Although I am sure eilidh was a very competent rider (I know very few in person on here) I think there needs to be campaign involving RoSPA to make cyclists aware of the danger
I'm a competent rider (I hope), and I was nearly knocked off on Wednesday by a flatbed (one of those things you just deal with at the time by stopping suddenly and leaning left, and then to carry on afterwards just dismiss it so that your blood isn't boiling and you're not endangering yourself further).
What I see on the roads from both being a cyclist and occasionally driving, is that most drivers operate on the assumption that there is a space between their vehicle and the curb unless they learn otherwise. Which means if they haven't checked their mirrors thoroughly, if they don't know for sure... they will move into occupied space.
What I'd like to see is a change in that assumption so that what is assumed is that there is a cyclist between them and the curb, unless they learn otherwise. Meaning if they don't know otherwise... assume someone is there and don't go into the space.
If we're campaigning then the changing of that basic assumption is where I personally feel we should focus. It sounds like it should be a TFL campaign, a proper thing to focus on how drivers see cyclists on the road.
This was part done in the white teddy bear adverts, but the message wasn't strong or plain enough (people enjoyed the adverts but seemed to not know what it was telling them... they didn't connect it with road safety, just entertainment - well, my workmates saw it that way).
I'm a competent rider (I hope), and I was nearly knocked off on Wednesday by a flatbed (one of those things you just deal with at the time by stopping suddenly and leaning left, and then to carry on afterwards just dismiss it so that your blood isn't boiling and you're not endangering yourself further).
What I see on the roads from both being a cyclist and occasionally driving, is that most drivers operate on the assumption that there is a space between their vehicle and the curb unless they learn otherwise. Which means if they haven't checked their mirrors thoroughly, if they don't know for sure... they will move into occupied space.
What I'd like to see is a change in that assumption so that what is assumed is that there is a cyclist between them and the curb, unless they learn otherwise. Meaning if they don't know otherwise... assume someone is there and don't go into the space.
If we're campaigning then the changing of that basic assumption is where I personally feel we should focus. It sounds like it should be a TFL campaign, a proper thing to focus on how drivers see cyclists on the road.
This was part done in the white teddy bear adverts, but the message wasn't strong or plain enough (people enjoyed the adverts but seemed to not know what it was telling them... they didn't connect it with road safety, just entertainment - well, my workmates saw it that way).