Cycling: issues/noticeboard

[mynamehere]

Stop Killing Cyclists next Direct Action Protest is on Wed April 2nd, 1pm-2pm.

It will be outside Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London SW1E.

Its purpose will be to highlight the criminally lethal failure by London's 32 Boroughs to invest in cycling and pedestrian safety over the last 4 years, since the last borough elections.

The next Borough elections are on 22nd May.

The London Boroughs control 95% London's roads, the rest are controlled by TfL and the London Mayor Boris Johnson.

We will be releasing that morning the truly shocking results of the research carried out by Will Nickell on Stop Killing Cyclists' behalf, into how many meters of segregated cycle lanes that have they installed (or have not ) since the last elections and a range of other questions including what proportion of their streets are 20 mph.

He has pursued all 32 Boroughs with Freedom of Information requests to get the shocking results, which will be released that morning.

Our aim is to create a central banner portraying the pyramid of death caused by traffic violence in London's Boroughs, including cyclists, pedestrians and lung and hearrt diseases caused by transport pollution.

This will be placed in the middle of a long banner with a mark for each cyclist death since the last elections.

Please share this announcement.

The FB event page is here https://www.facebook.com/events/296107700543184/?fref=ts

Please let us know if you can come. We hope this will help complement the LCC local elections campaign.

Many thanks

Donnachadh

[annabel42]

As some of you know, my son, Roger, was one of the cyclists killed last year (in Croydon on 12 November). Although the police investigations are still continuing, they have advised that the CCTV showed Roger completely innocent of any wrongdoing - he was in the correct protective clothing ; an HGV, a bus, and Roger had all stopped at a red traffic light and all started moving when the light changed to green. Roger fell of his bicycle, for reasons not yet known to us, and was hit by the bus. He was fanatical about safety, both his own and others, contrary to some untrue, unverified and highly upsetting articles in some sections of the press.

The Police have told us that Croydon have denied that that stretch of road,(which is recognised as confusing and dangerous with its tramlines, trams, lorries, buses, cars and cyclists by even drivers of cars travelling on it)needs any attention, because there has been only one previous serious accident involving a cyclist, and that was apparently the cyclist's fault. There is also a pavement and some confusing signage so pedestrians could also be at risk.

Croydon have suggested merely that they remove a bush - not close to the incident. Apparently our only remedy, as far as Croydon doing anything about this dangerous stretch of road is concerned, is to write to them.

Very recently I received a circular email signed on behalf of Boris Johnson asking me to donate to/vote for (don't remember which) the Conservative Party. I replied in similar vein as this post. No reply has been received.

Due to my age, a mobility problem and because it would be too upsetting, I am not able to attend the event, but I should like you to know that I appreciate and support your campaign.

[mynamehere]

Annabel join the Facebook group Stopkillingcyclists. There are other family members who live with the consequences of badly built/ designed and maintained roads. And drivers who don't have or take the responsibility for more vulnerable roads users. I think you'll get a big kick out of the "page". There are people from all walks of life some with extraordinary abilities and talents and humour and fun. You might want to take a taxi both ways to the November event which will be national in scope. If you contact Donnachadh through the Facebook page tell him and everyone who you are and I think you'll both have a special ringside spot reserved and maybe a walk-on part if you want one.

[mynamehere]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152190289808959&set=gm.620159258052944&type=1

"If we can pack Blackfriars Road, we can pack Oxford Street"

- D. McCarthy

Please watch our one minute launch video on You Tube and share it: http://goo.gl/ZCFxWK

A peaceful, dignified funeral procession and memorial to symbolically mark all the unknown victims who have lost or had their lives destroyed on Britain's roads, whether through traffic violence, death from air-pollution, obesity related deaths through fear of cycling, or the millions dying worldwide as a result of climate change.

It will also be a call to end the culture of acceptance which still surrounds traffic violence, and unite road users of all kinds from across the country to build a new, human-friendly, road and public space culture in Britain.

This event will appeal to people's hearts to change Britain's roads for the better.

OUR TEN DEMANDS.

The following were agreed at the Stop The Killing members meeting:

1. Stop the Killing of Children - set up national multi-billion pound programme to convert residential communities across Britain into living-street Home Zones to abolish dangerous rat-runs.

2. Stop the Killing of Pedestrians - establish a national programme to fund pedestrianisation of our city and town centres, including the nation?s high-street ? Oxford Street.

3. Stop the Killing of Pensioners from excessive speed - introduce and enforce speed limit of 20 mph on all urban roads, 40 mph on rural roads/lanes and 60 mph on all other trunk roads.

4. Stop the Killing of Cyclists - invest ?15 billion in a National Segregated Cycle Network over the next 5 years.

5. Stop the Killing by HGVs - ban trucks with blind spots by making safety equipment mandatory and strictly enforce current truck-safety regulations to reduce levels of illegally dangerous trucks down from estimated 30% to less than 1%.

6. Stop the Killing without liability ? introduce a presumed civil liability law on behalf of vehicular traffic when they kill or seriously injure vulnerable road-users, where there is no evidence blaming the victim.

7. Stop the Killing from Lung, Heart and other Diseases caused by vehicular pollutants - make it mandatory for particulate filters that meet latest EU emission standards to be fitted to all existing buses, lorries and taxis.

8. Stop the Killing at Junctions - introduce pedestrian crossing times long enough for elderly disabled to cross. Legalise filtered junction crossings by cyclists with strict legal priority for pedestrians and carry out urgent programme of physically protected left-hand turns for cyclists.

9. Stop the Killing from CO2 emissions from impacts of the climate crisis - all transport fuels to be from environmentally-sustainable renewable sources within 10 years.

10. Focus on Life! Transport governance must make safety and quality of life the top priority. Reform all council transport departments, the Department of Transport and Transport for London into Cycling, Walking and Transport Departments with formal pedestrian and cyclist representation.

Donnachadh McCarthy

Steve Routley

Co-founders Stop Killing Cyclists & Stop The Killing

https://www.facebook.com/groups/stopkillingcyclists/

www.stopkillingcyclists.org

www.stopthekilling.org.uk

[mynamehere]

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/83789/1/WHO_NMH_VIP_13.01_eng.pdf?ua=1

World Health Organisation Data

[Laddy Muck]

annabel42 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

Hello annabel42,

Feel sad to learn that you are suffering additional stress whilst also grieving for your son Roger.

I don't know whether or not you are looking for a solicitor, but if you are I would recommend that you use a firm with experience in dealing with accidents/incidents involving cyclists. There are a few (though not a huge amount) about and I notice that this firm http://www.cycleinjury.co.uk/about-levenes-cycle-injury has "been successfully providing legal advice for LCC members for 10 years". The LCC themselves might even be able to give some advice.

I hope this additional nightmare ends for you soon.

Laddy.

> As some of you know, my son, Roger, was one of the

> cyclists killed last year (in Croydon on 12

> November). Although the police investigations

> are still continuing, they have advised that the

> CCTV showed Roger completely innocent of any

> wrongdoing - he was in the correct protective

> clothing ; an HGV, a bus, and Roger had all

> stopped at a red traffic light and all started

> moving when the light changed to green. Roger

> fell of his bicycle, for reasons not yet known to

> us, and was hit by the bus. He was fanatical

> about safety, both his own and others, contrary to

> some untrue, unverified and highly upsetting

> articles in some sections of the press.

>

> The Police have told us that Croydon have denied

> that that stretch of road,(which is recognised as

> confusing and dangerous with its tramlines, trams,

> lorries, buses, cars and cyclists by even drivers

> of cars travelling on it)needs any attention,

> because there has been only one previous serious

> accident involving a cyclist, and that was

> apparently the cyclist's fault. There is also a

> pavement and some confusing signage so pedestrians

> could also be at risk.

>

> Croydon have suggested merely that they remove a

> bush - not close to the incident. Apparently our

> only remedy, as far as Croydon doing anything

> about this dangerous stretch of road is concerned,

> is to write to them.

>

> Very recently I received a circular email signed

> on behalf of Boris Johnson asking me to donate

> to/vote for (don't remember which) the

> Conservative Party. I replied in similar vein as

> this post. No reply has been received.

>

> Due to my age, a mobility problem and because it

> would be too upsetting, I am not able to attend

> the event, but I should like you to know that I

> appreciate and support your campaign.

[annabel42]

Thank you for this, Laddy Muck. Yes, I am contemplating consulting a Solicitor, but it would probably be more appropriate to do so after the Police have completed their investigations and we have been furnished with their report.

[Applespider]

annabel, while nothing might be formalised until after the police have given you a report, it might not hurt to speak to some expert solicitors (or perhaps just the LCC) now. They may be able to advise on whether there are any particular questions to ask or things to challenge the police on before they produce a final report.

[mynamehere]

Yes take a lawyer through the London Cycling Campaign

Call this week!

If you were in a crash or your bike was stolen, would you be adequately protected?

Our members have the peace of mind that comes from knowing they have third-party insurance, a priority legal helpline from a cycle-specialist solicitor, plus great deals on bike theft insurance.

If you were involved in a crash with a pedestrian, another cyclist or a motor vehicle, would you be covered for a damages claim against you?

Our members have the peace of mind that comes from being covered for all claims worldwide (excluding USA and Canada) up to ?5 million while they?re on their bike.

To make a claim, contact Butterworth Spengler Insurance on 0151 494 4400.

We hope you never need us, but our cycle-friendly solicitors are ready to give you advice if you do.

They're experts in personal accident claims, but will also give members the benefit of their years of cycling legal experience on any other legal problems you throw at them.

Contact our cycle-friendly expert solicitors at Levenes on 020 8826 1329

[annabel42]

Thank you Applespider and mynamehere.

I did contact the Solicitors mentioned by Laddy Muck - Levenes. Spoke to a very helpful person, the partner in charge, I think, who confirmed that I should wait for the Police report.

Thank you for your concern and advice.

[mynamehere]

Stop Killing Cyclists next Direct Action Protest is on Wed April 2nd, 1pm-2pm.

It will be outside Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London SW1E.

Its purpose will be to highlight the criminally lethal failure by London's 32 Boroughs to invest in cycling and pedestrian safety over the last 4 years, since the last borough elections.

The next Borough elections are on 22nd May.

The London Boroughs control 95% London's roads, the rest are controlled by TfL and the London Mayor Boris Johnson.

We will be releasing that morning the truly shocking results of the research carried out by Will Nickell on Stop Killing Cyclists' behalf, into how many meters of segregated cycle lanes that have they installed (or have not ) since the last elections and a range of other questions including what proportion of their streets are 20 mph.

He has pursued all 32 Boroughs with Freedom of Information requests to get the shocking results, which will be released that morning.

Our aim is to create a central banner portraying the pyramid of death caused by traffic violence in London's Boroughs, including cyclists, pedestrians and lung and hearrt diseases caused by transport pollution.

This will be placed in the middle of a long banner with a mark for each cyclist death since the last elections.

Please share this announcement.

The FB event page is here [www.facebook.com]

[Saturn 5]

Cycle 100k through London by night with Amnesty International. Tough and rewarding challenge for keen cyclists. ?39 to register. Join hundreds of other cyclists and experience the capital city's iconic landmarks by moonlight. http://www.amnesty.org.uk/events/london-nightrider-2014#.U0cXDY81Ok0

[Laddy Muck]

Hmmmmm...

http://lcc.org.uk/articles/traffic-police-must-recognise-carelessness-is-a-crime-in-order-to-successful-tackle-cycling-injuries-and-death

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Just been into Wilsons in Peckham, they are offering a ?20 service until next weekend.

I just popped in to get a reflector and the chap tweaked my brakes for free. So lovely in there.

[LadyDeliah]

New draft cycle safety action plan for London has been put online of anyone wants to comment.

The more input they get from cyclists, then hopefully the problems associated with pedestrians and cyclists sharing space with motorists will be more speedily resolved.

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/cycling/draft-safety-action-plan

[Parkdrive]

A mate of my mine has around 6 old cycles in various states of disrepair that he wants to donate to a charity if possible. Anyone got any ideas or tips I can pass on?

[mynamehere]

I love Wilson's

Old bikes to the police for rehab in schools?

[Applespider]

Depending on the state of the bikes (or if any have usable parts), there's a charity that refurbishes them and sends them to Africa for kids to use going to school or women and healthworkers to travel between villages.

http://www.re-cycle.org/

There are a few drop off points in London

[uncleglen]

I missed hitting a cyclist by a hair's breadth when I came to a T junction with a one way street to the right. I was turning left and the cyclist came out of the one-way street the wrong way. This is the second time this has happened to me at that place- it's ridiculous.

[binary_star]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I missed hitting a cyclist by a hair's breadth

> when I came to a T junction with a one way street

> to the right. I was turning left and the cyclist

> came out of the one-way street the wrong way. This

> is the second time this has happened to me at that

> place- it's ridiculous.

Cripes, hope you're ok...

[uncleglen]

Apart from a sudden involuntary increase in heart rate-yes thanks binary-star

[Laddy Muck]

Sounds frightening Uncleglen...am guessing you feel anxious now each time you approach that location.

For bike owners who want tips on keeping their bikes secure, this might be useful: http://lcc.org.uk/pages/bike-theft-and-parking

[Saturn 5]

Wowzers! http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/jul/10/helsinki-shared-public-transport-plan-car-ownership-pointless

[Saturn 5]

http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/cyclists-why-do-they-ride-in-the-middle-of-the-road-_62617

[????]

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