Brilliant response from local paper

[downfader]

Riding the bus in to work this week on a particularly dark morning and looking out the window, bored. Then I see a little lad riding a bmx last second in the road. No lights and all dark clothes on a black bike.

"This isnt good" I told myself. I'd only noticed him because of the flourescent paper bag, so I emailed the editor of the daily echo to let him know. Its not the first time I've seen paper delivery kids do this, and sadly I've never been in the position to offer advice (not that its "safe" to thesedays, people over react with kids)

I'll admit, first and foremost, it is the PARENTs responsibility to make sure their kids have lights. The way people ride their cars up on pavements to park, or ratrun around the roads could end up in tragedy. Also if I were a newsagent I'd probably want to know that my workforce (and they are that) were safe and able to deliver.

The editor took the time to reply:

Many thanks for this.
I'm obviously concerned about this and will bring it to the attention of our sales team.
We do take this issue seriously and have guidelines for our paper boys and girls concerning visibility. It appears we need to reinforce these in this case.
regards,
Ian​

Excellant.

 

[yorkshiregoth]

One could also argue that the newspaper has a duty of care to provide sufficient lighting, protection etc.

 

[jay clock]

Well done. I am sure the paper do care, but the duty of care is with the employer, ie the newsagent, not the paper. However the paper should give the newsagents grief....

 

[yello]

Not sure the duty of care is with either paper or employer, surely it's with the cyclist to ensure they have a road legal bicycle. Of course, either could provide lights, high-viz etc.

Either way, decent of the paper to respond to positively.

 

[HF2300]

Cyclist has a responsibility under the Road Traffic Act to be legal, but if the bike's being used in the course of employment there is a duty of care on the employer under health and safety legislation.

 

[downfader]

Hmmm but how does the cyclist stand when he or she is under 16 (and these are kids we're speaking about)?

Yes I know a policeman could still prolly fine them, etc, but imo the parents have the biggest duty of care.. I mean do parents even teach kids the green cross code anymore? Let alone road rules if they're going out on a bike.

But yes I was rather pleased with the email, and I trust the guy to keep to his word from what others I know have said.

 

[thomas]

I think you'd have to save up paper money earnings for some time before you could buy lights. I think that who ever employees them has a duty to offer lights and insurance as it's being used for 'work' business.

 

[HF2300]

I don't think age has anything to do with responsibility under the RTA, though I guess any consequences would be modified by legal ages of responsibility. Certainly wouldn't make a difference to the employer's legal obligations.

Anyway, well done for taking action, downfader, and apparently getting something of a result.

 

[02GF74]

WOT? Is this the blame culture we have inherited from the USofA? The cyclist or his parents are repsonisble for his/her own safety. It is not the editor's responsibility nor the shopkeeper's.

 

[BentMikey]

I didn't think the HSE's remit extended to road use?

 

[Downward]

I did a paper round for years and never had lights )Well I did but back in those days batteries were expensive and lights were crap so most the time they sat at home.

Mind you I always went on the pavement and there were no cars parked up the pavements either.

 

[yello]

I did a paper round for years and never had lights

Yep, me too. Different era though innit?

 

[downfader]

I still have the lights from when I was a kid (a long time ago now). They took A size batteries, 4 of them, and were about as visible as... hmm trying to think of an analogy but they were just crap. Expensively crap too.

 

[Trillian]

Not sure the duty of care is with either paper or employer, surely it's with the cyclist to ensure they have a road legal bicycle. Of course, either could provide lights, high-viz etc.

Either way, decent of the paper to respond to positively.

used to get checked from time to time that we had lights by my boss

he'd sometimes even get some in stock and sell them to us cheap

 

[HF2300]

I didn't think the HSE's remit extended to road use?

Doesn't, in the normal course of things, but as I understand it use of a vehicle in the course of business is different.

WOT? Is this the blame culture we have inherited from the USofA? The cyclist or his parents are repsonisble for his/her own safety. It is not the editor's responsibility nor the shopkeeper's.

Yes, the cyclist / parents are responsible, but the employer (shopkeeper) has a duty of care over his employee (delivery boy) as well. This isn't 'blame culture'; it doesn't seem unreasonable that if the delivery boy is earning money for the newsagent by allowing him to provide a service, the newsagent should consider the delivery boy's welfare to the extent of saying 'have you got lights on that thing?'.