Video: Scotland’s Nice Way Code ads go live

I am handing in my emigration papers now. I am NOT Scottish....

Did you know, spending £500,000 on advertising versus proper bicycle lanes, gives your country a bad name? Let's get along. The Nice Way Code.

Thats seriously what they have come up with?.. If anything, it makes a joke out of cyclists!.

I lament the attitude that exists in society that doesn't show respect and responsibility we have to one another. The laws of the country are largely there to help enforce that, but where they don't societal norms, mores and customs should help. The problem is that with cycling that the credo is not easily passed on.

I was at the Ride London event yesterday and visited the road safety stand set up by the Met (it was a great presentation showing the blind spots on trucks - sadly it was poorly attended), but one thing the officer said to me was how cyclists applauded when they pulled over red light breakers, showing how much cyclists disliked this too. But his start point was that motorists become disgruntled at activity, they get annoyed at this law breaking and then they show less respect to other cyclists (less space, sitting in the cycle box etc). I'm not condoning the stereotyping that these motorists undertake or their behaviour, but as the advert suggests ones persons actions may have consequences for other people. If this makes people think twice about breaking a red and creates a credo for cyclists I think it is not a bad idea.

I think that contrary opinions on here are valid, but I also wish they had a constructive alternative. IMHO the first advert is a little too obscure and doesn't really make the punch it needs to. People will always stereotype people, it's a very human thing to do, so you can argue about the rights and wrongs of it, but that's what you have to deal with.

HAH! THIS IS PATHETIC... i had no idea the scottish government where putting on a fringe show this year . this doesn't demonstrate any thing to do with cycle safety.

Have we covered the fact that this campaign is supposedly for all road users, yet the £500k has come from the cycling budget?

Does anyone fancy chipping in for another video that highlights the fact that Peter Sutcliffe and Harold Shipman used motor vehicles to get themselves to and from their murdering?

@notfastenough No you're not responsible, or at fault if someone else rides like an idiot.

That said, cyclists are viewed by many motorists as a homogenous group. The view that 'cyclists run red lights' abounds. It serves to both de-humanise cyclists, and also absolve drivers (in their mind) of their responsibility towards cyclists on the road, thereby endangering them.

That's why it's important to address this. It's not an issue of right and wrong, or of equality. It's a pragmatic approach to a real problem.

Pretty funny stuff, but how they managed to spend £500,000 on this is beyond me. I would say that the end of the second video is missing a shot of the narrator riding a horse, backwards...

@Rockplough, I think the issue is that we aren't collectively responsible for each other - I'm not at fault because someone else rides like an idiot, but that's the message of the first. I saw someone drive like a moron this morning, but that hardly means I can tar other drivers with the same brush.

The second one's not bad, until some cad starts suggesting that we can be shot if our legs are broken.

Why not spend the £500,000 on enforcing the current laws in Scotland? If it is reported in the local press that X amount of people in charge of any transport has been stopped and fined I'm sure the word would get around. It would also be good to see an officer pull someone over for a chat when they see an unnecessary close overtake. Saying that, I have been overtaken very closely by both the police and ambulance drivers alike.
I don't want special treatment, just what I'm legally entitled too. Space.
** rant over **

Great to see people judging the value for money on launch day after two videos.

This is exactly the approach needed. It is even-handed (road.cc might want to try that sometime), and the light-hearted, unsanctimonious tone will hopefully illicit a positive response from those road users previously ensconced in a tribal 'us v them' attitude.

I really fail to see how encouraging cyclists to stop at red - for the sake of other cyclists if nothing else - and asking drivers to be considerate when overtaking cyclists, can be seen as a waste.

And road.cc...

"asking road users to all just get along and be lovely to each other."

Well actually yes, that's EXACTLY what's needed. It's interesting to see such a dismissive attitude towards being considerate to ALL road users.

Instead of treating cyclists like horses how about treating them like human beings?
Just a thought.

Half a million quid?

Spend it on subsidised bikeability course for school kids if you want to get some educational value out of it.

Half a million quid? Pull the other one. This will be about as much use as a (insert own pointless-comedy-use-of gag here)

In the past any PSA film like this would have shown the ignorant driver running over the cyclist only to discover it was their nan.

As we all know, such shock tactics only serve to numb the viewer and the impact is less and less over time. I can only see this comedy effort as being appealing to children and simpletons. It won't make a blind bit of difference in the real world.

I doubt these will be the only one. Regardless you should also link to the slideshow with more details about the idea behind the campaign. I like its tone.

http://www.slideshare.net/ClaireWood4/online-booklet-24927492

Here is a thought, if its alright to shame drivers for their lack of respect and rule breaking, why isn't alright to do the same to cyclists?

Treat cyclists like a horse?

So, when I get killed by a motorist I can look forward to ending up in a Tesco Value lasagne?

Never has £500k been more pointlessly spaffed.