Huge Push For Cycling Safety in the UK

Kintarō Hattori

The Times Newspaper in particular really seems to be pushing the boat out on this at the moment.:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3306950.ece

The BBC News also featured a spot this morning on how motorist need to be educated on how to deal with cyclists.

Ken Livingston has pledged to make cycling safer in London if he makes it to office.


So there seems to be a determined push to educate motorists (yes I realize there are also plenty of yahoos and ninja cyclists who don't help) and to make it safer in general. This stems from the fact that fatalities involving motorists and pedestrians are down in the UK but the number of cyclists killed has risen for the past few years.
What are our figures like? I know fatalities on the roads have been declining in recent years but what's the figure like for cyclists?

Do you think we could do with the same sort of coverage/promotion that's currently happening in the UK?

Beasty

There have been no cyclist fatalities in Ireland so far in the current year
IIRC I think there there were 9 cyclists killed in Ireland in 2011, and much less (maybe only 3 or 4) in 2010. There had been a steady decline in numbers in previous years

I think there is a particular problem in London, where driving is generally much more aggressive than other major UK cities

I would add that statistically it looks to me as if Ireland stacks up pretty favourably against the UK in terms of cyclist fatalities as a proportion of the overall population. I'm not suggesting there are not things that can be done to improve things over here - there certainly are, but in general cycling in Ireland is a relatively safe activity

Jawgap

In a word "no" - I reckon all this will do is feed the notion that cycling is dangerous

tomasrojo

It's a tough one. The more you talk about what you can do to make cycling safer, the more dangerous it sounds.

It would probably be better to frame it as making cycling "more tranquil", or something like that perhaps. Maybe someone in advertising would be the best person to ask.

EDIT: John Franklin had a 'mea culpa' about this issue:

As previously said, in the 1950s when cycling was common, people were relatively little concerned about cycling safety, but now there is an obsession with it. Why, and whose fault is it? I believe that there are three principal culprits:

• Road safety practitioners who, for years, compared cycle and car safety on the basis of mileage travelled alone (a fairer basis is exposure, or time). This showed cycling in a comparatively poor light, which was widely publicised, in part in order to deter people from cycling.
• Doctors and other health professionals, who in recent years have put great emphasis on the risk of head injury when cycling in order to encourage cycle helmet use. They have tried to solve a perceived problem without looking at it in context to relative risk or the wider health benefits of cycling.
• Cycle campaign groups. I include myself in this criticism, for I have been involved in cycle campaigning for more than 20 years. Like others, I have often emphasised danger to get the attention of decision makers and in order to get the support of the media. I now believe, however, that the cycling lobby is guilty of a massive own goal.

And:

Banish the words 'danger', 'accident' and 'safe'. 'Safe' implies danger and is just as counter-productive.

http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/enabling.html

tomasrojo

Judging by the reaction to the redesign of Blackfriars Bridge, there doesn't seem to have been adequate recognition in London that cycling (in some districts) is a major transport mode.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/feb/21/bike-lane-blackfriars-bridge

nerraw1111

Great campaign but I think there's a bit too much focus on other driver's behaviour.

"Trucks entering a city centre should be required by law to fit sensors, audible truck-turning alarms, extra mirrors and safety bars to stop cyclists being thrown under the wheels."

I regularly see cyclists undertaking buses/trucks at traffic lights where the vehicle is turning left. Utter madness. It's all well and good asking for trucks to be fitted with sensors but you should never find yourself in that situation.

In contrast, I rarely see a truck or bus deliberately cutting off a cyclist turning left.

It's the first thing I tell people who are new to cycling. Never undertake a bus or a truck.

Lumen

Advocacy is largely a PR function. PR is an industry full of beautiful, well-presented people. Why do cycling PR people appearing in the media always look so dorky? Who cares whether they have a doctorate in mixed-mode transport planning algorithms? I want to see their legs.

Every cycling advocacy body should be required by law to spend at least 50% of funds on fashion advice, and they can start with themselves.

Riding safely is easy. Looking awesome is harder.

manwithaplan

nerraw1111 wrote: »

It's the first thing I tell people who are new to cycling. Never undertake a bus or a truck.

I tell them they will get an ice cream when they can ride without stabilisers.

nerraw1111

manwithaplan wrote: »

I tell them they will get an ice cream when they can ride without stabilisers.

That's the second thing. The one with the best aero position gets a flake with theirs

Captain Havoc

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Great campaign but I think there's a bit too much focus on other driver's behaviour.

"Trucks entering a city centre should be required by law to fit sensors, audible truck-turning alarms, extra mirrors and safety bars to stop cyclists being thrown under the wheels."

I regularly see cyclists undertaking buses/trucks at traffic lights where the vehicle is turning left. Utter madness. It's all well and good asking for trucks to be fitted with sensors but you should never find yourself in that situation.

In contrast, I rarely see a truck or bus deliberately cutting off a cyclist turning left.

It's the first thing I tell people who are new to cycling. Never undertake a bus or a truck.

I have to agree 100% with this, I find people, especially in Ireland have a tendancy to blame something for their failings.

CramCycle

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I have to agree 100% with this, I find people, especially in Ireland have a tendancy to blame something for their failings.

I blame genetics and environmental factors in equal or varied amounts depending on what people perceive to be my fault.

Anything that I do well or that is perceived in a positive light is all me, my attitude and hard work.

Lumen

Friday journotrolling from the Manchester Evening News.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/comment/blogs/s/1472953_andrew-grimes-why-the-bicycle-has-no-place-on-our-city-roads

I couldn't be bothered to read it but it smells obnoxious.

CramCycle

Lumen wrote: »

I couldn't be bothered to read it but it smells obnoxious.

Its a satire isn't it?

At the same time, I am not completely heartless. Obviously, cycling on pavements should be encouraged.

Lumen

CramCycle wrote: »

Its a satire isn't it?

One would hope so.

seamus

Lumen wrote: »

Friday journotrolling from the Manchester Evening News.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/comment/blogs/s/1472953_andrew-grimes-why-the-bicycle-has-no-place-on-our-city-roads

I couldn't be bothered to read it but it smells obnoxious.

Though one of the comments does bring up this gem:
http://www.roadswerenotbuiltforcars.com/motorists-front-of-judea-what-have-the-cyclists-ever-done-for-us/