Sometimes the simplest things get across the biggest messages - i also think that a lot of cyclists have very little idea about road safety, and are not aware of how other road users, such as HGV's use the road space (for example they don't realise that despite starting a turn miles out from the curb, how quickly the trailer of an HGV will be next to the curb, and on top of them)
Cyclists as a whole are the most undertrained road users, like i have said in other threads my Motorcycle training was the best thing i ever did for my cycling, because you are taught how to react to other road users, and how other road users occupy the space on the road and how that affects you. I dont know for fact, but i am sure that as part of their training HGV drivers are taught to look out for the cyclist coming up the inside, but as anyone who has driven an HGV will know, once a cyclist is in that position it is nigh on impossible to clock them - i used to drive a LWB transit for a living and it was hard enough in that. Of course that fact that they are probably taught to look out for us, means that an obvious failure to do so it rightfully prosecuted.
What i like about this campaign is it isnt some TFL advert thought up by some trendy media company, nor is it a preaching too from some lycra clads who the average cyclist cant relate to . . . instead this is a campaign that will be born out of a community of cyclists who probably represent the broad spectrum of Londons cyclist more than most, add to this that we all fly about on "cool hipster bikes" that are so a la mode right now, and tend to ride around in pretty casual gear, i think it is far more likely to sink in when someone says to us, hey whats that thing in your wheels about, and we talk to them on a level they understand. No one likes being lectured, but everyone like a discussion, as LFGSS shows!
To my mind if it save one life, its an excercise worth doing, especially given the amount of media whores on here who can spread the word of what we are doing.
The point is we should never put ourselves in a position where we can be blamed for the accident, we should all know how to ride the roads safely, and hopefully with the likes of BB heading the charge with the powers that be, it will only be a matter of time before HGV contractors, town planners, and the rest of the powers that be take notice of the need for some serious reform.
Sometimes the simplest things get across the biggest messages - i also think that a lot of cyclists have very little idea about road safety, and are not aware of how other road users, such as HGV's use the road space (for example they don't realise that despite starting a turn miles out from the curb, how quickly the trailer of an HGV will be next to the curb, and on top of them)
Cyclists as a whole are the most undertrained road users, like i have said in other threads my Motorcycle training was the best thing i ever did for my cycling, because you are taught how to react to other road users, and how other road users occupy the space on the road and how that affects you. I dont know for fact, but i am sure that as part of their training HGV drivers are taught to look out for the cyclist coming up the inside, but as anyone who has driven an HGV will know, once a cyclist is in that position it is nigh on impossible to clock them - i used to drive a LWB transit for a living and it was hard enough in that. Of course that fact that they are probably taught to look out for us, means that an obvious failure to do so it rightfully prosecuted.
What i like about this campaign is it isnt some TFL advert thought up by some trendy media company, nor is it a preaching too from some lycra clads who the average cyclist cant relate to . . . instead this is a campaign that will be born out of a community of cyclists who probably represent the broad spectrum of Londons cyclist more than most, add to this that we all fly about on "cool hipster bikes" that are so a la mode right now, and tend to ride around in pretty casual gear, i think it is far more likely to sink in when someone says to us, hey whats that thing in your wheels about, and we talk to them on a level they understand. No one likes being lectured, but everyone like a discussion, as LFGSS shows!
To my mind if it save one life, its an excercise worth doing, especially given the amount of media whores on here who can spread the word of what we are doing.
The point is we should never put ourselves in a position where we can be blamed for the accident, we should all know how to ride the roads safely, and hopefully with the likes of BB heading the charge with the powers that be, it will only be a matter of time before HGV contractors, town planners, and the rest of the powers that be take notice of the need for some serious reform.