good information campaigns and hopefully things will improve. Maybe some training during driving lessons on how to deal with cyclists etc too.
1. Take an old Think! ad
2. Slap a VHS filter on it
3. Refilm the final frames in the present with a graphic that says something like “Think! – the danger is still out there”
Et voilà! New campaign, at a fraction of the cost with added nostalgia points.
Anyone got the number for DfT?
Just a reminder for people commenting about cyclists and using your one anecdotal experience seeing one cyclist doing something wrong – a vast majority of adult cyclists own cars, and statistically are more likely to own multiple cars. Travelling which ever mode you choose that day is not “us vs them”.
Awareness campaign? Why waste money on that.
Rules are not being followed, for a reason.
Typically because of one of the reasons below:
1. The rules don’t make sense. People choose not to follow.
2. The rules cannot be followed. People just can’t follow them.
3. The rules are not enforced. There is no real consequence if people ignore them so people ignore them.
Increasing awareness is not going to add any value.
I probably don’t know 90% of the detailed clauses in all sorts of laws, regulations, legislation and parliament acts, but, I stay legal and compliant in my life.
There are a big chunk of rules which are just common sense, such as don’t steal something which doesn’t belong to me or don’t kill someone’s life, I follow whatever makes sense I’m fine.
Then there are quite some rules which are like why not, so I naturally follow them, for example I don’t attack / threat others because if I do I get myself into a fight and I will end up getting loss what’s the point.
Then enforcement is also important. For example, if I do 35 miles in 30 mile/h zone I get a ticket I know ah ok, 30 means 30, even just 5 miles over that’s not ok. I probably know the rules but it is the enforcement which deter me from making an offence.
Awareness campaign? Pfff…Who thinks just by talking and by showing people some stuffs will improve safety?
What’s the point? The UK has the 10th safest roads in the world. Ignoring city-states like Singapore or Monaco, the only nations with safer roads are Japan, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Denmark in that order. There really aren’t any issues and we are actually a lot safer than pretty much everywhere else. If you think driving in the UK is bad just go to another country. For example the US is about 6x more dangerous looking at fatalities.
If they took the number of reports for a specific area or road, maybe look to investing in proper cycling infrastructure in those locations, even if it’s the middle of nowhere, as there’s a route nearby which has a lot of cyclists and they cause several mile tailbacks as there’s no straights long enough for large volumes of cars, vans and lorries to overtake, and in turn people overtake at any given opportunity even if they remain close to the cyclists.
I really is. I’m still recovering after a tested and licenced driver hit me head on while driving on the wrong side of the road. He was entirety unphased by nearly killing me and was more concerned that I’d smashed the bonnet and windscreen of his car with my pelvis. I’m too scared to be on the road anymore as I’m having flashbacks and my leg still isn’t healed fully. This has all taught my daughter that exercise is dangerous
The people who nearly run me over on a daily basis want new road safety campaigns?
Rule for thee and not for me.
I’d say we need some new road surfaces before we have any new road safety campaigns!
As a pedestrian, I’d also welcome a new road safety campaign which targets cyclists and their behaviour.
It is strange how they seemed to just disappear. I remember several of the road safety campaigns over the years (the king of the road hedgehogs, the creepy girl being hit at 30, the group with the pizza in the car) but haven’t seen one in a long time now. Probably due to not watching linear TV, but I don’t see why they shouldn’t do them on YouTube, etc.
How effective they were I’m unsure though to be fair.
And as every time, the cyclist haters are out.
This is the British version of “owning the libs” – running over a cyclist.
I cycled on normal public roads for over 30 years, had three minor accidents with cars during that time, one of those was my fault.
Did any of that put me off cycling? No, the weather did a lot towards that but the final straw was having a bike stolen for the fourth time, despite using good locks.
It won’t be in our lifetimes, but at least when every vehicle is autonomous , they’ll have to slow down and avoid cyclists.
There was a campaign, it was organised by the cycle lobby at the DfT (under Rupert Furness) and it was a colossal failure because it was intended to muddy the waters rather than give what is a very simple and clear message.