Campaign slogans

[magnatom]

You may remember a while back I had some success with the Give Cyclists Room campaign. I managed to get First Bus Glasgow to take part in a limited manner . They promised to change driver training and put Give Cyclists Room stickers in the drivers cabs.

I tried to follow this up by contacting other bus companies and asking them if they would take part. I had a little success, with one small company agreeing in principle to take part (although they never got back to me after my second e-mail) and another wanting information on driver training. First never got back to my follow up e-mails .

At the same time I contacted the Land services department of the local Council to see if they would be willing to help out (they are connected with the local Road safety unit). They actually showed an interest, and along with a CTC chappy we went along to see what we could achieve.

It would seem that they are interested in helping out (there is a few things going on in the background that I probably shouldn't make public, but locals could PM me if interested). However, we all agreed, that although the current slogan was useful, it was a little simplistic and it played a little to heavily on the bully/victim aspect.

So we need a new slogan. We decided that a good campaign would be positive and aimed at all road users. There would be a main campaign that would have hi visibility stickers that would target all road users. This would be something along the lines of 'Mutal respect', 'See and smile', 'When you look into my eyes - I know you care' etc. There is a possibility of hooking up with a opticians for some bus back advertising with some of this (SMIDSY, not if you went to Specsavers!)
Any suggestions along these lines? (actually I just thought up that SMIDSY one, I quite like that!!)

As well as having these general stickers there would be leaflets produced that would be more specific to particular road users, i.e like the Warrington bus and bike leaflet.

The overall aim is to not come across as a bunch of moaning cyclists. This sort of campaign gets easily dismissed. If we target all road users at the same time, whilst ensuring that cycle specific messages get across during the campaign then we hope to avoid the 'bloody cyclists' reaction.

Anyway none of this is certain as it depends on funding (new financial year approaches) and agreement about the exact type of campaign. However, I will continue to be involved and I will certainly push for something positive with this.

I posted this here and not in campaign as it is relevant to commuters and there are more people viewing this forum. I hope admin doesn't mind.

 

[John the Monkey]

"The Most Dangerous Thing You'll Do Today" (over a drivers eye view of steering wheel and road ahead) - I think getting drivers to realise that their vehicles can be lethal would help somewhat.

Maybe something humanising the vulnerable road user (as opposed to the possible impression of them as an inconvenience etc). "Father of two, football fan, (some other ordinary joe type stuff) and cyclist."

Best of luck with it all anyway Magnatom, hope you can make a difference.

 

[magnatom]

"The Most Dangerous Thing You'll Do Today" (over a drivers eye view of steering wheel and road ahead) - I think getting drivers to realise that their vehicles can be lethal would help somewhat.

Maybe something humanising the vulnerable road user (as opposed to the possible impression of them as an inconvenience etc). "Father of two, football fan, (some other ordinary joe type stuff) and cyclist."

Best of luck with it all anyway Magnatom, hope you can make a difference.

You are absolutely right about the need to humanise us. Of course we have to be aware that we don't go down that road too far, 'Won't someone please think of his children.....

 

[John the Monkey]

...we don't go down that road too far, 'Won't someone please think of his children.....

I wish sometimes people would - I wonder how many of the twunts squeezing past me on the descent towards Wilmslow Station would do so if they pictured themselves explaining to the missus and nippers why I wasn't coming home that night. You're right that it becomes self parodying though.

Any road, enough about that.

 

[Arch]

"Why not just be nice?"

Although I'd want that fixed up all over the place, as a general plea to society...

If people didn't get so het up about things - so something like "chill out, be safe" (that's a rubbish slogan, but that's the sort of sentiment.)

 

[Arch]

"Is your 10 seconds worth a life?" - since needless impatience is such a bit problem - it would also be targetting rljers etc...

 

[magnatom]

"Why not just be nice?"

Although I'd want that fixed up all over the place, as a general plea to society...

If people didn't get so het up about things - so something like "chill out, be safe" (that's a rubbish slogan, but that's the sort of sentiment.)

Yes you have the right sentiment there. I wonder though if it needs a little more connection to the roads. It's not easy to get the right message across in a few words!

 

[sheddy]

Is this a poster to be placed on the back of the bus ?

 

[magnatom]

Is this a poster to be placed on the back of the bus ?

Maybe. It is possible that the campaign could be on council vehicles in general, but they do have some buses. It is also possible that SPT (less powerful equivalent of TfL here in Glasgow) could put some pressure on bus companies to take part. Maybe.....

 

[Arch]

Yes you have the right sentiment there. I wonder though if it needs a little more connection to the roads. It's not easy to get the right message across in a few words!

"Chill out, slow down, be safe..." Although of course, speed is not the only issue, but if you can get people away from the idea that they must be everywhere instantly, you probably go some way to relaxing them.

 

[bazzadigz C+]

not again! i still stand by "Giving cyclist Heidi Klum" tho ;-)

 

[magnatom]

Yes Arch the problem with this one might be it does appear to lecture at car drivers (i.e. slow down). It's not an easy one this.

Bazzadigs, you naughty boy/girl (I try not to make assumptions!). I'm trying to be serious and boring here...

 

[Arch]

Yes Arch the problem with this one might be it does appear to lecture at car drivers (i.e. slow down). It's not an easy one this.

Bazzadigs, you naughty boy/girl (I try not to make assumptions!). I'm trying to be serious and boring here...

The trick is perhaps to make any slogan apply to all road users - When I say "slow down" I really also mean "and that means you too cyclists, rather than zoom past other people with an inch to spare and while you're at it, take a few seconds to stop at read lights...". But that's a rather unwieldy slogan...

 

[magnatom]

The trick is perhaps to make any slogan apply to all road users - When I say "slow down" I really also mean "and that means you too cyclists, rather than zoom past other people with an inch to spare and while you're at it, take a few seconds to stop at read lights...". But that's a rather unwieldy slogan...

Well I do have the back of a bus to fill I wonder if i could fit the whole of cyclecraft alongside a copy of the highway code on the back of the bus. It might lead to tailgating of the bus though.....

 

[QuickDraw]

I'm rubbish at this creative thinking stuff. I was cycling home along the mean streets of No Mean City last night trying to come up with something. I suppose I was actually hoping for some inspiration but everyone was on their best behaviour, no horns, no cutting me up not even an impatiently revved engine so all I could come up with was this:

For RLJs, pavement cyclists, suicidal pedestrians and impatient drivers - "Gonnae no dae that"

For the boy racer and his mate hanging out the passenger window
"Yah coupla f@nnies"

And for the dangerous drivers - "Oot the car Stirling"

More seriously I think you're on the right lines with the humanising angle. Something like a representative picture of everyone - pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, driver, bus, taxi - with something like "We're all just trying to get home for our tea" or "Yes, I'm late for my work as well".

Obviously they won't work for an overall slogan (if they work at all) but to come up with something that summarises mutual respect but is specific to road users and also inclusive of all road users is way beyond my limited powers of imagination.