Cycle campaigning

I don't think there is a barrier, certainly not intentionally.

thankfully, such barriers are rarely intentional. this is a very general comment, unintentional barriers are still important. it's easy to say - there's no barrier, if women/BME/disabled people wanted to stand for whatever, there's nothing stopping them, but if there is a discrepancy between represented and representative, then why? it's not always something you can do anything about, life and society is complex. but it should not be dismissed so readily. I'm not really talking about cycle campaigning here!

I'm going to this on Weds, sounds good.

Sustainable Transport 2012: Enabling Sustainable Choices Conference and Exhibition at the Brewery Conference Centre (Barbican) on 31st October 2012.

http://www.greeningtransport.co.uk

This isn’t cycle campaigning specifically but some people may be interested in this campaign for tougher sentences for drivers who kill that seems to have been launched today:
http://www.stopdangerousdrivers.com
Reported in the Telegraph but not elsewhere it seems. The spirit of the campaign I support, but I don’t think they have entirely thought things through.
One of their aims is to do away with the offence of causing death by careless driving and get all fatal incidents treated as the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving. Not sure that would be a good idea as you need to ensure that the culpability of an offender is properly reflected in the charge – momentary inattention causing death is not the same as driving like a lunatic while high/drunk while banned without insurance over a long distance causing widespread carnage, but I’m all for cases being treated more seriously. Good luck to em.

Interesting.

RoadPeace and LCC have been calling for changes to the legal system for years.

Recently, Mark Cavendish has also recommended a European-style system where the assumption of liability is on the driver, rather than the cyclist, meaning that in the event of a collision drivers would be required to prove their innocence.

I think the main issue is that the system sees a lack of intent in "accidents", thus a driver is seen as having low culpability (even if the harm caused is great) and hence sentences do not seem in proportion to what the outcome of an "accident" was. I think that legally (and societally) getting into a vehicle should bring with it a burden of responsibility that people need to be acutely aware of. Without that kind of change, I'm not sure sentences will increase.

Yeah, 'oops you're dead' just shouldn't hold any water in law.

The Crown Prosecution Service are currently consulting on their policies regarding charging people for driving offences. It is a pretty phoney consultation because really they are just combining and existing policy document with an existing guidance document. The consultation closes on 8th November.
There are, however, real problems:
There is no clear definition of the difference between careless and dangerous driving. We would like to change CPS and public attitudes so that things like driving while talking on the phone (even hands free) is seen as dangerous, some research suggests this is more disabling than being over the drink drive limit.
Far too often the CPS don't prosecute unless they are very sure of a win while their guidance suggests that they should prosecute if they have more than a 50% chance, it is a question of resources vs. public interest. Every time they don't prosecute one of these cases the expectation of what a successful prosecution should be drops down the scale.

Bump this because if you join before tomorrow you could get some free bike lights.

All members of London Cycling Campaign can now vote for members of the Board of Trustees
http://lcc.org.uk/pages/2012-candidates

You can vote for up to 5 candidates or you can vote for just your favourite one, but don't try to vote twice for the same person. See the candidates' questions and answers page.
http://lcc.org.uk/pages/trustee-election-q-a

If you are a member of LCC and haven't had an email with a voting link then contact the membership team as soon as you can membership@lcc.org.uk 020 7234 9310

If you are not yet a member of LCC then join now.
http://lcc.org.uk/pages/joining-options
If you are a member and your email address is not up to date then you could win a Van Moof bicycle in the prize draw.

^^ I voted for Oliver because I think LCC needs more forum people on the board.

Wasn't the charge of causing death by careless driving introduced specifically because people weren't being charged with causing death by dangerous driving since the CPS weren't confident of convictions?

Maybe they should introduce a charge of causing death by mildly inattentive driving? It could carry a maximum penalty of four weeks community service and a few points on the licence. Convictions of motorists who kill people would increase overnight.

I think the main issue is that the system sees a lack of intent in "accidents", thus a driver is seen as having low culpability (even if the harm caused is great) and hence sentences do not seem in proportion to what the outcome of an "accident" was. I think that legally (and societally) getting into a vehicle should bring with it a burden of responsibility that people need to be acutely aware of. Without that kind of change, I'm not sure sentences will increase.

I think, thanks largely to the work of organisations such as RoadPeace, the term 'accident' is being used less by the police and legal system, replaced by 'crash', 'collision' etc. But there's probably a long way yet to go.

^^ I voted for Oliver because I think LCC needs more forum people on the board.

Ha, thanks!

BBC 2.9p.m.this eve.doco about how safe are britains roads, televisual account on all the shit this thread has been banging on about recently.I blame that cunt hammond.

Johnny Hammond?

Nah mate, Gears is a stone cold classic album!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNDkba54wJ0

Ha.diversion.
Something needs to make me smile today.

This isn’t cycle campaigning specifically but some people may be interested in this campaign for tougher sentences for drivers who kill that seems to have been launched today:
http://www.stopdangerousdrivers.com
Reported in the Telegraph but not elsewhere it seems. The spirit of the campaign I support, but I don’t think they have entirely thought things through.
One of their aims is to do away with the offence of causing death by careless driving and get all fatal incidents treated as the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving. Not sure that would be a good idea as you need to ensure that the culpability of an offender is properly reflected in the charge – momentary inattention causing death is not the same as driving like a lunatic while high/drunk while banned without insurance over a long distance causing widespread carnage, but I’m all for cases being treated more seriously. Good luck to em.

I've signed.

http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/ - I thought that this was a really quite interesting article. I'm not sure where in the forum it should go, but thought that people in this tread would be interested

I tried the test and got run over. Case proved.

http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/ - I thought that this was a really quite interesting article. I'm not sure where in the forum it should go, but thought that people in this tread would be interested

Great piece

Cycle instructors have been saying it for years: Ride in a position further out from the kerb as a driver is more likely to be looking in this location.

Going to put it in the Cycle Training forum: In the Primary Position thread

http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/ - I thought that this was a really quite interesting article. I'm not sure where in the forum it should go, but thought that people in this tread would be interested

This should be compulsory reading for all road users. I've always thought one of the failings of the driving test is that it never talks about the limitations and failings of humans. It's a bit "Here's the keys, off you go, you're invincible!" The RAF Fighter Pilot article is superb.

Back on the "cycle campaigning" tack..
A quick toot of my own trumpet; I'm giving the next Street Talk by the Movement for Liveable London and I'd really like to have as many London cycle campaigners there, as it is cycle campaigning which I will be talking about!

Here's what the Movement for Liveable London website has to say:
"Mark Ames has been writing about cycling for four years and in that time has seen everything from tens of thousands of cyclists on the streets in demonstrations to an old aged pensioner riding the notorious Elephant and Castle roundabout. He’ll chart the highs and lows of cycle advocacy in London and propose new ideas as to what really needs to be done to achieve a real cycling revolution in London, and more importantly who needs to ask for it. Finally, Mark will put forward the idea that keeping cyclists safe and designing the built environment go hand in hand, and, when done well are a true indicator of an equal city."
http://movementforliveablelondon.com/2012/10/11/novembers-street-talk-2/
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It's on next Tuesday November 6th in the upstairs bar at the Yorkshire Grey pub (food and drink from 6PM, talk at 7PM followed by Q&A)

I'm going to be talking about campaigning in the Web 2.0 world, participatory planning, creating engaging campaigns and also my ideas for shifting the political will road block when it comes to more funding for cycling. Hopefully it will help to spark a bigger conversation about "where do we go from here" and forge some new alliances.

Also, for those who are interested, the Movement for Liveable London are holding a public health masterclass at the end of November which I think a lot of campaigners might be interested in:
http://movementforliveablelondon.com/2012/10/17/masterclass-on-transport-and-health/

Advert over. Hope to see some of you there!

http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/ - I thought that this was a really quite interesting article. I'm not sure where in the forum it should go, but thought that people in this tread would be interested

Excellent article MrDrem. Many thanks.

I'm wondering whether drivers would be able to override the phenomenon of saccadic masking if they knew they would be charged with attempted manslaughter for every 'accident' they caused. That's why I might bother with this, even though CPS is not fit for purpose: http://www.cps.gov.uk/consultations/draft_driving_2012_consultation_index.html

As for trying to abolish the term 'accident' I have totally given up after very many texts, emails and letters to radio station traffic reporters over the years - all to no avail. I just support Roadpeace now to do it for me.

I really hope to make this Mark.

Thanks for that other link too. I'm personally very interested in ways to integrate public health with transport and planning. In fact, at our next monthly meeting on 19 Nov we have Ruth Wallis, the new Joint Director for Public Health across Lambeth and Southwark coming to talk to us and our sister group Lambeth Cyclists.

Given the importance of active travel for health we've invited Wallis to attend one of our meetings to talk about the issues that have to be overcome for a majority of the population to be cycling here (as they do in the Netherlands); find out what her and her colleagues are doing to fast-track this; and how we can assist.

Mon 19 Nov - CAN Mezzanine, 32 - 36 Loman Street, London, SE1 0EH. All welcome.

Back on the "cycle campaigning" tack..
A quick toot of my own trumpet; I'm giving the next Street Talk by the Movement for Liveable London and I'd really like to have as many London cycle campaigners there, as it is cycle campaigning which I will be talking about!

Here's what the Movement for Liveable London website has to say:
"Mark Ames has been writing about cycling for four years and in that time has seen everything from tens of thousands of cyclists on the streets in demonstrations to an old aged pensioner riding the notorious Elephant and Castle roundabout. He’ll chart the highs and lows of cycle advocacy in London and propose new ideas as to what really needs to be done to achieve a real cycling revolution in London, and more importantly who needs to ask for it. Finally, Mark will put forward the idea that keeping cyclists safe and designing the built environment go hand in hand, and, when done well are a true indicator of an equal city."
http://movementforliveablelondon.com/2012/10/11/novembers-street-talk-2/
*
*
It's on next Tuesday November 6th in the upstairs bar at the Yorkshire Grey pub (food and drink from 6PM, talk at 7PM followed by Q&A)

I'm going to be talking about campaigning in the Web 2.0 world, participatory planning, creating engaging campaigns and also my ideas for shifting the political will road block when it comes to more funding for cycling. Hopefully it will help to spark a bigger conversation about "where do we go from here" and forge some new alliances.

Also, for those who are interested, the Movement for Liveable London are holding a public health masterclass at the end of November which I think a lot of campaigners might be interested in:
http://movementforliveablelondon.com/2012/10/17/masterclass-on-transport-and-health/

Advert over. Hope to see some of you there!

Mon 19 Nov - CAN Mezzanine, 32 - 36 Loman Street, London, SE1 0EH. All welcome.

What time missmouse? The kind of link up you're organising is so essential IMO and something we need to see much much more of.

Incidentally, if you're interested in public health do try and get on to the masterclass at City Hall. Lucy, who will be chairing it, is amazing - she totally "gets" all of the issues and is so plugged in to her field its astonishing.

^ 6.30-8pm. Do come if you can!