London is largely a residential city, it’s not just the City and West End. As such, the whole concept of “Let’s just get all the trucks in at night” isn’t going to work.

So, it goes back to education and common sense for ALL road users. Above all, for cyclists – Bigger vehicles will ALWAYS come off better than you. Don’t pick a fight you can’t win, and stay well clear.

(Veteran of many, many years on the London frontline, with not a single scrape to my name. Thankfully)

IMO the better solution is to lift the ban on HGVs at night and ban HGVs from city centres during the day, or at least at rush hours.

I’m guessing you don’t live anywhere near a supermarket or other large establishment that needs daily deliveries… Still, banning them during rush hour and permitting them to deliver until midnight could be a reasonable compromise.

“Something must be done. This is something.”

The suggestion is that that’s exactly what they are doing

Maybe on STW, but I read no such suggestion in the article.

Can someone point me to the paper that assesses that safety or otherwise of wearing a cycle helmet, the fact that they don’t work is often cited on here but I would like to read the study myself.

“Why would I need Hi-Viz? You saw me well enough to pull me over!”

The absolutely ridiculous, selfish, behaviour that I see everyday on my 30 mile (each way) commute is beginning to really annoy me.

Careful! I’ve had to catch myself a few times recently. Started to get instantly very angry and at other people getting instantly very angry for next to no reason. Driver in front slows while indicating, takes a short while tofind his spot and pull in to the side of the road, driver behind can’t wait the extra second (road completely clear apart from them and me) so revs hard, leans on the horn as he goes past. I got cross at him. And now I’ve spent 90 seconds typing it out. 🙄

@UK-Flatlander.

My take on it is that they’re a bit like footballer’s shin-pads – if you were lying down and some very large bloke jumped on your leg with both feet, the pad would have very little effect, but people still wear them, because there are definitely occasions where you’ll be glad that you did.

Because it’s easier, and general public perception is not only that helmets are more important for safety, but also that cyclists are the ones causing danger on the roads.

this seems to be true and is pretty ****ed up when thinking by joe public.

Wonder how polite/tactful the police will be with stopping cyclists for no good/legal reason and whether if you are a bit robust in your “please let me get on with my day” response you’ll get some spurious careless cycling allegation made up on the spot.

Headphones mentioned in the article aswell, I’d assumed it was just the haterz who went on about them but seems the police dislike road users cyclists listening to music too.

@NedRapier – yes, I’m aware of the effect that you describe, so am thinking of a way to channel my annoyance without over-reacting.

“Something must be done. This is something.”

something must be done to stop cyclists getting killed by motor vehicles, this is something that may help if a cyclists falls off their bike. So this exercise is something that will not help with the current main problem.

It’s also liable to piss cyclists off and develop a bit of resentment for the police, lovely 🙄

BTW if they were stopping people riding like twunts and offering them education that’s fair enough.

Lots of lorry’s being stopped by the police between Westminster and Tower Hill this afternoon.

I don’t think that the vehicles themselves are dangerous, just the person behind the wheel. Stay away from tippers, bin/skip/scaffolding lorry’s and you’ve got half a chance, low quality drivers.

Didn’t stop another cyclist being killed in London at lunchtime today…perhaps why lots of lorries being stopped this afternoon?

WOuld be better off to stop riders without lights, although apparently they were recently and allowing them a couple of weeks to gets lights.

They should also run a national, or at least London, campaign, showing that video about how big the blind spot is in a lorry. Like this one, or there was another one around somewhere:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzL0Kyk4m-8&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/video]

They should also run a national, or at least London, campaign, showing that video about how big the blind spot is in a lorry

wonder why they haven’t already, it is damn scary when you see it for the first time. Maybe someone is worried the general public will all say “WTF?!!1!! Why are they on our streets then?”

They should also run a national, or at least London, campaign, showing that video about how big the blind spot is in a lorry. Like this one, or there was another one around somewhere:

Maybe they can show it to the traffic engineerers and ask them why ASL and feeder lane match a hgvs blind spot so well.

Headphones mentioned in the article aswell, I’d assumed it was just the haterz who went on about them but seems the police dislike road users cyclists listening to music too.

Wonder if they will pull all the “chavs” in their corsa’s for having stupidly loud i.c.e. systems??? Or how about parents with kids in the back seat fighting????

Stay away from tippers, bin/skip/scaffolding lorry’s and you’ve got half a chance, low quality drivers.

I don’t think it is the driver’s fault. They are only human.
Anyone would find it challenging to drive a vehicle with blindspots this large:

Through city streets that are this busy:

The two are simply not compatible.

As yet another person found out to their cost…

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/18/sixth-london-cyclist-killed-camberwell-lorry

Whilst I’m a supporter of wearing a helmet it is a ridiculous ‘initiative’ for the police to be doing. All cyclists know about helmets and hi-viz, if they don’t have one then it’s because they’ve chosen not to wear one (or forgotten them that day). I bet if they stopped 10,000 people not one would have a revelation and change their behaviour.
They should focus on HGV’s for a bit and carry on with catching red light jumpers (whatever mode of transport they’re in/on). And yeah the amount of idiots about at the moment without lights when it’s dark needs addressing to (with fines not advice).

Wasnt there a study about helmets increasing rotational forces on the head, or making them more likely? Rotation being the bigger issue rather than impact. Had a dutch guy out last week telling me about some new helmet which allows the outer skin to rotate but the inner stays put.

Maybe helmets in a redesigned form would be better than the toy ones we have now? Protect the head in a wider range of forces and scenarios.

Maybe on STW, but I read no such suggestion in the article.

“He also acknowledged that officers were stopping riders who were not wearing helmets”

Maybe helmets in a redesigned form would be better than the toy ones we have now? Protect the head in a wider range of forces and scenarios.

I don’t think it would make any odds as deaths from HGVs etc involve being crushed by huge forces. 🙁 Motorcycle helmets are considerably more robust than cycle helmets but they still die in large numbers.

My Colleagues father invented this : http://www.truckview.net/

It used to be given away free for all LHD trucks entering through British Ports.
It was used for truck in the Olympics to try accidents.
Seems to me it should be mandatory on all trucks/vans.

I’ve never had an incident involving a road vehicle as i cycle on the path whenever possible. I’d urge all of you to do the same. You may make a nuisance of yourselves but at least you are safe from cars and lorries. I’d imagine there’s more chance of getting a dedicated cycle network by taking on the pedestrians. The cars aren’t going anywhere.

Allmountainventure
”Had a dutch guy out last week telling me about some new helmet which allows the outer skin to rotate but the inner stays put.”

Its coming out in a few helemts now, its known as MIPS:

EG

http://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/products/2242780358008/helmet-scott-chase-mips-black-soft-touch-l/

As others have said – Helmets are almost a ‘side issue’ here..
The behavior of many cyclists/HGV Drivers/Car Drivers/Bus drivers/motorcyclists in London is shocking.

The behavior of many cyclists/HGV Drivers/Car Drivers/Bus drivers/motorcyclists in London is shocking

They are without doubt a side issue and just being used as a political/self promotional tool. What I meant was that if we are going to be forced to wear them shouldnt they be redesigned because as it stands they have very limited use and in certain sutuations more likely to give you a head injury.

Thanks for that link.

If I could find a way to arrive at work and go through the day without absolutely RIDICULOUS helmet hair, then I’d probably wear a helmet on my commute just to assuage the tiny, niggling little voice in the back of my head that wants to make me think it’s a worthwhile thing to do in case I’m being crushed to death by a motorist who’s looking the other way/can’t see me…

As others have said – Helmets are almost a ‘side issue’ here..

The whole lot (helmets, hi-viz, lights and for some of the more militant areas of the press, registration and insurance) are a way for everyone to neatly sidestep any and all issues. Everyone knows how easy it is to get cyclists and/or the press into a big frothy mess about helmets so they do it and sure enough, the massive elephant in the room just disappears.

The only thing that will cause real proper action is if a prominent figure (maybe Boris) gets hit by a lorry.

You would have thought it would be very simple to come up with a better mirror system to remove the blind spot completely.

I’m voting FOR the Plod to stop cyclists and advise them to wear helmets, some of the eejots I see riding around barely know how to walk straight never mind ride a bike.
And another thing, get some stuffing lights on!! Dear God the amount of folks riding in this grim dark weather at night without basic lights is utterly confusing and I feel they need a swift finger point telling off.
Last week at the Bow gathering I rode home and counted 6 folks on bikes without lights hacking down the highway towards Limehouse, this was 8pm’ish.. most were Kids and I see no reason NOT to stop them and give em’ a right telling off.

Borris came pretty close already

nothing much changed

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyO4Y210eFo[/video]

The Met are apparently stopping cyclists who are not wearing helmets to offer them “education and advice”:

Gosh, almost worth moving back dan saff for a week or two with some facts and figures to counteract their “education and advice”

the amount of folks riding in this grim dark weather at night without basic lights is utterly confusing and I feel they need a swift finger point telling off.

Lighting is a different issue though. Cyclists are required by law to have lights so the police are completely justified in stopping cyclists and telling them to get some lights. I’m quite happy with that.

Likewise I’m quite happy for police to stop cyclists who are actually breaking the law by RLJing or riding dangerously (provided of course they direct as much, if not more, attention to the actions of drivers on the same roads).

The only thing that will cause real proper action is if a prominent figure (maybe Boris) gets hit by a lorry.

Win, win.

I’ve been caught in the blind spot of HGV’s a number of times and have had to hop up the kerb to get out of the way. No big deal really. Those things are a total nightmare to drive around city centres. If I couldn’t bunny hop up a kerb I don’t think I’d ride a road bike. I’d have been squished a number of times by crap drivers.

If they were removed there would be no cornflakes in Tescos and then you would see a public disturbance!

I’ve been caught in the blind spot of HGV’s a number of times and have had to hop up the kerb to get out of the way. No big deal really.

So what happens when you are the rider four from the front in the green top when the HGV pulls up alongside you at the lights. How do you hop up onto the kerb when there are other cyclists there?

Or if the council have thoughtfully provided sturdy railings to block your escape route?

More to the point, being able to sideways bunnyhop a road bike from stationary shouldn’t be a required skill for someone that just wants to cycle to work!

Lighting is a different issue though. Cyclists are required by law to have lights so the police are completely justified in stopping cyclists and telling them to get some lights. I’m quite happy with that.

+1.

Time spent bollocking people who dont use lights at night is time well spent. They are exposing themselves and others to a whole extra level of danger compared to those who choose to not wear a helmet.