Too Close for Comfort

[Paulatic]

CUK are looking to raise 15K to supply equipment to police forces.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cy ... n=891bd778

[flat tyre]

Probably a good initiative, but why put the 0.75m on the mat. The logical conclusion by the non-cycling masses surely will be that cyclists have to be within 0.75m of the kerb. On most of the roads I cycle on 0.75m from the kerb puts you in a dangerous position for potholes, cars emerging from side roads, close passes, erratic pedestrians etc.

[mjr]

Is this a new round or have these posts fallen through a timewarp?

[Steady rider]

Hopefully the publicity will be very helpful.

[Paulatic]

Is this a new round or have these posts fallen through a timewarp?

[thirdcrank]

Is this a new round or have these posts fallen through a timewarp?

It's new:

Building on the huge success of this project (ie the close passing mats.),

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cy ... n=891bd778

[Steady rider]

I had 4 close passes today, on average about one per 5 miles of cycling, not a typical day, perhaps one per 20+ miles.

[al_yrpal]

Hilarious that the CTC AGM voted this subject down with Chairmans proxy votes and now they actually seen to be doing something. Not invented here syndrome at work! According to my head office mole at that time there was an almost continuous series of resignation phone calls. Now they are coy about membership numbers.

Al

[Si]

Today I had a go on the new VR headsets that this new campaign is using......they are pretty good....give you a good sense of distance without the sea sickness that some VR can invoke. Certainly give a clearer picture than seeing bog standard clips on YouTube.

[thirdcrank]

Si

Do you know anything about how this is intended to be used in the real world. If anything makes me dizzy it's hype.

Is this a case of each police force will get one bit of kit? How will candidates for the experience be selected? Will only the unit with the kit offer the experience or will officers witnessing a close overtake, send for the headset? etc. In short, I wonder how the maximum number of drivers will receive this experience, rather than a token few.

[Si]

I could well be wrong but I got the impression that a stooge bike will be out filming and when someone does a close pass they will be stopped up the road and invited to view their pass from the cyclist's POV and then asked if they thought it reasonable. But I guess each force will probably use it a little differently.

[PH]

Hilarious that the CTC AGM voted this subject down with Chairmans proxy votes and now they actually seen to be doing something.

Al

I was at that AGM and this wasn't even discussed let alone voted down by anyone's votes, but of course you knew that.

According to my head office mole at that time there was an almost continuous series of resignation phone calls.

I'm shocked, someone in Guildford answers the phone

[Steady rider]

https://road.cc/content/forum/185303-cy ... wsletter-1

14) Legal minimum passing clearance The AGM requests a legal requirement for minimum passing clearance when overtaking or near to cyclists, to try and reduce the frequency of motor vehicles passing too close. On roads with speed limits up to and including 30mph or when passing at a speed up to and including 30mph, a 1m minimum is suggested. On roads with higher speed limits, a 1.5m minimum passing distance is suggested. In addition, on narrow roads frequent passing places should be provided.

Proposer’s note: This motion aims to provide an extra incentive for drivers to overtake only when suitable space is available. http:// cyclingtips.com/2015/10/south-australia- introduces-a-minimum-passing-distance-when- overtaking-cyclists/

Proposer Colin Clarke, seconder Alan Goswell

Council response: CTC Council disagrees with this motion. Council agrees that close overtaking should be tackled. It’s hazardous for cyclists and extremely intimidating. However, Council remains reluctant to specify a ‘headline’ overtaking distance because (for example) even 1.5m may not be enough in some circumstances and we don’t want to risk giving drivers the impression that it is.

The Highway Code (rather than the law) is better placed to explain optimum overtaking distances because it could state a standard minimum distance, and explain the circumstances in which more space is needed, e.g. on fast roads, in bad weather, etc. When the next revision is announced, we will campaign for various amendments, including clearer advice to drivers on overtaking.

The motion 'aims to provide an extra incentive for drivers to overtake only when suitable space is available'

'CTC Council disagrees with this motion'

They now specify 1.5m. The 1.0m and 1.5m were suggestions. it would have been better for the CTC to have come to some agreement supporting the principle behind the motion.

[thirdcrank]

I'll make a plea to keep this thread about this latest Kickstarter appeal and info about the gizmo it's hoped to give to each police force.

[PH]

14) Legal minimum passing clearance The AGM requests a legal requirement for minimum passing clearance when overtaking or near to cyclists, to try and reduce the frequency of motor vehicles passing too close.

We do this again and again, your motion was for a change in the law, they were opposed to that then and I've seen nothing to indicate they've changed their mind. But even if they do, you were there, you know they said it'd be kept under review.
I know you disagreed with that position then and you do now, so keep campaigning, but the accusations of hypocrisy are not supported by what was said then or since.

Council response: CTC Council disagrees with this motion. Council agrees that close overtaking should be tackled.

They didn't agree that your motion was the way to tackle it, they did agree that it should be tackled, so where is the contradiction in the current campaigns?