Cycle campaigning

we discussed up-thread about widening the campaigning message beyond being about people on bikes and engaging with walking groups as anyone outside a car can suffer by the hands of people inside motors.

This was emailed to me yesterday from road peace:

FOUR DEATHS IN ELEVEN DAYS

Bereaved families and campaigners will call on the London Mayor to act now to tackle the menace of dangerous lorries at a vigil this Friday dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists killed by lorries

This vigil is in response to four London lorry deaths in just 11 days;

Philippine de Gerin-Ricard, a 20 year old cyclist, in Aldgate on Friday 5th July
John Fredrick Goulding, a 91 year old pedestrian, in Fulham on 8th July
a yet to be named male cyclist in his forties, in Holborn on Monday 15th July
Mohamed Mohamed, a 3 year old child pedestrian, in Northolt on Monday 15th July

All were struck and killed by lorries. Four deaths in 11 days highlight the systemic failure of London to protect its most vulnerable from its most lethal. Whilst dangerous lorries, and particularly construction vehicles, have long-been identified as being over-represented in cyclists’ deaths, it should not be forgotten that lorries kill and maim many more pedestrians.

Bereaved families and campaigners are calling once more on the London Mayor to stop these needless deaths with the immediate implementation of measures that will protect both pedestrians and cyclists from the deadliest vehicles on our streets, including;
low cost and life-saving HGV safety technology which can eliminate the blind spot should be mandatory for ALL lorries that operate in our city
lorry movements should be restricted at peak times so that people who walk and cycle can do so safely - TfL must expedite the study of the experience of cities such as Paris and Dublin, where lorry bans exist (Safer Streets for All p11).
dedicated space must be given to cyclists to minimise conflicts between the deadliest and heaviest vehicles on our streets with the most vulnerable.

The vigil is being co-ordinated by RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, in association with CTC, Living Streets and the London Cycling Campaign.

Read online/download poster: http://www.seemesaveme.com/news/vigil19july.html

It is sad yet more powerful including peds and cyclists, highlighting the need to tame people who use motors, to make it harder and less convenient to drive, and to punish poor driving behavior much more severely.