Must get to the front...

[ianrauk]

Wow what a complete and utter inconsiderate tosser. (no not you Magnatom )

 

[magnatom]

Wow what a complete and utter inconsiderate tosser. (no not you Magnatom )

Ohhh, you are soooo luck you put that qualifier in, so you are....

 

[Cab]

I agree that it isn't particularly dangerous, but we need some form of stick or carrot to get those who really need the training to actually take it.

The lady I saw this morning is dangerous to herself. How do we get someone like that to go on a course if not with a stick? What is an appropriate carrot?

Free lifetime third party insurance for any cyclist who passes a simple course. As the damage done by cyclists to other road users is trivial, the cost would be minimal but the carrot appealingly large.

 

[Archie_tect]

Still remember my Cycling Proficiency course from junior school- caught us early to cut out bad habits and I remember it vividly... do the schools and the police still run something similar?

I find the worst offenders are the ones plugged into mp3 players so not only are they oblivious visually but aurally too, so there's no point telling them what they're doing wrong because they can't hear you anyway.

 

[Origamist]

Still remember my Cycling Proficiency course from junior school- caught us early to cut out bad habits and I remember it vividly... do the schools and the police still run something similar?

http://www.bikeability.org.uk/kids/

http://www.cycletraining.co.uk/training/services_for_organisations.php#schools

 

[Archie_tect]

Free lifetime third party insurance for any cyclist who passes a simple course. As the damage done by cyclists to other road users is trivial, the cost would be minimal but the carrot appealingly large.

Maybe not lifetime but for the first year... good idea cab.

 

[Archie_tect]

http://www.bikeability.org.uk/kids/

http://www.cycletraining.co.uk/training/services_for_organisations.php#schools

Thanks for the links Origamist- feeling very embarrassed and lazy as I should have googled that myself.

 

[BSA]

Oops!
I really think if the government was keen to promote cycling/reduce carbon emissions etc then free or subsidised cycle training should be at the top of the priority list. I'm even starting to lean towards it being compulsory, i.e. cyclist carrying some form of licence to prove that they had taken the course. Of course there are practical issues etc.....oh and the fact that the government aren't that keen....

Not sure if it is available everywhere but in Sheffield there was/is 2 hour bikeability training free for every resident.

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/cycling-and-walking-and-prow/cycling/cycle-coaching

 

[Cab]

Maybe not lifetime but for the first year... good idea cab.

Actually the way to sell it would be as a package; free lifetime third party insurance for cyclists passing a test, coupled with presumption of fault for motorists involved in accidents with those cyclists.

 

[Dan B]

I like the third party insurance suggestion. Another useful thing would be to promote the available training courses at the time of purchase, rather than leaving it to new cyclists to navigate the maze of their local council's web site/telephone system and find out for themselves what's on offer.

 

[gbb]

Actually the way to sell it would be as a package; free lifetime third party insurance for cyclists passing a test, coupled with presumption of fault for motorists involved in accidents with those cyclists.

A nice idea, but as a driver for 30 plus years and cyclist for many more ...i know no-one's perfect, me included.
We all make mistakes in judgement occasionally...i'd hate to be 'presumed wrong' because a trained cyclist had the same momentarty lapse of concentration and caused an accident for which i'd be automatically blamed just because i was the driver.

Nice ideas in general tho...

 

[garrilla]

But a trained monkey cyclist would be of an honest disposition and own up to the mistake, thus waiving any blame from the poor driver.

Surely?

 

[humptygocart]

.i'd hate to be 'presumed wrong' because a trained cyclist had the same momentarty lapse of concentration and caused an accident for which i'd be automatically blamed just because i was the driver.

You would not be automatically blamed for anything.

The public ignorance about the proposal can only partly be explained by the media's crass misrepresentation of what the plans entail.

 

[Cab]

.i'd hate to be 'presumed wrong' because a trained cyclist had the same momentarty lapse of concentration and caused an accident for which i'd be automatically blamed just because i was the driver.

You would not be automatically blamed for anything.

The public ignorance about the proposal can only partly be explained by the media's crass misrepresentation of what the plans entail.

Indeed, the proposal is really a means to level the playing field, a way of taking back what practically amounts to a presumption of error on the part of a pedestrian or cyclist at present.

So to introduce a scheme whereby you get free third party insurance in return for a short, paid course in cycling skills, alongside presumption of fault for motorists, would be a simple enough scheme that should make everyone happy, while being entirely cost effective because the actual risk posed by cyclists to others (and the damage done) is small enough such that the insurance would cost next to nothing to implement.

Of course, out on the roads the last thing most motorists want is well trained, assertive cyclists correctly claiming road space rather than hugging the gutter...

 

[Brains]

I think cycle training should be compulsory.









For every 11 year old.

It should be part of the school cirriculum for the first couple of weeks of September every year for the new intake.

This then needs to be followed in the spring after the clocks have gone forward for a refresher courrse for evey year until they leave school

I think trying to get working adults onto a course would be very difficult, one can offer all the carrot you like, but the people that most need to go will not go