Times CycleSafe - map your local hazards

[hawk]

New element to The Times' Cities Fit for Cycling Campaign, they're asking us to plot hazards in our local areas.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cy ... y/contact/

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what they're doing with this information?

[jezzzad]

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what they're doing with this information?

Very interested to know - I thought this looked an excellent initiative, but keen to know where it is heading...

[Ayesha]

Its a map of the UK where you can highlight a junction or stretch of road that you consider dangerous. It is to let local councils know whereabouts their road planners have made a balls up.
Is there another map where we can highlight the places where motorists are more moronic than usual?

[Mark R]

Just tried to add some entries but unfortunately it doesn't seem to work

The instructions are to 'drag the cyclist to the map' but I don't see the cyclist!

If anyone works out what to do, please post

[RickH]

You need to keep zooming in until the cyclist appears in the centre of the map area - it confused me too!

Rick.

[savbo]

My google chrome doesn't work but Internet Explorer does

Could spend weeks posting problems on this but have put one in to start with - shows people are bothered

[boris]

I put five in before moving on . As said one could go on and on just in ones own neighbourhood.

[Ray]

I, too, wonder what the Times might do with this information. Anyway, I'd find mapping my local hazards very difficult; the only ones I really worry about have four (or more) wheels, and their position is impossible to predict at any one time.

Ray

[sirmy]

I, too, wonder what the Times might do with this information. Anyway, I'd find mapping my local hazards very difficult; the only ones I really worry about have four (or more) wheels, and their position is impossible to predict at any one time.

Ray

Heisenberg strikes again!

Anyone know if you can view other peoples entries, I couldn't see any on the map

[Ray]

I was making a serious point which goes far beyond quantum mechanics. Perhaps I should have been less oblique.

Should we not see the Times initiative as another attempt to shift the blame from the dangerous (careless, inattentive, reckless, inebriated ....) driving of motor vehicles to poor road design or maintenance? Cyclists already have to put up with the charge of contributory negligence for not wearing the right headgear, as if it really makes all that much difference. Every time I ride my bike I pass along roads where, for example, blind bends make it difficult for all road-users. But it's not the bend which kills you . . .

What the Times might claim as genuine concern for cyclists' safety is really either sloppy thinking or cynical blame-shifting. And, in response to the OP's question, why am I just a little bit circumspect about the motives of any organ of News International?

Ray

[indy]

Isn't this begin driven by the fact that 2 Times journo's have either been killed or very seriously injured in the last 6 months... hence the campaign??

[anothereye]

Should we not see the Times initiative as another attempt to shift the blame from the dangerous (careless, inattentive, reckless, inebriated ....) driving of motor vehicles to poor road design or maintenance?

I suggest we can all exploit this tool by highlighting the locations where we regularly experience bad driving. Putting something along the lines of "this junction would not be a problem if drivers didn't regularly take risks; this is the real issue".
Now I'm going to have to get early retirement in order to have the time to mark all the danger spots on the map!

[tonythompson]

Just submitted 2 hazards - I like this site. Don't expect for one second the council will do anything about it but good to be able to flag up one's frustration of dangerous roads and that the solution is quite simple.

[Mick F]

I won't be using it.

I'm not aware of any junctions or stretches of road that could be improved locally. I'm not saying the roads are safe, its just that they are ok as they are. I even cycle in Plymouth city centre, and feel fine with it. Even the major roundabouts.

The best thing IMHO to make cyclists safe on the roads, is for all cyclists to use the roads. The more cyclists there are on the roads, the better that cyclists will be treated by all the other road users. That's all that's required.

[tonythompson]

I won't be using it.

I'm not aware of any junctions or stretches of road that could be improved locally. I'm not saying the roads are safe, its just that they are ok as they are. I even cycle in Plymouth city centre, and feel fine with it. Even the major roundabouts.

The best thing IMHO to make cyclists safe on the roads, is for all cyclists to use the roads. The more cyclists there are on the roads, the better that cyclists will be treated by all the other road users. That's all that's required.

I don't think that you are wrong but not all cyclists are probably as confident or experienced as you. Or they are elderly, young, maybe someone with mobility problems riding a trike, etc and need that extra bit of support/safety in particularly difficult areas. I am personally confident - try Bombay on a fully laden touring bike - whereas my wife who broke her ankle after being knocked off by a lorry, is still a total basket case when we get to any major junctions. For her to ride I have to plan routes very carefully preferably with cycle lanes. So the safer the roads can be made for cyclists then we might get more people riding on a regular basis.