Save a cyclist campaign

[amyling]

Hellooooooo cyclists

I've recently start the #saveacyclist campaign

No matter whether you're a pro or an amateur cyclist, everybody has experienced some kind of abuse, near miss, accident, injury or even the loss of family members or friends because of careless drivers. We all know the punishments for motorists who injure or kill cyclists on our roads are no way near severe enough. So what can we do to make a change?

If every cyclist became an ambassador for road safety - on AND off their bikes - maybe those ignorant people who class cyclists as second class citizens might start to see us as "normal" peope just like them. We're all human beings although some people don't treat us that way just because we're on two wheels. Crazy!???!

Save a cyclist campaign is all about changing peoples' attitudes towards cyclists. We need people to be able to relate the "annoying" cyclist to the man he saw shopping with his family earlier in the day. We need them to see cyclists as human beings as well! T-shirts will soon be available by demand to those who want to help promote safety on our roads and do their bit to reduce the amount of cyclists injured/killed in road accidents. How many innocent people have to die before awareness is increased?? If you can change just one person's attitude towards cyclists, and that in turn saves someones life one day, then it'll be worth it!

IT'S NOT A RACE, GIVE CYCLISTS SPACE!

Follow me on twitter @amyling or join the facebook group http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Save-a-cyclist-campaign/187240304636842?v=info

We need to get the numbers behind the cause... soon to come : petition for harsher sentences for motorists, blog, website, Tshirts

Be safe x

 

[fossyant]

Hmm, yet another pro/anti cyclist facebook page ?

Can you elaborate ?

 

[downfader]

Hellooooooo cyclists

I've recently start the #saveacyclist campaign

No matter whether you're a pro or an amateur cyclist, everybody has experienced some kind of abuse, near miss, accident, injury or even the loss of family members or friends because of careless drivers. We all know the punishments for motorists who injure or kill cyclists on our roads are no way near severe enough. So what can we do to make a change?

If every cyclist became an ambassador for road safety - on AND off their bikes - maybe those ignorant people who class cyclists as second class citizens might start to see us as "normal" peope just like them. We're all human beings although some people don't treat us that way just because we're on two wheels. Crazy!???!

Save a cyclist campaign is all about changing peoples' attitudes towards cyclists. We need people to be able to relate the "annoying" cyclist to the man he saw shopping with his family earlier in the day. We need them to see cyclists as human beings as well! T-shirts will soon be available by demand to those who want to help promote safety on our roads and do their bit to reduce the amount of cyclists injured/killed in road accidents. How many innocent people have to die before awareness is increased?? If you can change just one person's attitude towards cyclists, and that in turn saves someones life one day, then it'll be worth it!

IT'S NOT A RACE, GIVE CYCLISTS SPACE!

Follow me on twitter @amyling or join the facebook group http://www.facebook....04636842?v=info

We need to get the numbers behind the cause... soon to come : petition for harsher sentences for motorists, blog, website, Tshirts

Be safe x

A good idea.I have seen shirts and jerseys that have the ledging "cyclists are people too". If I can say one thing - try and get the CTC, British Cycling and the various cycling campaign groups on board. I'm sure people like that would love to spread news of the group via their newsletters, magazines and email lists.

 

[amyling]

Hmm, yet another pro/anti cyclist facebook page ?

Can you elaborate ?

Basically, I was sick of being upset by hearing about people being killed on the roads! I started the #saveacyclist campaign on twitter and facebook, it has really taken off! the message is just that we need to create mutual respect between cyclists and drivers on the road. This means both cyclists and motorists being courteous to one another. The only way to achieve this is to raise awareness of road safety, so cyclists can do their bit to change attitudes, whether it be by not jumping red lights, helping non-cyclists to relate to cyclists as human beings, or just supporting the #saveacyclist cause then maybe we can prevent something happening to another rider....

check out the FB page

:-)

 

[Headgardener]

Amy may I point you towards Comedypilots Ten Downing Street petition campaign for more driver awareness and legal responsability towards more vunerable road users i.e. cyclists which can be found as a sticky at the top of the Cafe page.

 

[downfader]

Basically, I was sick of being upset by hearing about people being killed on the roads! I started the #saveacyclist campaign on twitter and facebook, it has really taken off! the message is just that we need to create mutual respect between cyclists and drivers on the road. This means both cyclists and motorists being courteous to one another. The only way to achieve this is to raise awareness of road safety, so cyclists can do their bit to change attitudes, whether it be by not jumping red lights, helping non-cyclists to relate to cyclists as human beings, or just supporting the #saveacyclist cause then maybe we can prevent something happening to another rider....

check out the FB page

:-)

I think we need to remind some sections of society that transgressors on cycles are rare and a minority. Areas have their problems but the national picture is a law abiding one.

One fear I do have about your campaign is that campaigns like this tend to be quite insular.

 

[amyling]

RE: the petition, if somebody is already sorting out a petition then thats great, we'll get the signatures on there too

RE: the campaign, i can't promise anything, but i am definitely dedicated to the cause! It's an every day worry for me, my boyfriend is a pro and it's his job, if he was injured his livelihood would be gone! He's out there day in day out, more road time = more chance of an accident occurring. I have to admit, I never expected to be doing this, but I got so much support it has just grown and grown. I have sorted myself out a tshirt, others are available on demand to other people. But this isn't a business, all I'm asking is that in the very least we just have to be ambassadors and look out for each other. You jump a red light, anger a motorist, then the motorist will take it out on another cyclist. I'm constantly petrified when I go out on my bike! Something's gotta change, and people want it, so let's do it?!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Meanwhile I'm still searching for a snappier version of ''The only time cyclists really hold you up is when drivers knock them down.'' I feel it needs to be pared down but I like the up/down, you/drivers, cyclists/them oppositions because it addresses an already established set of preconceptions - cars axiomatically are faster than bikes therefore they must overtake regardless of the road conditions ahead, bikes get in our way, etc, etc, whereas, in fact, cyclists relieve overstrained road infrastructures and give motorised transport more room to circulate. I'm surprised that nobody ever seems to put an emphasis on how cyclists actually help drivers.

As for the ambassadorial side, that's how I choose and wish to cycle. I manage it maybe 98% of the time, the remaining 2% of the time I'm the most foul-mouthed vengeful hooligan on the road - because, for example, some idiot has risked my safety simply to get to the red light 2 seconds before me. This means, unfortunately, that 98% of drivers don't notice me and 2% think I'm mad and dangerous. And it's only that 2% of the time that makes an impression. (For example, how many times have you seen a thread about other people's good cycling on a cycling forum? I would guess that 98% of the time it's going to be about bad cyclists, RLJers, lightless ninja cyclists, nodders, etc, etc,)

Be an ambassador because you know it's the right thing to try to do, but don't expect the scapegoating to disappear. Cyclists do it too. Don't expect drivers not to.

 

[Bay Runner]

Supported

 

[nilling]

Supporting

FB link #saveacyclist

 

[ACS]

me to

 

[Ravenbait]

Meanwhile I'm still searching for a snappier version of ''The only time cyclists really hold you up is when drivers knock them down.''

"Cyclists only hold you up when drivers knock them down".

The other words are unnecessary.

Sam

 

[amyling]

Thanks guys for supporting the campaign :-)

 

[ComedyPilot]

I voiced a frustrated appeal to get something done, and started a thread about a petition. I know it is a long haul, but something needs to be done. To that end I am going to support you, and ask that all CC memers join up and support you. Your campaign has already got impetus, where another campaign 'might' detract attention, and not get as much of a following - with people possibly thinking, "not another campaign?"

Yours is already out there, it's going well, so I am joining you. Lets get this out there. I love your logo, and it could lead to a petition to No 10 on the back of it?

 

[amyling]

I voiced a frustrated appeal to get something done, and started a thread about a petition. I know it is a long haul, but something needs to be done. To that end I am going to support you, and ask that all CC memers join up and support you. Your campaign has already got impetus, where another campaign 'might' detract attention, and not get as much of a following - with people possibly thinking, "not another campaign?"

Yours is already out there, it's going well, so I am joining you. Lets get this out there. I love your logo, and it could lead to a petition to No 10 on the back of it?

Thankyou so much for your support! I will support any petition and get as many people to support it through the campaign. I have, however, discussed some advice I have been given re: petitions on your no. 10 petition thread. Here is the bulk of the post:

"With regards to the petition I have been in touch with the self styled "cycling lawyer" who is actually a barrister in London, who is fighting for road safety as well. Here is what he said when I asked him for advice:

The reality though is that we have the laws necessary to call careless
motorists to proper account but are faced with a failure of the police,
the CPS and sometimes the Courts to act consistently to enforce those
laws. None of those weak links are going to respond to a petition in
the way that an elected government might though they may respond to
publicity.

In light of this, please support the save a cyclist campaign on facebook http://www.facebook....187240304636842, #saveacyclist on twitter. We really need to raise publicity and pressurise the government into enforcing harsher sentences!"

I feel that if we put our energy into spreading the message, get the media involved as much as possible, then we're more likely to be heard. As I said before, I am more than happy to plug any road safety petitions through the campaign, we all want the same thing after all!!

Thanks again

Amy