Had a chat with Arriva today

[magnatom]

MT, OK, while they're in a good mood how about this. Back before the HGV thread turned into the Lee & Dondare Show I was wondering whether the Cyclechat community could do anything about demonstrating the issues or putting together a video.

While you've got a tame bus company - who presumably have spare buses now and again - and contacts here who might be able to turn up and help out, how about trying to put together an Arriva sponsored training vid to show the issues and dangers, aimed at all the groups - PSV and LGV drivers and cyclists?

Hmmm. You might have something there. Let me ponder this...

 

[John the Monkey]

Magna, one thing I've wondered (and never quite got a good answer to) is how all this stuff gets communicated - I know our bus companies have a nice leaflet telling their drivers, and cyclists how thing should be done. I've never seen these leaflets being given out, or seen a new cyclists pack that includes them though.

 

[magnatom]

Magna, one thing I've wondered (and never quite got a good answer to) is how all this stuff gets communicated - I know our bus companies have a nice leaflet telling their drivers, and cyclists how thing should be done. I've never seen these leaflets being given out, or seen a new cyclists pack that includes them though.

The Arriva chap mentioned giving out leaflets on the buses, but I don't think that is the right people to be giving the leaflets to. I think we will need to get the council or possibly the police involved to get the campaign to a wider audience. New cyclist packs are a great idea, and surely something could be given out to those wo buy bikes through the cycle to work scheme.

Hmmm, that's another possibility...

 

[wafflycat]

View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nl1lUY5wZjg


(whilst there is no left turn at this junction, there is a bus stop immediately after the lights which most of the buses stop at...)

Sums up everything that is wrong with psychle farcilities. Too narrow, in the gutter, dangerous, not needed... AAARRGGHHH! Whoever is responsible for that abortion should be glued to the tarmac and repeatedly cycled over by the entire Tour de Francis peloton on bikes with studded tyres..

 

[Mr Pig]

Well done, magnatom, for your tireless efforts in support of the cause of all cyclists. You are a credit to us all

Hear here.

Your avatar is s*** though ;0)

 

[HF2300]

The Arriva chap mentioned giving out leaflets on the buses, but I don't think that is the right people to be giving the leaflets to. I think we will need to get the council or possibly the police involved to get the campaign to a wider audience. New cyclist packs are a great idea, and surely something could be given out to those wo buy bikes through the cycle to work scheme.

Hmmm, that's another possibility...

I must admit that's something I was thinking re. the HGV thread as well. We all talk about these sort of issues here, as do other cycle forums, but really that's preaching to the converted.

As far as PSV / LGV are concerned, distribution isn't too difficult because it's a limited audience who are regularly communicated with anyway, particularly if CPC starts to involve this and particularly if DVLA / VOSA can be brought in.

The people that need to know are the new / inexperienced / unaware cyclists, the drivers of 7.5 tonners (many of whom will have been grandfathered onto that licence category) etc.

Trying to get these things to new cyclists sounds ideal, +1 for that. I think many will just screw a leaflet up and chuck it though, so that's got to be got round.

If I can help with anything give me a shout.

 

[wafflycat]

Mag - have you seen the little item of joy that is the Warrington Cycle Campaign 'Facility Of The Month' for this month?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/index.htm

 

[magnatom]

Mag - have you seen the little item of joy that is the Warrington Cycle Campaign 'Facility Of The Month' for this month?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/index.htm

Wow! That really is a shocker! That doesn't reduce the likelyhood of an accident, that almost guarantees one will happen!

If I ever do go and have a chat with the bus drivers, I think I will provide some examples like this, to show why cyclists often avoid using cycle paths/lanes!

 

[purplepolly]

do be wary if they want to take you down to the bus driver training circuit for a practical demonstration

 

[wafflycat]

Wow! That really is a shocker! That doesn't reduce the likelyhood of an accident, that almost guarantees one will happen!

If I ever do go and have a chat with the bus drivers, I think I will provide some examples like this, to show why cyclists often avoid using cycle paths/lanes!

I know. You really have to wonder what is going on in the brain of the rrsol responsible for the design & implementation of such dangerous rubbish, you really, really do. Mind you, having worked with highway engineers some years ago, I know they reside on a different planet to the rest of humanity.

 

[nickb]

Dunno what your bus drivers are like, but if I were having a similar interaction with Cardiff Bus I'd point out that the use of bus lanes is not mandatory and that it's OK for buses to use the next lane whilst overtaking a bicycle and, if the other lane is free, why not stay in it for more than a nanosecond before swerving violently back into the bus lane after executing the overtaking manoeuvre. It's almost as if they are trying to prove some sort of a point.

 

[MartinC]

If you don't use the cycle lane then you can take the whole lane up going through that TCM. If not and you decide to use the cycle lane you just have to give way.

I agree, it's cr*p isn't it. They've solved the problem they've created with a stop line - you have to give way to traffic arriving from behind!

 

[Arch]

Mag - have you seen the little item of joy that is the Warrington Cycle Campaign 'Facility Of The Month' for this month?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/index.htm

Oh FFS....

Well done anyway Magna. I like HF2300's idea of a video or something. There was a leaflet, a few years back. It was a little booklet and one way up it was something like "Why cyclists should watch out for HGVs", but turn it the other way up and read it through, it was "why HGVs should watch out for cyclists" - or something like that, anyway, it made the point that everyone has responsibilities on the road - and all in one leaflet, so it was less devisive, and of course the drivers could also read the cyclist's bit, and vice versa.

I agree that leaflets might be ignored, unless you can make them very eyecatching - amybe add a quiz with prize draw - one of those one where the answer is in the text, so it's more or less a lottery, not a game of skill. Perhaps a DVD is more interesting - although you have to bother to play it. Drivers can get stuff through the DVLA, but cyclists? Give it out free in bike shops (including, perhaps especially, in Halfords etc), supermarkets, in with the local free paper. One free with every boxed bike too. There are always going to be those who ignore, but one person informed and one life saved has to be worth something.

 

[magnatom]

Yeah, I'm certainly going to look into this stuff. I've just been snowed under with work over the last week or so, and I've an article to write for Monday on helmet cameras. So after Monday, I'll be focusing on this.