LCC needs to acknowledge importance of bad cycling

I am both a daily cyclist (and LCC member) and a car driver. Last night on Radio 5 live there was a real opportunity to get the public more on cyclists side since there was an item about cycling, bad cycling. However I feel the LCC rep. on the programme lost this wonderful opportunity to get the public on cyclists side.

 

There was a discussion about cyclists going through red lights with little regard to others -bad cycling like this not only causes accidents it really annoys members of the public and drains away cyclists seeking public support for safer cycling facilities.

So next time LCC rather than being defensive about cyclists behaving badly, as the LCC rep. was last night in my view the LCC needs to acknowledge that this a problem which needs addressing.

Replies

I agree that some cyclists and sometimes the LCC can appear to take a, "Holier than thou." stance. Assuming the moral high ground is theirs purely on the basis of riding on two wheels. Getting the balance right and accepting that all road users common agenda is safer more effecient roads, is a difficult target but not one that should be ignored.

I think it's worth pointing out that deaths and injuries caused by cyclists is comparitively tiny - however you're right that if someone appears defensive then they can lose support.

So what approach to take?

I guess you could suggest that we do need to encourage people to go on cycling training days. Clearer road signage and encourage cyclists to obey it.

However, it's also worth pointing out that when cyclists go through red lights, for instance, it can be because they are trying to get away from a vehicle they feel unsafe riding next to - so better cycle lanes and better drivers would also improve cyclists behaviour.

Just a few thoughts.

Bad behaviour by cyclists is counter-productive to LCC's goal, which is for roads which are better (safer, more pleasant and more convenient) for all road users.

Well, I have thought of the action Southwark Cyclists took over complaints of speeding on shared-use paths.

Do I blow a whistle to attract attention to the wrong-doer at the lights? Invite other compliant cyclists near-by to join in disapproval?

I suppose proportional enforcement would be good... fat chance.

Perhaps we could consider a group of cyclists, without their bikes, standing at the site of frequent red-light-jumpings, and blowing whistles of disapprobation at any offenders?

 

The discussion on Radio 5 live can still be heard on BBC listen again until Thursday 15th. It is 59.30 minutes into the recording at:   http://is.gd/55gg3d .

We were asked to talk about Lord Sugar's ill-judged call in Parliament for all cyclists to be forced to carry ID so they could be easily prosecuted.  We oppose this proposal, as did almost all the other Lords in the house last week. 

We were put up against a motoring journalist who chose to repeat the usual lies about all cyclists being law breakers, who don't pay their way and cause all the problems on the road. 

London Cycling Campaign does not support illegal or anti-social behaviour by cyclists. We agree with 'bob' that bad cycling undermines our work to encourage more people to cycle, more often.  However we do need to counter the view that cyclists are the only people who behave badly, or that cyclists' bad behaviour causes the same level of harm that motorists' bad behaviour does.

Given only a few seconds to reply before the conversation was cut off mid-stream we thought it was more important to counter the cyclist bashing rhetoric, rather than support it.

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