A free cycling roadshow will be taking place in Bath next week, helping cyclists get ‘Bike Smart’ for winter as part of UK Road Safety Week 2018. Offering on-site cycle maintenance services, anti-theft cycle marking and a competition to win cycling lights, the roadshow is part of a wider campaign focusing on the safety of those on two wheels.
Cyclists and motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable road users in the UK. More than a third of people killed or seriously injured on UK roads are those travelling by bike and more than 100 riders are injured every day in preventable crashes.
Taking place between 19–25 November and coordinated by Brake, Road Safety Week seeks to raise public awareness about the importance of protecting those on two wheels and the message at the heart of this year’s campaign is ‘Bike Smart’: helping cyclists and motorcyclists to be ‘BikeSmart’ through safe riding behaviours, appropriate training, clothing and equipment while stressing the importance of drivers being ‘BikeSmart’ by looking out for those on two wheels.
Throughout Road Safety Week Bath & North East Somerset Council will be holding a free cycling roadshow outside Bath Spa Station on Thursday 22 November between 4pm and 7pm to give cyclists practical advice and tools to keep themselves safer on the road.
Councillor Mark Shelford, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, said: “The root causes of many accidents involving cyclists and motorcyclists are all too common. By taking often very simple steps, such as being more aware at junctions, these accidents can be avoided. The BikeSmart message highlights the responsibility of everyone using the roads to share with care and to keep those on two wheels safe.”
Reblogged this on Cycle Bath and commented:
I hate this idea that everyone shares the same responsibility. As has been shown by West Midlands Police, most collisions between a person cycling and and a person in control of a motorised vehicle is the fault of the driver. The use of the term ‘accidents’ has been banned by the British Medical Journal as there is always a root cause and don’t get me started on “Share with care”. Something stolen from the towpath scene and more appropriate to sharing space between people cycling and walking. However they will be handing out free stuff. Expect to be berated for cycling without a helmet and be encouraged to let your 8 year old child “share with care” with big lumbering HGVs or aggressive parents late on the school run. Nothing about what this charity does is good. They are not trying to enable cycling by campaigning for segregated safe cycle space, they simply want the status quo. 1700+ people die each year due to driver error, over 18,000 are seriously injured, yet we all have the same duty of care. Ridiculous. Still free swag bag. Just make sure not to wear a helmet and make sure to ask them why they are not campaigning for real safety changes by creating space for cycling.