[Closed] Cycle Helmet Wearing Poll - Institute of Advanced Motorists

So, you'd rather no kids cycled unless they wore helmets?

(semi-serious question btw)

I'm actually an IAM member. I've just filled it in, honestly.
I'm on my phone now, can't see the results anywhere??

I filled it in honestly as well. I used to be a member. While I can appreciate what they do as an organisation, I found the actual members to be pious, condescending and petty. Obviously not all of them but enough to make me think that I didn't want to be involved with them.

I just filled it in until I came to the "What do you think are the three most important cycle safety measures?" question.
All the options shift the responsibility for cyclists' safety entirely on to the cyclist.
Not surprising for a motorists' organisation, I suppose. 🙄

never sure about surveys that are based on a self selecting group to respond as usually only the headline results are ever reported not the methodology

i suspect the result will suggest that compulsory helmets and training
will be a "good thing"

here's a question that was missing:

"if insurance was compulsory for cyclists would being able to drive even closer reduce your work to tv time?"

I found the actual members to be pious, condescending and petty

Errrr, I think you'll find that surfmat was a big wheel at the old IAM.

I respect what they are trying to do, but found their final questions poorly scripted, and so added an 'other' answer of 'driver training', as ignorance of clearance around a cyclist is no excuse.

I added reduce in town speed limits so that impacts with a pedestrian or cyclist would be less likely to be fatal.

Also any driver hitting a pedestrian or cyclist should have an automatic 1 year ban.

Done. Selected "driver training". If enough of us put that it might come up in the survey.

I woulda thought they'd say "all drivers are trained" or summink.
It's their attitude after the training that's the problem...

Also any driver hitting a pedestrian or cyclist should have an automatic 1 year ban.

sc-xc - Member

I found the actual members to be pious, condescending and petty

Errrr, I think you'll find that surfmat was a big wheel at the old IAM.

SurfMat wasn't and one of the things that used to bait me the most was his assertion that his comments were in line with those of the IAM.

Re 'pious, condescending and petty' - yes there are a few but they are a minority in my experience.

Re the IAM being a 'motoring' organisation - it's not. It's a road safety charity, the UK's largest.

And the IAM is pro-helmet, anti-compulsion. It recently published an 'Advanced Cycling' book written by John Franklin (author of the Bikeability bible 'Cyclecraft'.

+1 for compulsory helmet wearing. thanks for the link.

Also any driver hitting a pedestrian or cyclist should have an automatic 1 year ban.

any driver hitting *anything* never allowed to drive again - that would improve the standard wonderfully!

[i]I just filled it in until I came to the "What do you think are the three most important cycle safety measures?" question.
[/i]

I know what you mean, but there's an "other" option where you can put stuff like "drivers being prosecuted for driving too close to a cyclist in front".

Got an email from the IAM linking to this survey. I am not a member BTW, just signed up for notice of their surveys so I can stick my oar in.