NZ Ministry of Transport considering compulsory hi-vis clothing

tomasrojo

Still Friday? Why then, let's get to it:

Coroner sitting in lorry death case says it's a "no-brainer" to make cyclists wear hi-vis at all times

http://road.cc/content/news/76314-nz-ministry-transport-considering-coroners-call-hi-vis-clothing-be-made

Chips Lovell

Another exercise in victim blaming.

I know someone who spent a few months touring in New Zealand. Going by her reports, I'd say they'd be better off educating their drivers on how to share the roads with cyclists. By her account, driver behaviour there towards cyclists is appalling.

niceonetom

Perhaps more worrying are recent attempts by insurance companies in the UK to reduce payouts to pedestrians who've been the injured party in RTAs if they were not wearing hi-viz. If not wearing hi-vis amounts to contributory negligence and that becomes judicial precedent it would easily transfer to cyclists, and all it would take is one well lawyered insurance company and one amenable judge. To me that seem a lot more likely (almost inevitable really) than a minister actually passing legislation (though that too could happen).

buffalo

I find it odd that they ask the perpetrator's view in the coroner's court.

The lorry driver involved in Superintendent Fitzgerald’s death, Desmond Wilson, was found guilty of careless driving causing death and ordered to pay NZ$2,000 reparations and banned from driving for nine months.

He told Wellington coroner Ian Smith that he believed cyclists should keep to designated cycle lanes and discouraged from using the roundabout where Inspector Fitzgerald was killed.

"What could have been done to prevent you from killing this cyclist?"
"Take them off the roads."

Yes, that seems like a sensible idea. Friday it is!

galwaycyclist

buffalo wrote: »

I find it odd that they ask the perpetrator's view in the coroner's court.



"What could have been done to prevent you from killing this cyclist?"
"Take them off the roads."

Yes, that seems like a sensible idea. Friday it is!

Funnily enough (not) I know of five incidents where cyclists were killed by HGVs while they were actually using cycle track/cycle lanes.

tomasrojo

Just give in. It's inevitable:


http://rdrf.org.uk/2011/05/22/whats-wrong-with-the-un-decade-of-action-for-road-safety-part-two/

rollingscone

Sounds like the work of the big hi-visibility textiles corporations...

MrCreosote

The ex-national road policing manager, already wearing a helmet and "high-vis" stripes, and appropriately lit up is hit and killed by a truck. The answer....Compulsory high-vis of course! A no-brainer indeed.

This is getting the response it deserves fortunately enough.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Low-support-for-high-vis-requirement/tabid/423/articleID/286941/Default.aspx

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

By her account, driver behaviour there towards cyclists is appalling.

She's partly right. Driver behaviour to all other road-users is appalling in NZ. It's not just limited to cyclists.

IM0

well considering helmets are compulsory there too Im not surprised. regardless of how dumb both of those rules are :rolleyes:

The Big Lebowsky

In the last couple of years, I have noticed a rather worrying trend twords all black cycling gear...While my shorts and bib-tights are black, I always make a point of wearing a brightly coloured jersey, gillet, or jacket.

I refuse to give any half asleep driver the usual well worn excuse, that they didn't see me..

It's fine and dandy for the sky team to be wearing dark colours, with a team car following closely behind while they are out training..

Lumen

The Big Lebowsky wrote: »

It's fine and dandy for the sky team to be wearing dark colours

Since it's no longer Friday I am prohibited from discussing the rest of your post, but on that point you're wrong. :pac:

Cookie_Monster

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Another exercise in victim blaming.

I know someone who spent a few months touring in New Zealand. Going by her reports, I'd say they'd be better off educating their drivers on how to share the roads with cyclists. By her account, driver behaviour there towards cyclists is appalling.

From daily first hand experience you are 99% right, the only exception I come across regularly are the Fonterra trucks, very highly trained and considerate


And thankfully the transport minister has more sense
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10865794

It seems unlikely the Government will take up the idea of compulsory high-visibility gear for cyclists.

But the Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse is in no rush to make new rules.

He said there are already many ways a cyclist can be visible.

"I'm not sure that the solution lies in arbitrarily mandating one form of reflective gear.

"My sense is that education is the better key - of both cyclists and motorists.''