Reminder - Cyclists Beware

[huw williams]

Just a reminder for those who aren't aware of it that this is still an issue...


To all cyclists

If you cycle or are sympathetic the cycling world, please take two
minutes to read this and sign the e-gov petition - which CTC thinks is well worth doing

Your right to ride on the road is in jeopardy. The revised Highway Code says cyclists should "use cycle facilities where possible". If this Code is approved, cyclists will effectively lose the right to ride on the road where there are alternative routes or adjacent facilities.

The implications of this are too bad to contemplate. First we will
suffer more abuse and intimidating driving, as recently suffered by
a CTC member. Second, if a cyclist is involved in an accident and
tries to claim damages, the insurance companies are likely to argue
that the rider contributed to the accident by not using the cycle
facility.

The Highway Code has been laid before parliament. It will
automatically be approved unless it is referred to a House of
Commons Committee which cannot amend it and can only recommend the whole document be rejected.

It will take an unprecedented amount of adverse publicity to persuade the government to reject the Highway Code in its entirety.

The CTC HQ Campaign team are working hard to find some way of
achieving this and will obviously require national support.Meanwhile
HQ says it will do no harm to support the petition which is at

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/roads4bikes/

It is interesting to note that 35 MP's objected to the original
revised wording. Unfortunately, the replacement wording is no better.

Only 11,000 objections were received to the previous wording. There
are over 50, 000 in the CTC alone who should now be objecting.

If this Highway Code is approved by government cyclists will
effectively lose the right to ride on the road where there are
alternative routes or adjacent facilities.

Please register your name on the petition and persuade others to do
the same.

[Gavin]

with 2 million signed up against road tolls and they are still trialing it I hope that Browns statement that he will 'listen to the people' holds true.

[kieran]

yea, but the road tolls opposition might take money away from government this highway code thingy flies in the face of other governement targets and attempts to get people fitter and reduce pollution etc!

Note though the HC is not law, parts of it repeat what is law but it doesn't constitute law in itself so it won't be illegal (yet) to cycle on the road beside cycle facilities, but I think the CTC are afraid of what would happen if a test case like that of Cadden (the guy arrested for delaying motorists and not using a cycle path) came along in the future.

[kieran]

p.s. everyone in ACC should sign the petition and write to MP etc - imagine the club run having to use cycle paths where available!!

[Snoop Doug]

I tried to sign the thing last night - still waiting for the email with the linkypoo to come through. Good idea about the MP letter. Tom Brake is my local geezer and he rides a bike so would hope he'll see sense .

I'll try to draft something this weekend then post it so others can pinch it (if they think it's good enough of course )

Snoop

[Amy]

How about making people aware of this on the club run tomorrow. I'll try to remember to bring the web address with me.

Sean, could you do an all members' email with Huw's original post?

Snoop, my email came quite promptly but it was during the day.

[Alex P]

Mr Penge Avenger, it might be worth making this a sticky for while, especially as we announced this on the CR today....could you oblige?

[Will]

From the CTC newsletter...

[quote]Highway Code cracked: more than 40 rules changed for cyclists

Following our high-profile campaign, the Government has agreed to amend the Highway Code to improve cyclists’ safety and to encourage drivers to take more care around vulnerable road users.

In total over 40 rules in the Highway Code have been changed to the benefit of cyclists and will come into effect this summer. Read the announcement issued this morning by the Department for Transport’s [url=http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=288554&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False]here[/url]. On hearing the news, CTC Director, Kevin Mayne, said: “I am also delighted for CTC as an organisation, for our staff, members and supporters. This has been nearly two years work and a huge investment of our resources. We thought at several stages during the process we had achieved the outcomes we sought, but now we have an agreement we can work with. I am convinced that at the final stage of the process only CTC could have achieved this outcome with our focus, our knowledge, our ability to bring together the whole cycling movement and the respect we are given by government. Read more about the [url=http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4568]campaign[/url] and show your support for the change by signing our [url=http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4855]petition[/url]

[Alex P]

I have just received a response back from 10 Downing Street and it looks like the petition has made a difference as it now reads that it is not compulsory to use cycle lanes

[quote]Having listened to the concerns of cyclists regarding certain aspects of rules 61 and 63 of the proposed revisions to the Highway Code, we sought views from key stakeholders on proposals for further changes to these rules.

We have now carefully considered stakeholders views and on 15 June laid before Parliament revised versions of rules 61 and 63, as follows:

61 Cycle Routes and Other Facilities. Use cycle routes, advanced stop lines, cycle boxes and toucan crossings unless at the time it is unsafe to do so. Use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer.

63 Cycle Lanes. These are marked by a white line (which may be broken) along the carriageway. When using a cycle lane, keep within the lane when practicable. When leaving a cycle lane check before pulling out that it is safe to do so and signal your intention clearly to other road users. Use of cycle lanes is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer.

Provided that there are no objections in Parliament to the proposed revisions we should be able to publish the new edition of the Highway Code by the end of September. Any delay in issuing the Code would mean delaying the benefits of applying all the improved advice for all road users that it contains, including advice to motorists to be more aware of vulnerable road users such as cyclists.

[Nick]

Alex

The re-write looks good and it comes down to being a confident rider. But are you sure there are no hidden agendas anywhere:).

[Mike I]

[img]http://i16.tinypic.com/6fr6al2.jpg[/img]

Power to the People!