Cycling promotion adverts, the lack of.

[BlackPanther]

I'd like to see an advert which would show the vulnerability of cyclists to educate drivers. An advert that also shows that for every cyclist there is (usually) one less car on the road for other drivers to get stuck behind. An advert that shows the health benefits. That shows the financial benefits. That shows the pollution reduction. That shows the sheer enjoyment of cycling. That shows the satisfaction of reaching your destination under your own steam. Maybe to discourage aggression/road rage, maybe show just how many cyclists have helmet cameras, and the convictions that have been achieved using video footage.

Now an advert like that would run for maybe 30 seconds? An advert that could save lives, reduce congestion, increase voters spending power, reduce pollution, decrease sick days, and make people think twice before committing road rage.

Why oh why aren't the government funding such adverts?

 

[seraphina]

They certainly used to do things like that - I remember seeing motorbike ones.

However, are they actually effective? Round our neck of the woods the electronic matrix displays frequently have messages relating to cycle safety (amongst other things)

 

[mjr]

I could comment on the practical problems that mean this isn't happening - fragmented funding, short term budgets, a legacy of "road safety" misguided victim-blaming and so on - but basically, I've only seen such adverts in London. We need more elected mayors and real, properly-competitive police commissioner elections to change this IMO.

 

[Moodyman]

Heard a local radio advert last week where a woman retrospectively weeps and wishes she had been more observant after she knocked over and killed a cyclist.

Went along the lines of 'he was someone's son, brother and father'.

 

[Tin Pot]

They certainly used to do things like that - I remember seeing motorbike ones.

However, are they actually effective? Round our neck of the woods the electronic matrix displays frequently have messages relating to cycle safety (amongst other things)

Interesting point, perhaps they have quantified previous campaigns.

In my line of work we do see improvements through awareness and education, so I would say yes they are likely to be effective. Even if it's just getting the lunatics to talk about it with their less lunatic mates in the pub, it could change attitudes and behaviour at a relatively little cost.

 

[mjr]

Heard a local radio advert last week where a woman retrospectively weeps and wishes she had been more observant after she knocked over and killed a cyclist.

Went along the lines of 'he was someone's son, brother and father'.

I have mixed feelings about that. It is still making an unhelpful cycling-death link but at least it is trying to change the behaviour of those most likely to be responsible.