Action on danger drivers will save cyclists’ lives

A CYCLING campaigner (from Leeds) who appeared on the BBC Breakfast programme missed a golden opportunity to make cycling a great deal safer overnight, rather than when we get more safe cycle lanes somewhere in the future.

She told of how she had to walk across a field to avoid a busy dual carriageway: her family, and no doubt herself, feared for her life.

When asked by presenter Bill Turnbull what topped her shopping list for making cycling safer, she replied “more segregated cycle lanes”.

This would take years, and ultimately could only provide for a tiny fraction of our roads. What of narrow country lanes (Sustrans cycle routes) where some drivers and motorcyclists insist on doing 60mph and more?

Let’s say things improved over the next 10 years – at the present annual cycling death rate, over 1,000 more cyclists would be killed, with thousands more seriously injured.

Top of the list should be a practical cycling test to precede a driving test, followed by a driving ban for any driver who thinks cyclists shouldn’t be on the road because they don’t pay road tax.

An assessment that prevents the likes of bullies; drug dealers and abusers (child and women) from holding a driving licence – once a bully always a bully: a potential killer in a motor vehicle.

A cycle awareness test for any driver who collides with a cyclist: a cycling proficiency, or indeed years of experience, is not enough to keep a cyclist safe from careless/dangerous drivers – ask Sir Bradley Wiggins and Shane Sutton.

Less talk of compulsory helmet wearing and more talk of compulsory black-boxes, and speed limiters. It’s the potential killers who need to be the main target for improvements, not the victims.