Car drivers - more room please

Despite a huge increase in road riding over the past two or three years I'm reluctant to take my kids anywhere near the open road. I want them to enjoy the thrill, freedom and independence riding a bicycle out into the country will give them. But I'm not prepared for them to take on the risks that I and every other recreational rider are exposed to each time we venture onto the road.

Last week one of the UK's top cyclists was killed whilst out training - hit by a van. Last Sunday I was passed on at least 4 occasions by vehicles within half a meter of me. The Highway Code instructs drivers to:

give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car

Funny how this is unfailingly given to horses and ponies but rarely to cyclists. In France drivers are obliged to give a statutory 1.5 meter gap, despite there being a much more positive attitude to cyclists generally.

We are a nation of pretty crap drivers, in most cases completely under qualified or experienced in road use. Often our spatial-temporal faculties are poor or in decline. Cars and vans are getting wider and inevitably there are no bike lanes in which we can seek refuge. Despite the fact that most cyclists are also car owners and therefore contribute to road taxes, the issue of 'safer cycling' is not a high government priority. It is left to independent organisations like Sustrans to create a safer cycling environment and how great it was that in winning the £50 million Big Lottery Fund so comfortably the people recognised the importance of their work.

The American 'Give 3 Feet' campaign is a good example of how a government funded initiative could bring the issue to a wider audience.

 

http://www.cbcef.org/give3feet/

Meanwhile, all we can do is implore drivers to give a little more consideration in passing cyclists and slowly we may all feel a little more comfortable sharing the open road.

Jerry

Five good reasons to drive to work

1: Heated seats
On the six days a year when the temperature drops below 0º, this luxury gives you a peerless peeing-in-your-wetsuit pleasure.

2: Terry Wogan
The diminutive Irish raconteur is essential early- morning radio listening (especially if you like nodding off at the wheel or arriving at work unable to distinguish wake from sleep).

3: Obesity
Exercise schmexercise. Sit back, buckle up and drive your waistline to ever-wider extremes in order to enjoy greater buoyancy, larger tattoo fields, discount shopping at High & Mighty and free entrance into
sumo competitions.

4: Climate change
The jury’s still out on this one (at least, it is if you’re a member of the right-wing press rather than something ending in ‘ologist’), but why worry about climate change when you’ve got climate control? If a heatwave or big freeze strikes, just twiddle the relevant knob.

5: Camaraderie
Despite the fact that you can’t really talk to other drivers (aside from the odd hand-gesture oriented display of road rage) there’s the community spirit borne of being part of a mass movement of people crawling in the same direction. And you all recognise a common two-wheeled enemy.

How lovely.

Of course, while we were just about able to come up with five good reasons to drive to work, there are about 1,500 good reasons to cycle to work:

It's better for your health, your wealth, your happiness, your children, your community and your future – not to mention being pretty good news for the planet and for hedgehogs.

It also allows you to enjoy the beauty of Gore-Tex, the seasons, speed, a nicely toned arse, fresh air, arriving home early and, well, we could go on but you get the idea.

You get on your bike; we’ll get off our soapbox!

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