Hi Viz bag covers

STACC is delighted to be helping the Community Safety Partnerships team to distribute these hi-viz bag covers.  Seen here being modelled by a Carradice Super C pannier, they can also be used on rucksacks.  The text might not be legible in the little picture - it says Working for a Safer St Albans : Please allow space when passing. You can pick one up from the CTC's Five Miles to Fabulous ride leader next Saturday (12 October), 0930h at Morrisons.  Or drop in at the Bike Clinic at St Albans City Station, Monday and Wednesday, 0630h to mid afternoon, look for the Cycle Tech Herts van just past the 'drop-off' in front of the station entrance.

Lowering the risks

Cycling Weekly magazine has been running quite a few features on road safety for cyclists. The January 19 edition looked at adapting commuting by bike to provide useful training for sporting cyclists. We are not all Victoria Pendleton or Sir Chris Hoy, but they use the same roads (well, mostly roads around Manchester) as us to get around and to keep fit. Conclusion - cycling is good for you.

There are hazards though - see the Times campaign. As well as supporting STACC and The Times in campaiging for improved conditions for cycling in general, we can reduce our individual exposure by choosing how and where we ride. Here are four pointers from Cycling Weekly, with my comments:

Watch out for HGVs
HGVs are involved in two thirds of cyclist fatalities in London. Many lorry drivers are skilled, professional and courteous. Many firms fit all the legally required mirrors and then some. But even then, there will be places where the driver can lose sight of you. Show them the respect they deserve by being aware of the constraints on those drivers and positioning yourself accordingly. Never go up the inside of a lorry - you are putting yourself in the driver's blind zone. You are also possibly entering the space that the driver is about to move into - to make a left turn, the driver often has to move the vehicle to the right first. Stand at the Peanhen junction and you will see this happen.

Stay central
Take the centre of a lane whenever there is a risk that a driver will try and pass you too close or turn left across you. Approaches to junctions and splitter islands for example.

Avoid congested areas
Take a quieter route and avoid tricky junctions. You will also be avoiding a lot of pollution. Looking forward to cycling through the park instead of grinding up Holywell Hill? Me too!

Be visible
Lights, bright clothing and position in the driver sightlines all help drivers take notice of your presence. Give clear signals - this also makes you more noticeable.

If you didn't already know, riding your bike in the correct position on the road is a fundamental skill. The correct place is to ride at least half a metre out from the kerb at all times, then moving further out into the middle of the road at junctions.

There are three reasons for doing this;

1. Avoiding the glass, gravel and other road detritus which gets swept towards the edge of the road by motor traffic. Gravel is a big problem at the moment as it is generated by road surface breaking up around potholes.

2. To give yourself some safety space to move into in case a vehicle comes too close.

3. Most importantly, riding further out into the lane puts you firther into driver's visual field- simply put you're riding where drivers are looking and are therefore much more obvious. If you don't believe this check out the Institute of Advanced Drivers press release.

You can use the IAM's press release to counter any arguements with drivers!

Be safe...

Previously published here in 2007 , guidelines on riding safely.

Survey by the Institute of Advanced drivers

The Institute of Advanced Motorists IAM has some coverage on cycling, incuding running training courses, providing consulancy and promotion. All good stuff from a driving organisation.

Currently the IAM is running a survey on cycling, which will be used for a press release. There are some questions in the survey, including options on 'What will help cyclists' and a Question about supporting the introduction of cycle licencing/regulation which could do with some input from those of us who cycle.

Vote here to give your opionion, the poll closes on 10th March. Make your opinion known!

Cycling Tips (Letter to Review Newspaper 19th Nov)

Sir,
I feel I must reply to your correspondent S Turner (ST) (Review November 5) as I am concerned for ST's welfare.

Complaining - as we all are - about the poor state of our roads, ST states that "cyclists spend most of our time close to the kerb and . endure the bump down on to (sunken) drains every few metres" and that it is necessary to come out into the road to avoid them.

I am pleased to see that ST is a keen commuting and leisure cyclist so I am surprised that she/he takes up such an inappropriate position on the road.

The following may be helpful to other readers, perhaps also to ST.

Cycling close to the kerb is often an indication of the inexperienced or untrained beginner cyclist, who assumes that he/she must keep out of the way of those much more important motorists. They almost apologise for being on the road and do not see themselves as having a right to be there as a legitimate part of the traffic.

However they are putting themselves at a severe disadvantage or even at greater risk than adopting and maintaining the correct position some way from the side of the road.

They will not register in the consciousness of many drivers who, as a result, will not allow any space at all when overtaking.

Assert your right to be on the road, see yourself as being part of the traffic behaving responsibly, cooperatively and consistently.

As a general guide you should be cycling about one metre from the kerb (i.e. measured from kerb to wheel centre line), this will give you a bit of space to move left if you encounter a pothole, manhole or oily patch in your path, or if a vehicle passes you a bit too closely. You may think that if you are further from the kerb, then vehicles will pass you more closely. In fact you will find that as you increase your distance from the kerb, so will vehicles tend to increase their passing clearance.

But keep a good lookout ahead for hazards (including pedestrians stepping off the pavement without looking) that involve you moving to the right - don't make sudden deviations - plan ahead and move out early and gradually.

When passing parked cars move further out than normal - a suddenly opened car door can spoil your day. Maintain your position, don't swerve in and out of the gaps in a row of parked cars.

Be aware of what is happening behind you with an occasional glance and constant listening (don't use an iPod or phone)

Do all you can to be visible - lights at night are essential and bright clothing is always advisable.

Cycle training is available for children and adults. It complies with the modern National Standard, addressing today's traffic conditions - visit the Herts CC web page at http://tinyurl.com/6fzpxj or the CTC training pages at http://tinyurl.com/5mrofm for more information, or contact us via www.stacc.org.uk.

Happy Cycling.

Tom S
St Albans Cycle Campaign

The above was published in the local Review Newspaper on 19th November. I am including it as a post as it may be a useful reference when replying to enquiries which STACC receives from time to time.
Space prevented me from putting more tips in the letter, please feel free to add your own tips as comments to this post. Comments on aspects with which you disagree are also welcome. Do continue to write to the local press about cycling issues - your own views. Afterwards add them to the Blog as posts, or email the content to us in order to post them for you. If you see an article or a letter related to cycling from someone else, try to keep the theme going by replying. Newspaper editors like a continuing story.

Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do - Book Review

Some interesting things to think about in a book recently reviewed in in the Sunday Times - to
be found [HERE]
Thanks to 'Orbiter' for that snippet.

Drop us a comment - especially if you get around to reading the whole book.

Pedestrians on Pavements Injured by Cycles & Motor Vehicles

Useful Statistics which demonstrate and compare risks to pedestrians.

Extract from Hansard 16 Mar 2005 column 252W which you can see in full [HERE]
(The relevant article is near the bottom of that page)

Pedestrian Casualties

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pedestrian casualties occurring on a footway in each year since 2000 resulted from a collision with a (a) motor vehicle and (b) pedal cycle. [218488]

Mr. Jamieson: The information requested is shown in the following table.
Pedestrians injured on the footway or verge: GB 2000–03
Casualties

YEAR	Motor vehicles	Pedal cycles
2000	3445	77
2001	3504	78
2002	3432	65
2003	3453	72

On the same page (near the top) are stats for other accidents for the same years, including those for cyclists.

REPORT EVERY POTHOLE - for the Benefit of All

REPORT EVERY POTHOLE or other dangerous road defect - make a note of it as soon as you encounter it.

It is so important for everyone that dangerous potholes are fixed as soon as possible. Herts Highways are supposed to check for them at six-monthly intervals but of course that is too infrequent - we are in the best position to see these dangers, so let's report them to benefit each other.

It's quick and easy to report on line but the reporting method has changed slightly which makes it seem more difficult.

HOW TO Report on Line - Some TIPS & TRICKS to save effort ...

• First of all, don't bother to find out if the fault has already been reported - this wastes your time.


• Go to THIS PAGE & select fault type (e.g. Pothole in road)


• Proceeds to "Locate" stage. Enter location & click Search. Often after clicking "Search" the location can't be found & you get a dumb response - keep trying! (e.g. For Avenue Road, you need to enter Avenue without Road!!).


• Once the location is found click "Continue without map". Avoid using button "Locate using map" (it takes forever).


• Proceeds to "Detail" stage, where sometimes several locations are presented, click the one which applies.


• The "Fault Description" box lets you enter free text. If in your opinion the fault/pothole is dangerous*, be sure to say 'Dangerous to Cyclists' in this box, along with location information such as house number & other brief details of the fault.


• Also using this free-text box you can report a number of faults of the same type at different locations in the same road - Saves your time.


• In the Name section - note another time-saver - that you do not need to complete your name and address details - just enter your email if you want an acknowledgement.

* Herts Highways' definition of a dangerous pothole is 47 mm deep or more, we don't agree!

This is an update of the previous post on pothole reporting HERE where you can still find lots of useful information on reporting by phone or reporting to STACC so we can report to Herts Highways for you.

Cycle Training - How Not To Do It

A clip from
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=7836

Our Local Authority, West Sussex County Council hasn't trained its instructors to National Standards Levels. Instead it has them out there plying their good old fashioned Cycle Proff. with a couple of gentle nods in the direction of the National Standards Syllabus.

Then on top of that, they've appointed the local fire service to deliver training also. Again not trained to deliver National Standards. (Ironically, since writing my original post questioning the fire service delivering cycle training, their own fire station burnt down. Highlighting if anything the need for them to get their own house in order before taking on additional duties. Imagine the fire station hadn't even got a smoke alarm fitted....

Amusing or serious ?

Always lots of good stuff on the CTC Forum.

Police Appeal - ALBAN WAY ARMED ROBBERY 27th June

Police are appealing for any information which could relate to an
armed robbery about 10:15 a.m. on 27th June, 2007.

Full details & photofit of the assailant, as well as police contact number are on:
http://www.herts.police.uk/crimedatabase/site/content.php?article_id=3864

Did you see anything that day which might be relevant?

Perhaps you are a regular Alban Way user; have you seen the
attacker on another occasion - before or since?

Think Back - 27th June was in the week after Bike Week.
(It appears that the escape route was the Timberland Trail footpath
- where it's unusual to see a cyclist - rather than the footpath
which crosses AW near the Smallford bridge.)


Yes it's very disturbing to have such things happen on 'our' Alban Way.
A way to mitigate one's fears is to commute with one or more companions using
the Bike Buddi scheme.
See
http://stalbanscyclecampaign.blogspot.com/2007/06/bike-buddy-commute-with-companion.html
for a link to more information.
Don't let them win!

junction videos

2 gems from Youtube...

First, a St Petersburg junction : busy dual carriageway, uncontrolled junction..what can we learn from this? Do drivers have little feeling for their own safety - or that of others once behind the wheel? - and the faster the better to maintain your right of way..watch it here

Next, a busy (incredibly busy) junction in

Things that go bump on the road

SEE LATER POST ON POTHOLES HERE

pot·hole (pŏt'hōl') n.
1. A hole or pit, especially one in a road surface. Also called chuckhole.
2. A deep round hole worn in rock by loose stones whirling in strong rapids or waterfalls.
3. Western U.S. A place filled with mud or quicksand that is a hazard to cattle.

Answers.com

At best an uncomfortable jolt on your journey, at worst a danger to both you and your bike. Deep, hard edged, debris shedding- often disguised as a simple puddle, these hazards lurk all over the district's roads, despite Herts Highways' patching efforts. Here's a quick reminder of how you can help reduce the problem by reporting them; watch out for future posts as we put Herts Highways' performance under the microscope over the coming months!



"During the year ending March 2005, 88% of reported potholes were repaired within 24 hours."


Herts Highways promise to fix hazardous potholes within 24 hours. Unfortunately Herts Highways don't tell us what they consider to be a hazardous pothole! This definition from Cambridge Cycling Campaign is as good a guide as any, but if you see any hazard in the road which is big, deep or rough enough to make you want to swerve to avoid it then it should be reported.

"Potholes are considered dangerous when they are vertically sided, and more than 20 mm deep, with an area of greater than 0.1 m² in principal road carriageways and 50 mm deep in non-principal road carriageways and more than 20 mm deep and have an area of 0.1 m². in any footway, cycleway and marked cycle lane and are sufficiently far from the edge of the carriageway or footway to be surrounded by bituminous material. Other conditions which occur should be judged in accordance with the good practice and specification requirements, and dealt with accordingly"

You'll need to note the following details- if you don't have a piece of paper handy try writing a text message to yourself on your mobile (you don't need to send the message, just save it).

Location- road name, carriageway, nearest house/landmark
Description- size, depth, distance from kerb
Date
If possible take a photo.

Armed with these details, you can report the hazard and start the repair clock ticking.

There are several ways to report hazards:

Online at hertdirect.org. Navigate through the options to select the most appropriate hazard type - pothole for a pothole or carriageway/road/cycleway for other hazards).

Online at the CTC's site fillthathole.org.uk. Use the map to locate the hazard, the CTC will report the pothole to Herts Highways on your behalf.

By phone. Call Herts Highways on 01438 737320. Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am - 8pm and Saturdays from 9am - 4pm.

Here. Leave a comment here and we'll report the hazard for you- please make it clear that you haven't reported it yourself. You can email any photos to stacc.potholes@hartleys.org.uk- this includes sending in pictures direct from your cameraphone!

However you report the hazard, please note the reference number and add it as a comment here so that we can track it. This is important since it enables us to keep an eye on Herts Highways' performance.

Coming soon- what to do if a pothole damages your bike or causes an accident.

Ride safely

Share the road white, originally uploaded by MTB photolog.

Bike lanes are generally a good thing, but local experience shows that they take a long time to appear, and even longer to coalesce into a connected network which takes you where you want to go. Roads, on the other hand, take you from your front door to your destination..

Cyclists have have the right in law to ride on the roads (other vehicles have to pay for the privilige), but riding on the road means using common sense and following the rules, which are there for cyclists' safety too. Many adult cyclists are also car drivers, and it amazes me to see how many people forget the basics of road positioning- and the highway code- as soon as they get out of their car.

Here's a few pointers for safe cycling, and some links for more background on vehicular cycling.

Don't ride in the gutter. Riding two to three feet away from the kerb puts bikes in a position where they can be seen by other road users and have space to move into if needs be. Riding here keeps you away from broken glass and other debris which traffic sweeps into the gutter and causes punctures.

Always leave a gap when overtaking parked cars - riding into an open car door will hurt.

Stop at red traffic lights, just like other road users. A bike rider is soft and fleshy, other vehicles are hard and heavy. You will come off worse in any collision and you'll have only yourself to blame.

Stay off the pavement unless there are signs indicating you're allowed to use it. Pavements are for pedestrians, unless you're young enough to be riding with stabilisers or accompanied by mum or dad. Even if the pavement is clear, you will be more vulnerable to being hit by a car simply because you will be crossing driveways and roads in places where drivers are not expecting to see you.(Inlcude a link here)

Be aware of other road users - making eye contact with drivers at junctions and glancing over your right shoulder to check what's behind you makes you more aware of what's going on and reduces some motorists' tendency to see you as an impersonal moving speed bump.

Signal when you're turning or moving out - just like everyone else on the road. Doing this helps drivers predict what you're going to do.

Use lights at night and on dark mornings and wear something brightly-coloured or reflective. The warm glow you feel at using eco-friendly transport does not make you visible to pedestrians or other road users.

Don't pass lorries and busses on the inside. You may not be visible to the driver and you can be hit and seriously injured. HGVs are the second highest killers of cyclists on Britain's roads. Many of these deaths are preventable

Don't mistake the red-painted strips on Sandpit Lane and Hatfield Road for cycle lanes - they're (barely-effective) traffic-calming measures.

Don't feel forced to use badly designed bike lanes. Many cycle lanes are so badly designed that they are more dangerous than the road. There's no legal requirement to use them and little or no advantage- vote with your tyres!

Links:
The highway code for cyclists- worth a look for a refresher
Cyclecraft- the government-approved manual for safe cycling. A bit of a dry read, but contains some excellent practical information.
Vehicular cycling- an excellent article from John Franklin.