Shane Sutton down too

[jdtate101]

I too wish them a speedy recovery, but also hope too that this raises the profile of campaigns for cycle safety, specifically around improving standards of driving.

 

[davefb]

Won't happen. This is the North West and cycle facilities are a joke.

box ticking thru to 'nice to have a potter'... but for commuting safely, joke.

 

[thom]

I too wish them a speedy recovery, but also hope too that this raises the profile of campaigns for cycle safety, specifically around improving standards of driving.

British Cycling release statement calling on the government to:​

''put cycling at the heart of transport policy to ensure that cycle safety is built into the design of all new roads, junctions and transport projects, rather than being an afterthought."​

 

[summerdays]

Hoping both these gentlemen a speedy recovery , i do hope that both these high profile accidents encourage the govt to put more money aside to develop more cycle lanes and provide sustrans with funds to develop the cycle paths

I doubt either of these men would have been on a cycle path even if it existed as they would likely to be going too fast in the first place (no matter what their thoughts on cycle path safety).

 

[GrasB]

GWS to Shane & Bradley.

British Cycling release statement calling on the government to:​

''put cycling at the heart of transport policy to ensure that cycle safety is built into the design of all new roads, junctions and transport projects, rather than being an afterthought."​

In all honesty though the problem isn't the lack of provision, it's the lack of consideration for others drivers show. Since the clocks have changed there are a lot of drivers still charging about as though it's daylight where you need to take that extra 2 or 3 seconds to look more carefully at junctions etc. Right now in the UK we're suffering from a fairly dramatic reduction in driving standards, mainly due to the CPS now allowing cases to court & Judges handing out minor fines when cases are being proven. This is something which needs to be changed. Making infrastructure isn't the answer as there will always be places where you're going to want to cycle where there isn't anything. Much better to come down hard on motorists who are driving in a high-risk manner.

 

[jdtate101]

Driving is a privilege NOT a right. Those who have demonstrated a poor standard of driving should have their license cancelled until they re-sit another test including the theory test. Said test should include sections on cycle safety. I'm not advocating this approach for small infractions such as speeding etc, but rather for people who maim and cause death by careless or dangerous driving. A simple 9 or 12 month ban is NOT sufficient. They should face Jail, a lengthy ban and THEN have to pass a re-test, anyone caught driving on the roads without a license should face immediate crushing of their car (or better still, their car is auctioned and the proceeds go towards road safety or the victims) and possible Jail time.

I think it's about time we got harsh. As a driver I would welcome this as I get annoyed with the amount of idiot drivers out there. It does seem to have got worse the last couple of years....not sure why?

 

[fozy tornip]

Driving is a privilege NOT a right. Those who have demonstrated a poor standard of driving should have their license cancelled until they re-sit another test including the theory test. Said test should include sections on cycle safety. I'm not advocating this approach for small infractions such as speeding etc, but rather for people who maim and cause death by careless or dangerous driving. ...

Bit farking late by then

 

[fozy tornip]

The point being that speeding, which you call a "small infraction", is careless driving, texting/handheld phoning is dangerous driving. All that separates speeding/texting drivers from drivers who maim and kill is chance. Tolerating speeding/texting is to invite death and maiming. Harshly penalising the 'unlucky' driver only after his routine, habitual negligence/incompetence has killed/maimed is bloody ludicrous.

 

[psmiffy]

Bit f***ing late by then

I agree - however if the only way to change the behavior of drivers is to wave the big stick so that everybody can see there will be consequences to their actions - then so be it

Edited - in light of post above - yup - not a matter of singling out the "unlucky driver" - got to be proper sanctions against all road offenders - proper bans for people totting up points and retests for serial banees - plus where appropriate jail sentences for serial offenders/unlicienced drivers

 

[fozy tornip]

I caught a bit, all I could stomach, of 'How safe are British roads?' on the iPlayer. 3 points and a £60 fine for a driver cruising along with phone to her ear for mile after mile. Nothing to stop her climbing back in her car and re-dialling. Let's wait, then, until her luck runs and she kills/maims someone before we get 'harsh', because then and only then will we know she's a careless/dangerous driver?

 

[thom]

Don't mean to be mean but would cycle safety be better debated in one of the other forums ?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Don't mean to be mean but would cycle safety be better debated in one of the other forums ?

It is, ad nauseam, but it's a pro-cycling issue when it takes down our best cyclists, and with British pro-cycling currently riding high in the public imagination (relatively speaking), it means that this might be taken more seriously. It's a pretty sad day for pro-cycling in Britain when the Olympic champion can't ride safely on the roads.

 

[400bhp]

GWS to Shane & Bradley.



In all honesty though the problem isn't the lack of provision, it's the lack of consideration for others drivers show. Since the clocks have changed there are a lot of drivers still charging about as though it's daylight where you need to take that extra 2 or 3 seconds to look more carefully at junctions etc. Right now in the UK we're suffering from a fairly dramatic reduction in driving standards, mainly due to the CPS now allowing cases to court & Judges handing out minor fines when cases are being proven. This is something which needs to be changed. Making infrastructure isn't the answer as there will always be places where you're going to want to cycle where there isn't anything. Much better to come down hard on motorists who are driving in a high-risk manner.

It's both - simple stuff like removing clutter from road junctions will make a difference.

But I've really noticed the poor driving since the clocks went back. Just some really really crap driving.

 

[asterix]

I guess some of the south mancs will know that stretch?

In the late 1980's I cycled along it daily on the way to university, as I lived in Stockport. It wasn't a problem then and in my 3 years cycling in Manchester I had only 2 significant incidents, both when I was knocked off by jay walkers. I think that cycling on such roads has since become far more difficult.

It seems to me that drivers have potentially a much more dangerous (to others) vehicle than they did in the 1980's. Back then, a so-called 'hot hatch' was regarded as a high performance car, but their acceleration and top speed (if not handling) would now be regarded as quite ordinary.

If road deaths and injuries figures have 'improved' I doubt very much that it is due to higher levels of driver competence, more a result of crash protection and road engineering. If anything, drivers are increasingly insulated from the consequences of their incompetence.

Won't happen. This is the North West and cycle facilities are a joke.

My own injury, similar sounding to Shane Sutton's, was received on a green-painted cycle lane when someone opened a passenger door into my path. I'm sure if there had been no lane the driver would have pulled into the kerb to let his passenger out. It's not just the NW where cycle facilities are a 'joke'. I wasn't commuting then as I had recently been made redundant but my injuries were serious enough to mean I could not return to my former IT work. (Thanks to suggestions on Cycle plus forum and RJ&W, I was substantially compensated)

 

[GrasB]

It's both - simple stuff like removing clutter from road junctions will make a difference.

My comment was more on infrastructure than information overload/low observation time issues.