Motorist
Drivers’ group refuses to back Hackney Cycle Safe campaign over ‘go slow’ plea
Jasmine Coleman, Reporter
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
4:42 PM
A leading lobby group representing drivers in the UK has refused to join the Gazette’s Hackney Cycle Safe campaign, giving its views on the fight to reduce collisions.
The Association of British Drivers (ABD) said it would not sign up to the three pedal pledges designed to encourage cyclists, motorists and lorry drivers to take join responsibility for road safety.
Roger Lawson, ABD London region coordinator, said: “I don’t think our members would support a campaign that urges motorists to “go slow”.
“In general our members feel that there is an excessive emphasis on traffic speed as a factor in accidents, with speed limits often being set too low for example.
“I don’t see how motorists going slower would have much impact on the safety of cyclists. For example, many fatal accidents to cyclists involve HGVs or other large vehicles such as buses, and they typically are going pretty slow already.”
He said ABD was keen to improve cycle safety but suggested that the frequency of cycling collisions was mainly due to the increasing number of cyclists on the roads.
Do you think the speed of vehicles has an impact on the safety of cyclists in Hackney?
Tell us below or email hg.editorial@archant.co.uk.
To support the Gazette’s Hackney Cycle Safe campaign go the homepage and click on the campaign logo.
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8 comments
Very good point, MJS! Most people who are criticising cyclists are doing so from a lack of knowledge, from ignorance. Their rants are akin to bigotry in my opinion. Besides which, cyclists are not dying in huge numbers. Not compared with the 3,000+ people who are killed every year as a result of motor vehicles anyway (and that doesn't include deaths caused through illness due to us having to breathe their exhaust fumes). Most car journeys in London are of less than two miles. That's only ten minutes on a bicycle. And if you try it you'll find it's a lot more pleasant too. Especially if more of you do it and the roads become less clogged up with cars.
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dirtypj
Friday, February 25, 2011
I couldnt agree more. Cyclist should have to pass a test. They should also be forced to wear helmets and have lights on there bike ( not that i think this is sole reason) but it would reduce injury. As i cycle through hipster land of IslingtonDalston and Hackney i see more and more folks without lights and wearing wooly hats.
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MJS
Thursday, February 24, 2011
a point i would like to raise however is you cant drive a carlorrybusmotorbike without a license so why is it alright to cycle without one? i think as there are more and more cyclists on the roads there needs to be a way to make sure everyone is doing it properly
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EGC
Thursday, February 24, 2011
I suppose it's not a surprise that a statement from the ABD has no connection with reality. In collisions involving cyclists, the cyclist is to blame in only a minority of cases (13 from latest DfT research, other reports as low as one in five). Cyclists are also more likely than pedestrians to be victims of hit and run. Oh, and research by TfL shows that most cyclists don't run red lights, a significant minority of motorists *do* run red lights, and more cyclists are killed by red light jumping motorists than through red light jumping themselves. Cycling gets safer as more people cycle, because drivers are more likely to be expecting cyclists and more likely to be cyclists themselves. Fortunately the more responsible groups, such as IAM and the RAC, do not take the "Mr. Toad" line of the ABD and are supporting initiatives to make the roads safer for everyone.
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Guy Chapman
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Seems like an angry rant to me rather than a logical progression. I’m not convince that cyclist are dying because they are not careful. Quite frankly I think that is a narrow minded comment and one that most people would be offended by. From my experience, most bikes are insured due to the ease in which they are stolen and sold on the 2nd hand market. I’m not convinced registering and insuring bikes is going to stop people from getting knocked off their bikes and ending up in hospital? From my understanding this is the point we are talking about here isn't it? I think there is a misunderstanding that one group is blaming the other, being a cyclist i don't blame any group. we are all part of the problem. Which is resulting in more and more accidents. There are more cyclist's, more cars, buses, lorry's and most of all more people. Surely we need to try and work together? be it more cycle lanes to segregate, lowering the speed limit, larger congestion zones or longer pauses between traffic light changes. there has to be a solution to a problem which is becoming out of control. I personally have more of a problem with the pot holes in the road than anything else. Trying to swerve out of the way and into traffic is always my greatest annoyance. Cyclists do jump light's, but not all cyclists. Cars jump light's but not drivers. Bikes damage cars, cars damage bikes. People walk across roads when the lights on Red but not all. Buses and Taxi's swerve all over the place. This is London roads. This needs solving and to solve it we need to work together. I’ll be cycling from Paddington to Hackney later tonight straight through the heart of Camden and Islington, wish me luck.
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MJS
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Seems like an angry rant to me rather than a logical progression. I’m not convince that cyclist are dying because they are not careful. Quite frankly I think that is a narrow minded comment and one that most people would be offended by. From my experience, most bikes are insured due to the ease in which they are stolen and sold on the 2nd hand market. I’m not convinced registering and insuring bikes is going to stop people from getting knocked off their bikes and ending up in hospital? From my understanding this is the point we are talking about here isn't it? I think there is a misunderstanding that one group is blaming the other, being a cyclist i don't blame any group. we are all part of the problem. Which is resulting in more and more accidents. There are more cyclist's, more cars, buses, lorry's and most of all more people. Surely we need to try and work together? be it more cycle lanes to segregate, lowering the speed limit, larger congestion zones or longer pauses between traffic light changes. there has to be a solution to a problem which is becoming out of control. I personally have more of a problem with the pot holes in the road than anything else. Trying to swerve out of the way and into traffic is always my greatest annoyance. Cyclists do jump light's, but not all cyclists. Cars jump light's but not drivers. Bikes damage cars, cars damage bikes. People walk across roads when the lights on Red but not all. Buses and Taxi's swerve all over the place. This is London roads. This needs solving and to solve it we need to work together. I’ll be cycling from Paddington to Hackney later tonight straight through the heart of Camden and Islington, wish me luck.
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MJS
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
maybe the cyclists should me forced to register their bikes and purchase insurance. Then the just might be more careful on the roads and stop blaming motorist for their accidents. Most of the cyclist i have seen on the roads rides very dangerously and jump red traffic lights. If they hit and damage your car, there is nothing you can do. Its about time they were prosecuted for breaking the traffic laws.
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skanking007
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Interesting point of view. Maybe Roger the dodger should hop on his bike and cycle around the borough for a day, leaving the comfort of his car at home Then lets see if his voice of "experience" is the same then.
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MJS
Tuesday, February 22, 2011