Hello! Thank you for reading this. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of "them and us" articles in the local press. It would be better if we could all work together.
The common ground:
Most cyclists also drive. We know what it is like. We know that sometimes it feels as if cyclists "just come from nowhere". We are in a vicious cycle now, where there are so few cyclists (3% of journeys made by bike in the UK) that we don't instinctively think of them, which makes cycling less safe, so fewer people do it.
Most cyclists also drive. We know what it is like. We know that sometimes it feels as if cyclists "just come from nowhere". We are in a vicious cycle now, where there are so few cyclists (3% of journeys made by bike in the UK) that we don't instinctively think of them, which makes cycling less safe, so fewer people do it.
If you imagine the cyclist in front of you:
• that person might otherwise be in a car, and would take the last parking space, or stop you getting through the green light.
• "Cycling increasing means road space saved", the AA, 1994
• if s/he is in front, then technically, s/he has right of way, so if a cyclist pulls out to avoid a puddle, please try to be gracious and let them.
• that person might otherwise be in a car, and would take the last parking space, or stop you getting through the green light.
• "Cycling increasing means road space saved", the AA, 1994
• if s/he is in front, then technically, s/he has right of way, so if a cyclist pulls out to avoid a puddle, please try to be gracious and let them.
What we need you to do:
• Before turning left, look over your left shoulder, just in case...(in London, more cyclists die with lorries turning left than for any other reason)
• Give a few more inches as you overtake a bike, or hang back until safe. (You may be delayed getting to the next traffic jam...)
• After you have parked, look over your right shoulder before opening the car door.
• (My first driving examiner said "that could have been your sister there when you turned without looking")
• Your driveway:
– It is much safer to reverse INTO your driveway, than try to reverse OUT.
– It takes a few moments to get the feel of driving, so it is better to do the difficult manoeuvre when you have the awareness at the end of a journey, rather than when you start.
– You are also more likely to be in a rush in the morning
– The rush hour is more concentrated in the morning - children on scooters and cyclists pass your driveway in greatest numbers between 7.30am and 9am (which is when many drivers are trying to leave their driveways).
– You should not really be reversing into fast-moving traffic.
• Think about where you stop/park your car. Eastbourne has very few traffic wardens, so many drivers park on double yellow lines on corners knowing they won't get caught. Please don't - cyclists can't see round until they are in the middle of the traffic.
• Try to indicate early - cyclists take a while to build up momentum, or get the courage to cross a road / turn, so it is helpful if they know what your intentions are early.
• Think about how fast you need to go. (Remember the road safety campaign: if you hit me over 30mph there is an 80% chance I'll die, if you hit me under 30mph, there is an 80% chance I'll live.)
• Before turning left, look over your left shoulder, just in case...(in London, more cyclists die with lorries turning left than for any other reason)
• Give a few more inches as you overtake a bike, or hang back until safe. (You may be delayed getting to the next traffic jam...)
• After you have parked, look over your right shoulder before opening the car door.
• (My first driving examiner said "that could have been your sister there when you turned without looking")
• Your driveway:
– It is much safer to reverse INTO your driveway, than try to reverse OUT.
– It takes a few moments to get the feel of driving, so it is better to do the difficult manoeuvre when you have the awareness at the end of a journey, rather than when you start.
– You are also more likely to be in a rush in the morning
– The rush hour is more concentrated in the morning - children on scooters and cyclists pass your driveway in greatest numbers between 7.30am and 9am (which is when many drivers are trying to leave their driveways).
– You should not really be reversing into fast-moving traffic.
• Think about where you stop/park your car. Eastbourne has very few traffic wardens, so many drivers park on double yellow lines on corners knowing they won't get caught. Please don't - cyclists can't see round until they are in the middle of the traffic.
• Try to indicate early - cyclists take a while to build up momentum, or get the courage to cross a road / turn, so it is helpful if they know what your intentions are early.
• Think about how fast you need to go. (Remember the road safety campaign: if you hit me over 30mph there is an 80% chance I'll die, if you hit me under 30mph, there is an 80% chance I'll live.)
What we will do:
• We will encourage cyclists to stop at red lights
• We will encourage cyclists to avoid riding on pavements
• We will encourage cyclists to stop at red lights
• We will encourage cyclists to avoid riding on pavements