Highway Code changes

Only a tiny fraction of them will be aware of any changes.
I'm not sure that's a good thing but it may make you feel better

^ and only a tiny fraction of them will make any changes to their behaviour (for good or for bad)

Yeah, be my luck to encounter the fraction of a fraction most journeys though...

Perhaps slightly OT, but in the last year I've only experienced a handful of deliberate acts of aggression or intimidation from drivers. What's far more common (and often almost as dangerous) is inattentiveness and thoughtlessness. That's much harder to fix, sadly, whatever the rules say :-/

These changes wont produce any meaningful imporvement in the average driver until most current drivers die-off. Things should be noticeably better in 20/30 years...

However in the meantime if you do get in a scrape, what it says in the HC does effect sentencing and prosecution in court so if you survive the encounter with the driver you're more likely to be in a better position in court thanks to the HC changes.

Except magistrates aren't legally trained and juries don't convict motorists. Otherwise great

Well this is it. The law as it stands is actually perfectly adequate, but juries won't convict on dangerous driving charges, and as a result, the CPS are reluctant to press them. It's a vicious circle.

Roadcc has, every week, video evidence of what should be prima facie, open and shut cases of, at the very least, careless driving. Very rarely will a police force even investigate.

"Fucking cyclists only thinking of themselves" says man on Facebook thinking only of the effect on himself.

What a bunch of angry little people

This article in the Guardian recently reported a slightly more positive view in a feature on Cycling Mikey:

Van Erp, a 49-year-old professional carer, says he has now reported close to 1,000 law-breaking drivers to the police, with about 80% facing prosecution.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jan/05/filming-cyclingmikey-dangerous-drivers-mike-van-erp-motorists-britain-roads-safer

Numbers of magistrates are in steep decline, leading to a new recruitment drive. The more cyclists that sign up can only have a beneficial affect.
https://www.gov.uk/become-magistrate/can-you-be-a-magistrate

I clocked that sentiment too.

Todays Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/24/common-myths-about-what-uk-highway-code-changes-will-mean

"Many changes just formalise basic courtesy" - herein lies the problem, cunts will be cunts regardless.

https://twitter.com/LeoHickman/status/1485883421717151745

Quite how he 'knows' all this from sitting on his fat arse in his Florida pad is anybody's guess?

TBH the changes in the HC are acknowledging what cycle trainers have been teaching for years. And what is written in the cycling national standard.

Here's a summary for cycle trainers regarding the changes

1 Attachment

• Highway-Code-changes-and-Bikeability-cycle-training.pdf

It’s a clear black and white ruling out of any kind of ‘punishment pass’ which is welcomed.

Numbers of magistrates are in steep decline, leading to a new recruitment drive. The more cyclists that sign up can only have a beneficial affect.

I took the bate and applied. The process takes ages. I didn't pass the interview so I will not be throwing my lfgss engraved rubber book at motorists.

Interesting, did you find out why you didn't pass?