'THINK! Cyclist' safety poster campaign returns after DfT deems first run last year a success

These posters all seem harmless and inoffensive. With the exception of the one about cyclists and red lights (because I don't see one addressing motorists' tendency to jump reds at least as often due to failed amber-gambling, so it will reinforce motorists' self-serving belief that its only those cyclists who do it).

I agree with RDRF that they probably won't have much significant effect (as "education" is rarely the answer to anything, its almost always the cop-out response of those who don't really want to do anything at all about a problem).

But at least they aren't actively unpleasant and victim-blaming, which is a step forward by current standards.

Never mind the safety message - what about the war on adverbs? 'Ride central' indeed. My eyes...

I think the positive comments reflect the pleasant surprise at a Government-led campaign which avoids the usual pitfalls: stereotyping of cyclists, victim-blaming, and/or pandering to the Clarksonite drivers' wish to see cyclists being castigated at every opportunity. That's certainly progress and deserves to be acknowledged.

However Bob D is also right that driver awareness campaigns alone cannot be expected to tackle the most serious problem behaviours. For that, enforcement is necessary too.

Moreover, the two should be seen as synergistic, delivering benefits that are greater than the sum of the parts - that is what we've learnt from c30 years of efforts to tackle drink-driving. Driver awareness campaigns help galvanise public support for enforcement activity, while the latter helps ensure that the message of the awareness campaign gets through to those who aren't susceptible to moral persuasion alone.

It would therefore be good to see more local authorities and police forces co-ordinating their efforts on other issues too (e.g. speed limits, mobile phone use, or - in this case, looking out for cyclists and leaving space when overtaking them). Joined up action? Let's hope so!

See CTC's campaigns briefings on:
* Driver awareness campaigns: http://www.ctc.org.uk/campaigning/views-and-briefings/cycle-awareness-ca...
* Roads policing: http://www.ctc.org.uk/campaigning/views-and-briefings/traffic-police-and...

Other CTC campaigns briefings are accessible via
www.ctc.org.uk/campaignsbriefings

Roger Geffen
Campaigns & Policy Director
CTC, the national cycling charity

Your commenters miss the central point raised in the article.: there is no evidence of any positive effect.

There never has been in over 70 years of "road safety" posters, however good the message. Unless backed up by enforcement and appropriate sentencing, plus a culture change which involves seeing the issue as reducing danger at source, it won't.

A central part of getting this culture change is to oppose the drivel from the "Road Safety" Minister about Britain's "safe roads". This is calculated from overall numbers reported hurt or killed and is often the opposite of having a safe road environment.

For example, if you have a far higher proportion of people cycling as in Holland, even with a lower casualty rate you get more people hurt or killed cycling per head of the population - which is the official "road safety" measure.

For measuring cyclists' safety, look at http://rdrf.org.uk/2013/11/15/if-we-want-safer-roads-for-cycling-we-have...

The posters are good and we need more ads on telly as well. The particular problem that needs addressing is a mis-match between safe cycling positioning (taking the lane and staying out of the door zone) and what some drivers believe cyclists should be doing. ie rather like Clarkson they think you being out in the road is not where you should be and that you are being either inconsiderate or a deliberate arse.

I have found that once that positioning is explained it's accepted . The penny drops.

So it's good.

Why isn't this a national campaign? (I'm assuming lack of budget)

The DfT ought to take out full page ads with the 6 posters in motorist specific magazines such as Auto Express to ensure correct targeting.

'its a shame they had a "stop at red" one for cyclists'

??????
mental.

Most of these need to be on the back of the busses, not at the bus stops.

And national

These are good. Basic rules of the road that will be unknown to the majority of motorists, plus an RLJ bone to quieten the mouth-breathers.

Only ever saw these posters on bus stops whilst waiting for a bus in london, so was never interested in what they had to say as someone else was driving.

They are good but its a shame they had a "stop at red" one for cyclists. There was no similar obey the traffic laws, like speeding, for cars which would contribute massively to safety. It feels like they just continue to propagate the myth of all cyclists jumping reds. We do know that the vast majority of car drivers break speed limits.

ta monkey!

Successful or not (I think it's a bit much to expect some posters to cure everything), I think they're pretty sensible, and a better use of a bus shelter than as advertising space for bubblegum.

Having something 'official' in the public domain may legitimise riding a bike in the eyes of those who don't feel cyclists belong on the roads; in that they're a sign from the 'higher powers' (the ones that so kindly spoon-feed us pretty much all our views) that cycling is an official, legitimate part of the road system; that cyclists aren't just some unapproved vigilantes abusing it.

They give people on all forms of transport a common reference, and I think people may feel more dutiful to 'obey the sign they saw earlier' than consult their own ignorant, self-serving, fantasised opinions about how the roads work - if they happen to have any.

It's not a big leap anywhere, but I don't feel it's a bad addition to the public space. Sensible advice generally doesn't do much harm.

As safety posters go these are up there with the best.

Simple, clear and non-judgemental.

http://think.direct.gov.uk/cycling.html

be ace if you could actually see the posters!

I actually liked these. They're simple, to the point and without gimmicks ("think horse").

Actually, I'm going to break cover and suggest that these posters are not a bad idea. In particular, the "Cyclists. Ride central on narrow roads." (take note, Clarkson) and "Cyclists. Ride a door's width from parked cars." - more because they're good information (from an offical source) for drivers.

However, if we want to make roads safer, there's a clear and simple route to doing this; we (and by 'we' I mean all of us, whatever our mode of transport) are already pretty well protected by legislation - it's just not enforced. Enforce the law, take away licenses from people that show that they aren't competent to have them (permanently when they show that repeatedly), stick people who drive while banned in jail, and the number of KSIs on the road, amongst all groups, will plummet. Strict liability would help, too.

Do that and more people will start cycling, and that will make cycling even safer. Everyone wins - especially the NHS (and, by extension, all of us that pay tax).