Safety drive for cyclists from top officer
Monday 22nd November 2010, 1:10PM GMT.
A Black Country policeman is spearheading a campaign to encourage drivers to consider the safety of cyclists.
Sgt Martin Hall has worked with Dudley Council’s road safety and travel awareness team.
Cycling safety messages will be drawn on large boards near highways across the borough.
Keen cyclist Sgt Hall, who is based in Halesowen and has worked in the borough for more than 10 years, was inspired by a similar idea which has been used in New Zealand.
He worked with fellow members of Dudley’s Cycle Forum, which meets every three months to discuss cycling issues, to get the boards designed and it is expected they will be seen on some of the borough’s key commuter routes over the next three months.
Sgt Hall said: “I enjoy cycling as it’s a great hobby and helps me to keep fit and it’s also an important mode of transport for a number of our officers to patrol their areas.
“Cyclists can be vulnerable road users and I hope this campaign will remind drivers to be mindful of them at all times.”
Councillor Angus Adams, cabinet member for transportation at Dudley Council, said: “Most road users, whether they are drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists or pedestrians, behave responsibly and this needs to be encouraged to create safer road conditions for walkers and cyclists.
Visit the website at www.dudley.gov.uk/roadsafety or call Wendy Howard on 01384 815432.
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Perhaps we should equally campaign to make cyclists aware of their responsibilties such as those who feel that traffic lights are only there for motorised traffic, or that it is acceptable to just ride over pedestrian crossing while in use by pedestrians, that the pavement is the correct place to cycle at speed while full of pedestrians, all of which I have witnessed in the last week.
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Well said Bob, I could not agree with you more,the majority of cyclists have a disregard for the law, its time the Police enforced the law on cyclists as rigerously as they do with the motorist, or is that too much trouble for the Police? (not as profitable as catching motorists.)
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As someone who owns 7 bikes and 2 cars, it really annoys me when I see ANY road user disregarding the law – be it cyclists shooting red lights or motorists on the mobile ‘phone.
We should all think about safety – particularly that of vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians.
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I’ve not cycled up here so I don’t know if it’s the same, but when I lived and cycled in London it was often actually safer to jump the red light than wait and get caught in the crush as everyone tries to overtake you right from the off. Particularly if there are lorries about.
Completely agree about the pavement though – I’ve had about enough of cyclists shooting past me without a word of thanks if I’ve moved out of the way for them. Get on the road!
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This is funny I think the police as a whole should be more concerned about pedestrian safety esp when cars are allowed to drive on pavements and park on them with out the police doing anything about it first and foremost pedestrian safety comes first esp for disabled people. True there is concern for cyclists but also for pedestrian safety I think the police needs to clean up their act as well as the local councils.
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Why is it that motorists, who are already taxed to the hilt, have to carry number plates on their vehicles, have comprehensive insurance, and are monitored with surveillance that the Stasi would only dream of, while cyclists are pretty much free to do as they please with little chance of ever being prosecuted?
Todd, you might feel safer jumping the red light, but the fact is you are breaking the law – if I did that in my car, I would probably be nicked, and your attitude that you should be free to make up your own rules of the road is typical of why so many people resent cyclists. If you don’t feel safe stopping at the lights, then use your car instead.
As for the police, given the cuts they are supposed to suffering, you would think officers would have more pressing things to focus on – like fighting crime.
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Hi Boster,
I’m not alone in thinking this way – research does suggest that it is sometimes safer to jump the red lights than wait (in London)
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23393622-male-cyclists-who-jump-red-lights-are-safer.do
When I was cycling, I’d put my safety first. Usually, that meant stopping at red lights. Sometimes it meant going through them. If it stopped me from being left in a vulnerable position then I’d do it. And if looking after my own safety made people resent me then so be it.
The argument that I should have used my car instead is a ridiculous one – the answer to cyclist’s safety is not to make them all drive instead! And as somebody who both drives and walks these days, I’d much rather they were on the road than the pavement.
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Hi Boster, you may feel that as a car driver things are stacked against you. The reality is that cyclists rarely kill people, cars do every day.
If you kill someone in your car you’ll probably get fined a few hundred pounds. That’s pretty good value for a car driver don’t you think ? Not so for the victim or their families.
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