Campaign to have a minimum 1.5m overtaking gap for cyclists

http://www.safecyclingireland.org/

I set up Ireland’s campaign to have 1.5 metres of overtaking space written into Irish law in conjunction with a safety campaign. In line with some overseas campaigns, this comes with a cycling specific safety jersey to help promote the ‘1.5 metres please share the road’ message.

I think that this is a very good idea. It's astonishing how often cars almost brush up against me as they try to squeeze by. If a pothole knocks the bike from a straight line, the cyclist could be finished.

Brendan

Often motorist skim by cyclist because they do not want to overtake across a single white line and break the law, the alternative is to follow the cyclist until there a overtaking line causing a lot of frustration.

so will Dublin Bus shave 1.5m off their buses then? It will be a very tough law to enforce in Dublin's narrow streets.

roker said:

Often motorist skim by cyclist because they do not want to overtake across a single white line and break the law, the alternative is to follow the cyclist until there a overtaking line causing a lot of frustration.

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Putting a cyclist in danger by such a move is an offence, carrying 2 points and a fine. Clip the cyclist, even if the cyclist wobbles due to wind, potholes, etc., and you're in a lot more trouble.

JohnJay said:

so will Dublin Bus shave 1.5m off their buses then? It will be a very tough law to enforce in Dublin's narrow streets.

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The bus would obviously have to move out to the next lane to safely overtake in those circumstances. Under current legislation, they should do so. Not that there's much in the way of enforcement of any traffic regs these days.

4.91 feet? Who's going to measure it? I'm afraid not, not on Dublin's old narrow streets. Besides, it'll never be enforced, just as so many of the current traffic / motoring / cycling laws & bye-laws are not enforced.

I would favour improvement of the cycle-lanes, financed by taxing bicycles and by fining cyclists who overtake other cyclists by moving out of the cycle-lane into motorised traffic, who run red lights, cycle on foot-paths, cycle 2 and 3 abreast where it is inappropriate, etc..

mathepac said:

financed by taxing bicycles and by fining cyclists who overtake other cyclists by moving out of the cycle-lane into motorised traffic

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You do know cyclists are entitled to do this? Cyclists are not restricted to using cycle lanes where they exit.

My suggestions are to change some laws, enforce all of them with heavy fines, like for cycling on footpaths, cycling across pedestrian crossings, and thus have safer cycling financed by cyclists.

Here's some reasons why the notion of taxing cyclists is silly;

I'm a motorist and a cyclists (just like many cyclists). I use my car or my bike, never both at the same time .
Should I be charged less road tax as I cycle some of the time?

My 11 year old cycles to her friends house sometimes. What level of cycling tax should she pay.

My 5 year old sometimes cycles beside me on the path when I go for a walk. Which prison should she be sent to for cycling ion the path?

I see parents teaching their children to cycle using footpaths and in parks. Should the child or the parent be fined/arrested or should they both get done for it?

Purple you fool, stop using logic and reason in a thread about cycling/cars
You know there's no place for it here

To be honest, when I read rokers post above, I despaired (as a motorist, cyclist, and motorcyclist).
How dare those pesky cyclists cause frustration to a motorist behind them.

I won't be replying to this thread again, If you want to read about "us and them" attitudes I'd suggest you take a trip to boards.ie where you will have plenty of reading material.

Buddyboy said:

I won't be replying to this thread again, If you want to read about "us and them" attitudes I'd suggest you take a trip to boards.ie where you will have plenty of reading material.

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Particularly the 'they don't even pay road tax Joe' thread

mathepac said:

My suggestions are to change some laws, enforce all of them with heavy fines, like for cycling on footpaths, cycling across pedestrian crossings, and thus have safer cycling financed by cyclists.

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Clearly not working for drivers...

Purple said:

I'm a motorist and a cyclists (just like many cyclists). I use my car or my bike, never both at the same time .
Should I be charged less road tax as I cycle some of the time?

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The current tax on motor-cars is a motor-tax, not a road-tax. I propose tax on bicycles used on public roads / cycle-lanes. Take your pick - a once off cycle registration tax, an annual cycle tax or both. Ring-fence the tax(es) and funds from cycling offences and safe-cycling becomes self-financing.

Some posts deserve commentary, others are so stupid they should just be ignored.

Leo said:

Clearly not working for drivers...

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I have to admit I haven't seen motorists use footpaths or pedestrian crossings to complete their journeys, if you have you know what you need to do. I'm not sure what to make of your other comment.

Apologies just spotted the contribution from @Buddyboy ...

Leo said:

Putting a cyclist in danger by such a move is an offence, carrying 2 points and a fine. Clip the cyclist, even if the cyclist wobbles due to wind, potholes, etc., and you're in a lot more trouble.

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I am only saying what happens, but obviously there is a problem, the alternative is, they can hold a line of cars up for several miles, or the car get penalty points for crossing the white line.

Motorcyclists, moped drivers and other road users must obtain a driving licence by sitting an exam about the rules of the road and by displaying proficiency in controlling their vehicles in normal usage. It has never made one whit of sense to me that the most vulnerable of all road users, the pedal cyclist, can take to the road with zero knowledge and no training. Put cyclists through the same training and testing as other road users and also test their bikes for legal compliance regularly. Use the fund to raise the standards of cycling and cycle safety.

Yes mathepac

And impose a minimum age limit of 18 on cyclists.
And subject all bicycles to an annual NCT

The problem with this approach is that you will deter people from cycling. So you will end up with many more cars on the road. So it will be worse for motorists, rather than better.

If you encourage cyclists, it will be good for both cyclists and motorists.

Brendan

Any initiative that tries to enhance safety for road users is good. Maybe there is not enough being spent and communicated generally to all road users about road safety.

I watched a BBC A & E documentary last night. One of the cases featured was a RTA in London involving a cyclist and a large truck. It was pretty harrowing, including graphic footage of emergency roadside surgery to hand massage the heart. She was a 27 year old married German student who had opted for a chance to study in England. She never regained consciousness and passed away 3 days later. It would change any road user's view of cycling safety.

mathepac said:

I have to admit I haven't seen motorists use footpaths or pedestrian crossings to complete their journeys, if you have you know what you need to do. I'm not sure what to make of your other comment.

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I have, I've seen motorists drive up onto a footpath at speed and park half on/half off the footpath to drop kids off to school.

roker said:

Often motorist skim by cyclist because they do not want to overtake across a single white line and break the law, the alternative is to follow the cyclist until there a overtaking line causing a lot of frustration.

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If the road layout does not allow overtaking, then you wait. If this means a line of traffic, then it means a line of traffic. If you are stuck behind a slow moving tractor or lorry the same applies. I drive along the Strawberry beds frequently and often have to wait behind a cyclist, that's just the way the road is laid out. My mother was very nearly involved in a head on collision once, with a car that overtook a tractor when the other driver couldn't see ahead. It was not the tractor drivers fault. If you drive, you need to be able to deal with the road conditions, including slow traffic.