Cycle campaigning

Good to see markbikeslondon in an extended report on cycle safety on BBC London news tonight.

LCC is urging everyone to email the Mayor NOW to stop cycling deaths.

It takes less than a minute.

"Mayor, only you have the power to keep Londoners on our streets safe"

Is this a joke!? I know Boris is pretty good but the idea that he can stand on every junction corner at every minute of the day telling cyclists to stop going up the inside of left turning lorries and for lorries to look out for them is pretty mad

"Mayor, only you have the power to keep Londoners on our streets safe"

Is this a joke!? I know Boris is pretty good but the idea that he can stand on every junction corner at every minute of the day telling cyclists to stop going up the inside of left turning lorries and for lorries to look out for them is pretty mad

Good design can help to reduce human error. You, as a traffic engineer, should know this.

Can I just mention that quite a few pedestrians have been killed by HGV / LGVs of late. I'm convinced cyclists need to combine with pedestrian groups more effectively, and focus on stopping peak time lgv movement, junctions and speed together.

This is about street enviroments for people, and getting away from focus on throughput for motor traffic. Make places better for peds, and by definition that makes cycling more prominent.

What about buses?

Regardless of who is at fault, 20 ton vehicles with 4ft wheels and cyclists don't mix. How/long much would it take to get this...

From this...

For the record I am not "thetrafficengineer"

Good design can help to reduce human error. You, as a traffic engineer, should know this.
Yes it can help, but the statement "only you have the power" sums up the ludicrioulsy of the cycling lobby. Every time a cyclist is killed in London, no matter where or what the circumstances, they blame Boris. Let me tell you there is no magical design that can keep cyclists 100% safe 100% of the time. The only thing I will agree Boris is to blame for, is stating that he can make cycling safe, and saying cycle superhighways are safe. He's built up an expectation amoungst his loyal followers and dug himself into a hole thats why he's feeling the pressure. But please be under no illusion, Boris is not God.

One key thing that would help is a change in the law that gives legal priority to cyclists over turning traffic, and assumed liability on vehicles that hit cyclists and pedestrians. This has to be done by the government, not Boris. Therefore the campaign should be directed at the DfT

Every time a cyclist is killed in London, no matter where or what the circumstances, they blame Boris.

Do they? Who did that?

Every time a cyclist is killed in London, no matter where or what the circumstances, they blame Boris

Given that he talks about cycling so much when it suits and proposes schemes ect and then shuts up when people start dying from his superhighways then I'm not surprised people are blaming him

CSH2 has some appalling road layouts, it's reasonable to criticise Boris when the inevitable fatality takes place, but it's simply not true to say boris is blamed for every death, anywhere, that makes no sense, nobody's done that.

"Mayor, only you have the power to keep Londoners on our streets safe"

Is this a joke!? I know Boris is pretty good but the idea that he can stand on every junction corner at every minute of the day telling cyclists to stop going up the inside of left turning lorries and for lorries to look out for them is pretty mad

Well, right now the message is "follow the cycle lane" which inevitably takes you into that very spot.
The other factor is motorists and mopeds (mainly L plated cunts) blocking the the access to the ASLs without a second though nor punishment.

CSH2 has some appalling road layouts, it's reasonable to criticise Boris when the inevitable fatality takes place, but it's simply not true to say boris is blamed for every death, anywhere, that makes no sense, nobody's done that.
There's protests against Boris after deaths, there's a protest at the recent deaths outside TfL next week, there's a online petition against him referring to the recent deaths, the papers are full of cycling groups blaming him after every death. We do not know the full circumstances for each death until there has been an inquest. Yet each death is immediately used for political campaining against Boris and it's disgusting.

Like I said, its right he gets some flack for raising expectations about cycling and safety and CS. But he is not the messiah, he is not going to keep you safe when a lorry turns left, he is not the 'only one' with the power to keep Londoners on our streets safe. Anyone he thinks he is, and signs up to a campaign saying he is, is sorely deulded and likely to end up us another statistic.

There's protests against Boris after deaths, there's a protest at the recent deaths outside TfL next week, there's a online petition against him referring to the recent deaths, the papers are full of cycling groups blaming him after every death. We do not know the full circumstances for each death until there has been an inquest. Yet each death is immediately used for political campaining against Boris and it's disgusting.

Not after every death, that is simply not true. On CSH2 Boris ignored the cops, ignored the coroner, ignored the LCC and pressed ahead with his plans and seven people have died. It is right that he is challenged about this, but to say Boris is criticised after every death is simply not true.You are quite right that we haven't had an inquest yet, which is why it's so appalling Boris implied the cyclists were at fault. He cannot possibly know this.

CSH2 has some appalling road layouts, it's reasonable to criticise Boris when the inevitable fatality takes place.
No its not reasonable to criticise someone when the full facts are not known. After the inquest if the layout is blamed then yes but not before. And even then do you think Boris designs every junction!? Another inquiry is needed to see who exactly is responsible within TfL

No its not reasonable to criticise someone when the full facts are not known. After the inquest if the layout is blamed then yes but not before.

The coroner in Svetlana Tereschenko's death made it explicitly clear that Boris has questions to answer:

A coroner recently described elements of the pre-existing CS2 route as "confusing" and "an accident waiting to happen" following inquests in to the deaths of Brian Dorling and Phillippine De Gerin-Ricard. With the previous death of Svetlana Tereschenko, and last week Brian Holt, four London cyclists have died on or near CS2 since it was opened in July 2011.

http://ibikelondon.blogspot.co.uk/

Boris certainly deserves criticism about the deaths at Bow roundabout, since the bad road design increases the chance of a collision. Whether or not TFL had individual or institutional failings in allowing the bad design to go ahead, after the first two deaths Boris should have ensured that it was fixed. That's what being Mayor is about.

Anyway...

I wonder why you have joined the forum today and are making somewhat inflammatory posts here? Are you really a traffic engineer? If so, where (at least approximately)?

I am aware that people "on here" who actively campaign have claimed that (almost) no one in TFL's design department actually cycles ( can't remember where exactly). If you were to ask some of the cycle trainers to take you out onto the roads on a bike so you can see what it's like that might be an eye-opening experience. I know a few people do that regularly with lorry/bus drivers etc.

Anyone he thinks he is, and signs up to a campaign saying he is, is sorely deulded and likely to end up us another statistic.

Are you saying that all 25,000 people who signed that petition are going to be run over by lorries? I think that's what you're saying.

No its not reasonable to criticise someone when the full facts are not known. After the inquest if the layout is blamed then yes but not before. And even then do you think Boris designs every junction!? Another inquiry is needed to see who exactly is responsible within TfL

Are you a traffic engineer ?
Do you think the cs2 infrastructure could be improved?
If so how?

Like I said, its right he gets some flack for raising expectations about cycling and safety and CS. But he is not the messiah,.

too right. he's a very naughty boy.

There's protests against Boris after deaths, there's a protest at the recent deaths outside TfL next week, there's a online petition against him referring to the recent deaths, the papers are full of cycling groups blaming him after every death. We do not know the full circumstances for each death until there has been an inquest. Yet each death is immediately used for political campaining against Boris and it's disgusting.

Like I said, its right he gets some flack for raising expectations about cycling and safety and CS. But he is not the messiah, he is not going to keep you safe when a lorry turns left, he is not the 'only one' with the power to keep Londoners on our streets safe. Anyone he thinks he is, and signs up to a campaign saying he is, is sorely deulded and likely to end up us another statistic.

I'd be interested to know what campaigns you're referring to here? ^

I don't think there's ever been a protest "against Boris" - and I've organised/been on a few ;)

In my experience, campaign groups such as LCC have historically endeavoured to work in parallel with TfL and the Greater London Authority (GLA) which the Mayor of London (who ever that may be at the time) is effectively the chief promoting officer and figurehead for public/media attention when things go wrong, or (as the 2012 Olympics showed) when they go well.

Of course, this campaigning relationship is political and includes criticism and protest where needed. As you imply though, Boris' delivery powers are actually fairly limited, as they were for Livingstone and will be for the next mayor - there are so many other parties and individuals to consider.

No one thinks of BoJo as a messiah, or that he can save us from our irresponsible selves, do they?! (He's not even a particularly proficient cyclist himself, as some 'on here' can attest.) He does have charisma, personality, some might say charm, and is undoubtedly good at doing things to attract attention - all of which probably makes him an easier target for critics than most, but in truth, few regard him as a cycling saviour and when the next mayor comes along in a few years you can guarantee they'll be confronted just as much. That's not "disgusting", surely it's part of the job.

I think Boris would be funny to have a pint with, personally I wouldn't trust him with a shopping list.

I just want to sort out his hair.

He needs to sort out his heir

On Room 101 Boris said he would oppose legislation to ban cyclists from using mobile phones because it would discriminate against one-armed cyclists. The stupid penis.

Jesus.

^^ Boris is 100% not Jesus.

Boris is not God.

What?!