Looking in the wrong place
The Dublin Cycling Campaign posted this earlier, pointing out the complete lack of #space4cycling in this image from twitter:
7 Cyclists beside bus. Not safe. @dublincycling @copenhagenize #freethecyclelanes pic.twitter.com/II1bOU2niD
— Paul corcoran (@Paulcorcoran10) June 29, 2015
Many of the replies on this thread were suggesting that the cyclists are wrong to be in that position. Granted, they are, but regardless of how they got there (by their own volition or if the bus arrived after them), the issue is that the layout of the street and the size, shape and design of the vehicles does not allow for safe cycling.
Some posters mentioned the ‘Cyclists keep back’ or ‘Cyclists beware’ stickers and one mentioned fines for getting yourself into this unfortunate position, but this is just punishing the vulnerable, not helping. This approach (along with hi-viz, helmets and ‘you’re cycling wrong’) costs nothing and requires no effort on behalf of the councils or vehicle owners & designers.
Why isn’t the focus on vehicle design? Why are we allowing vehicles that *by design* have huge blind spots where the operator cannot see vulnerable human beings?
Why aren’t we focusing on infrastructure? Why are two lanes allowed here? I know upgrades are on the plans, but the default response is to look to the vulnerable to change, when the control lies with the ‘powerful’ (manufacturers, owners, councils).
Dublin doesn’t appear to be as bad as other cities (London sounds like a disaster), but maybe we need to start protesting and stop accepting platitudes. We pay for this infrastructure out of our taxes (and before you say it, everybody pays tax, natch), so why are we accepting infrastructure and legal requirements for vehicles that are not fit for purpose?
It’s time to stop. Focus on where the issues are, not on the vulnerable.