Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I saw this a few moments ago, discussion of introducing a new close pass law to fine drivers £100 if they do not give cyclists sufficient room when passing. I was amazed by how many people are hurt on bikes each year, and these are just the ones that get reported, how many close calls are there as well:

"Recent figures released by the Department for Transport showed there were 18,450 pedal cyclist casualties in the year ending September 2017, of which 3,750 (20 per cent) were killed or seriously injured. Around 100 cyclists are killed in the UK every year"

I guess the key to this and its success will be the video camera evidence we can all conjure up after a close call.

Tags for Forum Posts: close pass law, cycling

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Presumably, the 'overtaking clearance' will be strictly enforced by a depleted police force with 'dam busters' gap-measuring equipment that can pin the motoring offence down to the millimetre. Another invention I like is the cycle 'green space', it gives cars the opportunity to pass the stopped traffic over the white lines and cut into the space to beat the queue, a commonly observed practice, again with no enforcement. Personally, I've always given cyclists (which I have been myself) not only good space, but room enough for a sideways fall.

Fining drivers sounds great idea although no idea how they can enforce it
I sustained a fractured skull several years back when a driver passed me to close on seven sisters road, so it’s mirror caught my handle bars. The one day I stupidly wasn’t wearing a helmet
Yes a life changing injury but I’m luckily still here

From the bottom of the food chain - a pedestrians view.

If we are going to introduce another cute, unenforceable law, lets broaden it further to "protect" the most vulnerable participants in the "road wars" - the pedestrians.

As one of this endangered species, I have developed techniques of self preservation over my many years and can usually spot cars, vans, trucks and buses which may constitute a danger to me.

But cyclists - that's another matter, as I cannot hear their silent approach and because of where they emerge from they are often invisible to me until the last minute.

I propose adding some additional clauses to the proposed law:

1) Cyclists on footpaths must limit their speed to to max 10mph.

2) Cyclists on footpaths must give at least one meter clearance to pedestrians on the footpath.

3) Cyclists travelling the incorrect direction on one-way streets must give way to pedestrians crossing the road.

4) Cyclists travelling in the centre of the road at pedestrian crossings must give way to pedestrians.

Just a few our ideas from the front line for our legislators to consider.

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