Cycle Awareness
Road safety campaigners talked to students from the University of Manchester on Wednesday 6 February, to highlight the dangers posed to cyclists and bikers straying into the blind spots of HGVs and buses.
In the five years 2008/2012 there has been 10 motorcyclists and pedal cyclists killed and 47 seriously injured as a result of accidents with HGVs and buses on the roads of Greater Manchester. In the same period five of those road deaths and six serious injuries occurred where the driver’s vision was affected by the vehicle’s blind spot.
Campaigners say that cyclists, bikers and HGV drivers should take extra care when sharing the road to ensure that they are visible to each other. Drivers should especially watch out for cyclists when turning left.
Cyclists are warned to give HGVs a wide berth and remember that it is safer to be behind a lorry than at the side of it where a driver may not be able to see you clearly, particularly when attempting to turn.
This increased policing focus on road safety is a part of Operation Dice launched at the beginning of 2012 in response to a shocking increase in road deaths in 2011 when 76 people lost their lives on the roads of Greater Manchester. Figures from 2012 demonstrate that 49 people lost their lives, a decrease of 36 per cent on the previous year.
Under Operation Dice Greater Manchester Police is working with other emergency services and partners to increase public awareness of the ‘fatal four’ factors that feature in most road accidents i.e. drink driving, speeding, drivers using mobile phones and drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts.
It also tackles drivers putting their own lives and that of their passengers and road users at risk through dangerous driving and flouting road safety laws.
Inspector Paul Rowe from GMP’s Roads Policing Unit said; “Stay safe, stay back and be seen is the most important message we can give to cyclists and bikers. They, by the very nature of their mode of transport are especially vulnerable on the roads and should, along with other road users, take extra care when sharing our roads”.
“Visibility is the key factor in many traffic accidents and cyclists and bikers can increase theirs by good road positioning, ensuring they use front and rear lights and wearing high-vis clothing.”
The event will be the start off a police enforcement campaign in which the police aim to educate and advise cyclists. Any offenders issued with a fixed penalty ticket will have the chance to attend a forthcoming educational meeting involving the joint campaigners in which the penalty ticket will be rescinded.
Karen Delaney, from DriveSafe, said “Cyclists do not have the benefits of safety cages, seatbelts or side impact bars, so when a collision occurs it can result in serious injury or worse for the rider.
“A significant number of collisions are down to road users attitude and behaviour. I would imagine that most people know somebody who rides a cycle and we would ask all road users to look out for cyclists and treat them with respect.”
These educational meetings will take place at Withington Fire station from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Tuesday 19 February 2013, Thursday 28 February 2013 and Thursday 7 March 2013.
Transport for Greater Manchester continues to offer a free cycling refresher course for those wanting to get back on a bike after sometime away. The scheme is specifically aimed at those who want to sharpen their skills in order to cycle to-and-from work and is provided by an expert instructor at flexible times.
There's no need to be worried about getting back on your bike or trying something new with our free cycle training courses for adults.
For more information please visit cycling.tfgm.com/
Cycle Awareness
Road safety campaigners talked to students from the University of Manchester on Wednesday 6 February, to highlight the dangers posed to cyclists and bikers straying into the blind spots of HGVs and buses.
In the five years 2008/2012 there has been 10 motorcyclists and pedal cyclists killed and 47 seriously injured as a result of accidents with HGVs and buses on the roads of Greater Manchester. In the same period five of those road deaths and six serious injuries occurred where the driver’s vision was affected by the vehicle’s blind spot.
Campaigners say that cyclists, bikers and HGV drivers should take extra care when sharing the road to ensure that they are visible to each other. Drivers should especially watch out for cyclists when turning left.
Cyclists are warned to give HGVs a wide berth and remember that it is safer to be behind a lorry than at the side of it where a driver may not be able to see you clearly, particularly when attempting to turn.
This increased policing focus on road safety is a part of Operation Dice launched at the beginning of 2012 in response to a shocking increase in road deaths in 2011 when 76 people lost their lives on the roads of Greater Manchester. Figures from 2012 demonstrate that 49 people lost their lives, a decrease of 36 per cent on the previous year.
Under Operation Dice Greater Manchester Police is working with other emergency services and partners to increase public awareness of the ‘fatal four’ factors that feature in most road accidents i.e. drink driving, speeding, drivers using mobile phones and drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts.
It also tackles drivers putting their own lives and that of their passengers and road users at risk through dangerous driving and flouting road safety laws.
Inspector Paul Rowe from GMP’s Roads Policing Unit said; “Stay safe, stay back and be seen is the most important message we can give to cyclists and bikers. They, by the very nature of their mode of transport are especially vulnerable on the roads and should, along with other road users, take extra care when sharing our roads”.
“Visibility is the key factor in many traffic accidents and cyclists and bikers can increase theirs by good road positioning, ensuring they use front and rear lights and wearing high-vis clothing.”
The event will be the start off a police enforcement campaign in which the police aim to educate and advise cyclists. Any offenders issued with a fixed penalty ticket will have the chance to attend a forthcoming educational meeting involving the joint campaigners in which the penalty ticket will be rescinded.
Karen Delaney, from DriveSafe, said “Cyclists do not have the benefits of safety cages, seatbelts or side impact bars, so when a collision occurs it can result in serious injury or worse for the rider.
“A significant number of collisions are down to road users attitude and behaviour. I would imagine that most people know somebody who rides a cycle and we would ask all road users to look out for cyclists and treat them with respect.”
These educational meetings will take place at Withington Fire station from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Tuesday 19 February 2013, Thursday 28 February 2013 and Thursday 7 March 2013.
Transport for Greater Manchester continues to offer a free cycling refresher course for those wanting to get back on a bike after sometime away. The scheme is specifically aimed at those who want to sharpen their skills in order to cycle to-and-from work and is provided by an expert instructor at flexible times.
There's no need to be worried about getting back on your bike or trying something new with our free cycle training courses for adults.
For more information please visit cycling.tfgm.com/