goblin
Reged: 31/03/2007
Posts: 1389
Loc: down yur me anzum
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Watching the goggle box last night and after watching the ads got to thinking (not something I normally do).
We've had a spate of what I'd call 'shock safety ads' in the past couple of years. There was the drink/drive one set in the bar; the one where the motorbike ploughs into the side of a car which is pulling out of a junction highlighting the think bike message (that one made me jump the first time I saw it); the one where the kid walks in front of a car highlighting 30mph speed limits; the seatbelt one where the kid in the back seat head butts his mother to death plus a few others.
But I can't remember any highlighting the dangers to cyclists. There's no doubt that these shock adverts do grab the attention and I was wondering why the cycling safety issues haven't been covered.
So a couple of questions.
Do you think there should be a shock advert covering cyclists. Would they be of any benefit. Any ideas of what the ad should run like to put over that shock factor.
And is there anywhere we can write to to put forward the idea?
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bfergie
Reged: 19/04/2008
Posts: 3653
Loc: Sticks ,Scotlandshire
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Good one winegoblin, I think that style of advert would work well and make motorists think like the motorbike one has done..
my suggestion would be setting it either at a roundabout where a car cuts across in front of a cyclist to make a junction while the cyclist is going straight on or as in the Jason Mcintyre incident where a car crosses the line of traffic into a side road hitting the cyclist..and use Victoria Pendleton or Chris Hoy as the cyclist lying dead on the road in the final shot..If that didn't work, nothing bloody would!!
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I now accept PAYPAL!!!!
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340driver
Reged: 12/06/2008
Posts: 156
Loc: Stratford-upon-Avon
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bfergie.Brilliant.I wonder how you could get the ball rolling though.Using VP or CH would be a great idea,one which I'm sure would grab the attention of the nation in a very hard hitting way.
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DrHutch
Reged: 14/09/2007
Posts: 14
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Does it not seem likely that the most immediate effect of that kind of ad would be to stop people from taking up cycling, on the basis that it's too dangerous? It's not an issue with the motorbike ads, because no one is trying to encourage people to take up motorcycling.
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bfergie
Reged: 19/04/2008
Posts: 3653
Loc: Sticks ,Scotlandshire
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That's a fair point DrHutch but surely people are already put off road cycling BECAUSE of the way they are treated on the road, Plenty people head for dirt tracks for that reason with their families and rightly so. It wont stop people cycling, but once the roads are safer and motorists have a better understanding they may start venturing onto the highway also...Please remember the majority of cyclists have cars..we are the careful ones. A lot of motorists have bikes but don't use them for the safety reason...they are the ones whos attention you grab first. If you love road cycling or want to take it up you will no matter how bad the roads are but look how many more would cycle once the environment is safer!
Oh other idea for tv viewers who don't know CH or VP by their faces add the wording...
2004 Athens olympic Gold medallist
2008 double world champion
2008 Beijing olympic triple gold madallist
2012 London Olympics...It's up to you!!!!
Or something like that!
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I now accept PAYPAL!!!!
Edited by bfergie (08/11/2008 14:28)
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goblin
Reged: 31/03/2007
Posts: 1389
Loc: down yur me anzum
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Although I totally understand your point doc, I think that anything we can do to improve the safety of those already cycling, including shock tv ads, far outweighs the possibility of scaring off any potential newcomers.
And in the long run, it might make the roads safer, thus encouraging more to take up cycling anyway.
.... or it might not! 
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bfergie
Reged: 19/04/2008
Posts: 3653
Loc: Sticks ,Scotlandshire
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Final thought...Any narration by Chris Boardman!!!
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I now accept PAYPAL!!!!
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cheninblancrcruise63
Reged: 27/03/2007
Posts: 956
Loc: Consett
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Quote:
Does it not seem likely that the most immediate effect of that kind of ad would be to stop people from taking up cycling, on the basis that it's too dangerous?
Possibly - but one ride through a busy city will do that also. Didn't VP recently say in Guardian article (I think) that she averages one life threatening incident per hour on the road! Point of ad would be to educate motorists - do that and many more will join us on the roads!
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tonybv9
Reged: 08/10/2007
Posts: 751
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A campaign to educate motorists about the dangers to which they at times unwittingly expose us would be good. Perhaps starting with choosing a safer place to overtake; i.e. not when the road width is reduced by a traffic island, or on a blind bend. It's something I always tried to get my pupils to think about when I was an instructor.
While there will always be a class of driver that doesn't give a toss, I'm sure there are many who just don't understand.
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Walk a mile in my shoes...and you will wear the bloody cleats out.
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goblin
Reged: 31/03/2007
Posts: 1389
Loc: down yur me anzum
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Quote:
While there will always be a class of driver that doesn't give a toss, I'm sure there are many who just don't understand.
I agree, I suspect that most accidents involving cyclists are down to lack of attention or ignorance more than anything. It's these people that any campaign would be aimed at. As with all the other ads, it's about promoting being aware at all times and acting with consideration.
The ones who couldn't give a toss are beyond education.
I have just sent an email to the department of transport road safety department highlighting some of the dangers we face and to see if they have any thoughts on an advertising campaign covering cycist's safety. I'll post up any response I get but don't hold your breath.
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Dazzricles
Reged: 24/08/2008
Posts: 621
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Heres my idea for a "shock" add:..A series of shots of the white "ghost" bikes in the place were the fatalities occured interwoven with images and infomation of the descesed. With a bit of imagination I think theres enuff shock value there without resorting to using living athletes. Any thoughts?
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scm
Reged: 24/06/2006
Posts: 1735
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You could add Hoy and Vicky at the end saying they didn't want to join the ghosts ....
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cheninblancrcruise63
Reged: 27/03/2007
Posts: 956
Loc: Consett
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Quote:
Perhaps starting with choosing a safer place to overtake; i.e. not when the road width is reduced by a traffic island,
Reminds me of a 'funny' incident couple of weeks past - riding along on local bypass at about 20mph (wind behind me and downhill!) approach traffic island and hear roar of bus behind me, thinks to myself stay calm, noise increases, bus gets nearer, realises he either has to kill me or hit the brakes - not this genius, he just goes right around me and the traffic island into path of traffic coming other way at about 60mph. Cue lots of horns beeping, brakes screeching and foul language (I can lip read!) I was too gobsmacked to do any more than note name of bus company (who said they couldn't help me unless I had got reg as well) I'd love to be on telly but not as one of Dazz's ghost cyclists!  
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wuverley
Reged: 16/05/2008
Posts: 4044
Loc: Man of Kent
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Thats a weird and new phenomenon I've also noticed.
I sometimes get overtaken much too close, I gesticulate and hope it will change someone's behaviour, but recently I have nearly watched car and double decker bus drivers plough into oncoming traffic because they've safely overtaken me, but tried to overtake on blind bends, and then had to pull in, before crashing into oncoming cars.
I saw someone in a cruising car nearly drive head on into a Police car just last week. For some reason the coppers didn't turn round and arrest him, but continued on their way.
It seems, bizarrely, that cyclists are enjoying a slightly higher profle than normal on the roads, but as to whether that is increasing road safety is perhaps another matter.
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Invicta
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plymchick
Reged: 17/09/2007
Posts: 251
Loc: World Of My Own
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I like Dazzricles idea. I would suggest an ad where different people are talking - famous cyclists as well as ordinary people - along the lines of:
"I am a cyclist. I am also a mother / father / son / daughter etc. You drive a 1.5 ton car. You hit me, you kill me. Who will look after my children / wife / husband / family etc when you have taken my life so you could get to your destination a few seconds quicker? You have taken my life and devastated that of others. Think of the damage you could cause before you narrowly overtake me at speed or try to turn at a junction as I approach etc etc".
They could also run an ad re the bus incident that RC63 described to show drivers that they need to be considerate to other road users too when they are overtaking.
We discussed road campaigns not that long ago and asked CW to get involved, but had no response from them - not a good start!! Maybe British Cycling could help?
Our local Police (Devon & Cornwall) were on the news recently out and about speaking to cyclists about safety due to the number of deaths over the past year. Surely it should have been drivers they needed to talk to!  
Here is the link to the previous discussion: www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=News&Number=36584&Searchpage=1&Main=36572&Words=+Rob_P&topic=&Search=true#Post36584
Edited by plymchick (11/11/2008 16:19)
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goblin
Reged: 31/03/2007
Posts: 1389
Loc: down yur me anzum
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Quote:
Our local Police (Devon & Cornwall) were on the news recently out and about speaking to cyclists about safety due to the number of deaths over the past year. Surely it should have been drivers they needed to talk to!
When the newsreader said before the item that 'the police had been out and about educating people about the dangers posed to cyclists on the roads', I too expected to see the police talking to motorists; instead of which we saw them talking to kids about the merits of wearing a helmet. That'll help then !!
Glad I wasn't the only one confused plymchick
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goblin
Reged: 31/03/2007
Posts: 1389
Loc: down yur me anzum
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Quote:
Heres my idea for a "shock" add:..A series of shots of the white "ghost" bikes in the place were the fatalities occured interwoven with images and infomation of the descesed. With a bit of imagination I think theres enuff shock value there without resorting to using living athletes. Any thoughts?
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2008/11/25/7524206-sun.html
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