[ad_1]
It’s the victim blaming klaxon again!
For today’s second edition of ‘Local Authorities Putting The Onus For Safety On Vulnerable Road Users’ (I’ll try to think of a snappier title this afternoon), we’re hopping over the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland, where the Twitter account of the official government website, NI Direct, celebrated the start of Cycle to School Week by instructing schoolchildren to be “bike smart”…
…While using a photo of a narrow, painted cycle lane that could charitably be described as a death trap:
Are you taking part in cycle to school week?
Find advice that can help you to stay safe on the road at: https://t.co/brNaNVrF7s @deptinfra#CycleToSchoolWeek pic.twitter.com/BBHuPjWm0m— nidirect (@nidirect) October 3, 2022
The tweet itself linked to the Highway Code for Northern Ireland’s ‘Rules for Cyclists’, which informs bike riders that they should wear helmets, appropriate fluorescent and reflective clothing, and fit their bike with a red rear reflector.
The guidelines also tell cyclists, among other things, to “be considerate of other road users”, to use cycle routes and lanes, bike boxes and toucan crossings when possible (though they do note that they’re not compulsory), to “be aware that drivers may not easily see you” on roundabouts, and to “leave plenty of room when passing parked vehicles and watch out for doors being opened”.
However, it was this morning’s unfortunate juxtaposition of message and image – telling young cyclists to be safe while depicting a particularly unsafe example of cycling infrastructure – that has especially angered local bike riders and parents on Twitter:
Question, @nidirect. Would you let your child cycle to school on a road where they are only separated from drivers by a line of paint? https://t.co/IcSyGTPhJ3
— Stripymoggie (@StripyMoggie) October 3, 2022
Provide cyclists with decent infrastructure then and stop puttin the onus on them
— Stephen Esq. (@IsMiseStiofan) October 3, 2022
Don’t worry parents … your kids are protected from bad & distracted drivers by a line of paint … you’ve nothing to worry about 🙄
— Aaron (@arnoboko) October 3, 2022
Wow, what a joke. The image says it all, painted infra != infra and “it’s your job to be safe” despite all the evidence to the contrary
— Gerry Casey (@gerardhughcasey) October 3, 2022
Have a look at the picture below. Would you want you kid to cycle in a bike lane like that? BTY most of the painted bike lanes allow parking. @deptinfra active travel needs infrastructure. @JohnODowdSF needs to drag the department into the 21st century. https://t.co/HyzP4RB9Cl
— Dominic Bryan (@Domsball) October 3, 2022
Nope! Very telling that the very laziest of “cycling infrastructure” is featured and that all the guidance puts the onus of responsibility for safety on the …CHILDREN. It’s almost as if they 👏 don’t 👏 really 👏 care
— TainyKaney 🇮🇪🇨🇦 (@TainyKaney) October 3, 2022
The “lane” in that picture is so narrow it doesn’t even have a enough room for the bicycle motif, @nidirect. pic.twitter.com/OKASFUQdOT
— Stripymoggie (@StripyMoggie) October 3, 2022
[ad_2]
Source link
