Have also now emailed my MP. Not going to copy what I wrote, as to get full attention you need to use your own words – I made mine personal enough to make it clear I wasn’t just copying and pasting some form letter.

I note in the RoadCC article it mentions that other newspapers have started similar campaigns. However with all due respect to the Independent, it’s circulation is dwarfed by that of the Times. This is definitely far more mainstream now.

I reckon they should extend it to all of the Murdoch empire for maximum effect

However once the infrastructure is improved, we should reach “Critical Mass” of cyclists and things can only get better.

London is very close to being “critical mass” already actually. I think popular view is approx 5% of all journeys by bike and in London it’s somewhere round about 3% at the moment and even with that, summer rush hours have huge packs of cyclists at the front of junctions. In those conditions, cycling is safer than ever as the car driver simply HAS to wait, you can’t bully your way through that!

What we need to be careful of though is demanding “better infrastructure” only for the council to go and paint a green line somewhere random and have done with it.

I really hope that this can be the start of something good rather than just petering out with barely a murmur as previous campaigns have done. I hope that the relatively sensible way that The Times have gone about it should also do away with a high proportion of the “they all jump red lights, they should pay road tax” bollocks that these kind of articles often degenerate into.

THIS came out from British Cycling today as well, related to the Times story. Now that the Olympics is really close and interest is really focused on it, now is the time more than ever to join British Cycling, CTC, London Cycling Campaign or whatever and really start to push for better provision and recognition for all cyclists.

What we need to be careful of though is demanding “better infrastructure” only for the council to go and paint a green line somewhere random and have done with it.

Which was something which worried me about this – until I read what they have and found it’s actually been very carefully written, seemingly by somebody who understands the issues (I wonder if they actually got some help from the CTC?)

Written to my MP too, for what it’s worth. I said that I’m supporting The Times’ campaign as a motorist, because I fully expect him to disregard people going on about two-wheeled self-propelled transport as the wibblings of deranged lunatics.

As Clubber, I’d like to see this in the Sun.

It’s not usually The Times I see tucked down the front of the dash in the vehicles I have trouble with….

Back in November, TRL (transport research laboratory) published a pretty good review of the available information and attempted some conclusions about what could be done to reduce accidents.

There was a pretty intersting finding on segregated cycle lanes not always being a good option, as they created additional conflict at the start/ finish.

The summary was….:

Overall, it proved problematic to draw definitive conclusions from the literature. Taken as a whole, the most significant infrastructure-related risk factors for cyclists in single vehicle incidents on highways appear to be; slippery road (due to weather), and poor or defective road surface. For multi-vehicle collisions the infrastructure risk factors appear to be; posted speed limits, and encounters with other road users at junctions.

report is on http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/infrastructure-and-cyclist-safety

As Clubber, I’d like to see this in the Sun.

I agree – at least this is a start though, and it’s far more likely to get a mention in the Sun than a campaign originating in the Guardian.

Written to my MP too, for what it’s worth. I said that I’m supporting The Times’ campaign as a motorist, because I fully expect him to disregard people going on about two-wheeled self-propelled transport as the wibblings of deranged lunatics.

Possibly worth mentioning that in my e-mail to my MP I mentioned my interest in road safety for cyclists and pedestrians (something I have done a small amount towards locally), and asked her to agree with me that this is an important issue – she can hardly say that she disagrees!

I for one would like to see proper enforcement of Advanced Stop Lines. They are cheap & easy to implement and make life so much safer for the cyclist.

Except when they encourage people to ride down the inside of HGVs at junctions, of course.

Dpends how far back from the junction the ASL line is? Need’s to be far enough back thatt he truck isn’t turning when it imediately sets off.

Highway Agency is just England, right?

Dpends how far back from the junction the ASL line is? Need’s to be far enough back thatt he truck isn’t turning when it imediately sets off.

Which brings us right back to the whole “better infrastructure” in general. ASL’s need to be 20m in front of traffic, not 2m. They need to be treated like hatched yellows for infringement and ideally have phased lights to let cyclists go 5 seconds before the F1 starting grid of taxis and buses behind them. The lanes leading into them need to be wider or segregated by a kerb to stop traffic turning across them and drivers and cyclists need to be better educated as to how to deal with each other.

Here’s hoping this campaign at least starts the ball rolling on dealing with it.

Like the ideas raised by crazy-legs for ASZ/ASLs, the difficulty with the current law surrounding ASZs is a bit fuzzy, and the get-out for motorists could be, “I stopped halfway into the zone as the light turned red”.

Guardian Blog post

I pass a few on my commute and 75% of the time a motor vehicle has encroached…

Highway Agency is just England, right?

Yup

Someone has come up with the Daily Wail/tabloid take on this:

I think a sensor would be more effective than someone with a clip-board, but otherwise, yes.

Noticed Keltbray tipper has a audible warning when they re turning left

“warning this vehicle is turning”

Noticed Keltbray tipper has a audible warning when they re turning left

“warning this vehicle is turning”
That’s fine if the truck is in front of you, not so good if you’re ahead and the truck overtakes before turning.

Noticed Keltbray tipper has a audible warning when they re turning left
“warning this vehicle is turning”

That’s fine if the truck is in front of you, not so good if you’re ahead and the truck overtakes before turning.

Step in the right direction though.

crazy-legs – Member

summer rush hours have huge packs of cyclists at the front of junctions. In those conditions, cycling is safer than ever as the car driver simply HAS to wait, you can’t bully your way through that![/qoute]

unless you’re in Brazil…

Critical Mass Brazil car craziness vid

“Trucks entering a city centre should be required by law to fit censors”

Does that mean some crusty old f@rt telling us what we can watch at the cinema has to sit in the cab shouting out of the open window through a loud hailer? Or do they mean sensors?

I guess as a sideline to this the BBC this morning were ready with a Dad who’d lost his daughter and a representitive from the CTC on the couch, didn’t see the whole thing, but they invited comments as usual, Im sure that would have just degenerated into the usual clarksonesque comments about not being on the road etc…

Anyone looking at today’s Times coverage of their campaign?

The story from the lorry driver was quite moving.

But how many pledged support for registration for all bikes?
Point 4 on their “Road Ahead” infographic here:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3307439.ece
I don’t remember their manifesto mentioning that!

road.cc have good meta coverage.
http://road.cc/content/news/52141-day-2-times-cities-fit-cycling-campaign-focuses-lorries

just amazing how much press this has got… shows the power of big media – compared to all the campaigning the CTC do which hardly registers at a national level in the mass market