Toll trucks to carry bike safety message

[Aushiker]

Delivery trucks warning motorists to give bike riders a wide berth will appear soon on Australian city streets as the country's biggest transport company joins a national campaign to end cycling fatalities.

Cycling safety group the Amy Gillett Foundation has recruited trucking giant Toll to its "A Metre Matters" campaign, which is calling for a law requiring motorists to give cyclists a minimum one-metre distance when overtaking, with a penalty of up to 10 demerit points. At present, most states "encourage" a one-metre buffer but none mandates it.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/truck ... z2kUEcDjXy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Andrew

[Tornado]

Should certainly get plenty of coverage. Toll are absolutely everywhere.

[g-boaf]

Shame it isn't 1.5m matters. But every little bit counts .

[Mulger bill]

Wot? No comments? Spooky...

Good to see tho', VERY broad coverage even if they forgot the decimal.

[il padrone]

Foundation chief executive Tracey Gaudry said these deaths often occurred because a driver made a wrong judgment when overtaking.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/truck ... z2kVGkrRHT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

While I'm very supportive of the campaign planned (and drivers of large trucks are normally the very best at overtaking with plenty of room), it is also very important to get out the message that cyclists have a role to play in their safety. Handling yourself on the road like this is really important. Drivers need to know that this is why that cyclist is riding wider on the road lane - it actually makes it better for cyclists, and for the drivers as they are more likely to change lanes earlier and avoid getting caught squeezing a cyclist off the road. The psychology of a lane-claiming cyclist tells drivers early on that there really is not enough room to lane-share.

Do you want a metre pass like this (the closest while riding wide):



Or a pass like this (the closest while riding close to the road edge):




9232098

To accuse a cyclist of being militant, selfish or rude for riding in the lane is nothing more than car-centric bias assuming the bicycle driver is of lesser status than the motor vehicle driver — especially in context of how easy it is to see and safely pass a cyclist. Sadly, the people who I’ve most often seen making such an accusation are other cyclists.

[Aushiker]

Andrew

[chucknitro]

Great work by the AGF.

[kb]

Great work by TOLL too. I see their trucks and vans several times a week commuting and their drivers are always switched on and courteous.