Improving the image of cycling

[peerjay56]

The thread about the London 'Die-in' included links to a couple of interesting stories about using cycles as transport for more than one. In the first, a father taking his children to school was stopped as part of the Mets safety crackdown. Presented in a typical Daily Mail fashion, I was surprised to see a more balanced follow up to it.
It strikes me that more of this sort of activity would actually help to change the image of cycling, and maybe cause drivers to show a little more care when near cyclists?

 

[flecc]

I agree Phil, child transport by bike in all it's guises should be more widespread, nothing else would be so effective in making drivers take care.

If there's one thing that scares drivers more than anything else, it's the thought of killing or injuring a child.

 

[MikeyBikey]

The thread about the London 'Die-in' included links to a couple of interesting stories about using cycles as transport for more than one. In the first, a father taking his children to school was stopped as part of the Mets safety crackdown. Presented in a typical Daily Mail fashion, I was surprised to see a more balanced follow up to it.
It strikes me that more of this sort of activity would actually help to change the image of cycling, and maybe cause drivers to show a little more care when near cyclists?

Quite right Phil, let's accentuate the positive, as the song goes, Bakfiets full of kiddies, Tandems with cute couples, Trikes with the disabled, Trailers loaded to the gunnals ! Positive Media coverage of Family cycling would make all the difference. Mike (apparently I'm too pessimistic )

 

[peerjay56]

Mike (apparently I'm too pessimistic )

As one of life's pessimists, I believe we get a raw deal. And it's not right - we're blessed with things either going as we expect, or turning out better than we expect. What could be better?

 

[Scimitar]

The thread about the London 'Die-in' included links to a couple of interesting stories about using cycles as transport for more than one. In the first, a father taking his children to school was stopped as part of the Mets safety crackdown. Presented in a typical Daily Mail fashion, I was surprised to see a more balanced follow up to it.
It strikes me that more of this sort of activity would actually help to change the image of cycling, and maybe cause drivers to show a little more care when near cyclists?

That's absolutely disgusting and disgraceful journalism, but what to expect from the Bile?

 

[peerjay56]

That's absolutely disgusting and disgraceful journalism, but what to expect from the Bile?

Not my read of choice - it amazes me how many people form their view of the world based solely on what they read in their daily paper, whichever it may be

 

[flecc]

Not my read of choice - it amazes me how many people form their view of the world based solely on what they read in their daily paper, whichever it may be

And their UK government influenced TV news too. I've long lost count of the number of times something on the midday news (seen by few) has been tweaked for the evening news (seen by the many) to minimise or remove any government embarrassment.

At least we've got Al Jazeera for the world scene (Freeview, Freesat, Sky, Virgin).

 

[mike killay]

Amazing how the Daily Mail managed to be on the spot when the PC stopped the bike and they got the photos!!
Incredible that they did not wonder what 'Bakfiets' clearly written on the bike meant.
Of course it looks like a wheelbarrow. From their write up, you would get the impression that the man was on an ordinary bike and had somehow tied a garden barrow to it.

 

[MikeyBikey]

Do safety campaigns affect image of cycling ? Gov poll says 1 in 5 stopped cycling in London recently due much publicized victims, hence story from road.cc : Updated: Boris Johnson backs down from claiming campaigners are putting people off cycling | road.cc from road.cc .

And in it "Safety on our roads - Please consider the following Governement E-Petition to amend road traffic law.
Presumed Liability (Road Traffic Incident) - e-petitions

 

[Scimitar]

And in it "Safety on our roads - Please consider the following Governement E-Petition to amend road traffic law.
Presumed Liability (Road Traffic Incident) - e-petitions

Hysterical ball oks.

 

[mike killay]

Do safety campaigns affect image of cycling ? Gov poll says 1 in 5 stopped cycling in London recently due much publicized victims, hence story from road.cc : Updated: Boris Johnson backs down from claiming campaigners are putting people off cycling | road.cc from road.cc .

And in it "Safety on our roads - Please consider the following Governement E-Petition to amend road traffic law.
Presumed Liability (Road Traffic Incident) - e-petitions

I am not sure that this will work with our system of trial. Continental countries use inquisitions to determine a case and are quite different to us.
If you are in an accident in the UK, in which someone is killed or injured, you will probably be arrested so that you can be given your rights, ask for a solicitor, and then be questioned with it being recorded.
You then explain what happened. If it was not your fault, and the other evidence confirms this, you will be cleared.
A law presuming that you are at fault will not make any difference. The Police have to have sufficient evidence to send it to the CPS who will then only prosecute if they feel they have a fair prospect of getting a conviction.
Even then, juries and Magistrates regularly throw out prosecution cases.