Why can't everyone just get along?

This week, I've been reading about a campaign that has been carried out recently by Auto Trader. The campaign was started after 1 in 3 road users said that they'd been involved in a road rage incident over the last year with 1 in 5 of them saying that the experience left them feeling physically unsafe.

These figures are for ALL road user groups bunched together, but a large proportion of these incidents involve cyclists and pedestrians - vulnerable road users who should definitely NOT be feeling unsafe when they use the roads!

The campaign's main aim was to promote harmony between the different road user groups and involved handing out various hi-vis vests and things to vulnerable road users in an attempt to make them more visible on the roads and to promote the campaign website which, rather than just raising awareness of Auto Trader (a comment made by many on line, and it's probably fair to say that any involvement in any campaign by any commercial business is likely to bring in a marketing advantage to some extent), contained helpful tips on reducing hostility on their website for ALL ROAD USER GROUPS.

Whilst well meaning, the campaign has attracted a mixed response with many cyclists and pedestrians (pedestrian versus motorised vehicle collisions are on an upward trend at the moment) claiming that it seemed to put the onus on THEM to keep themselves safe... I fail  to see what the complaint is in that really? Why wouldn't you take responsibility for your own safety?

Those of you that are driving instructors will know full well about the regular Standards Check process that we have to go through, but for those who aren't in the trade, let me just quickly explain. A Standards Check takes place every 4 years as a condition of an Approved Driving Instructor's entry onto the register of approved driving instructors and is conducted by a specially trained DVSA Driving Examiner. They observe a lesson and mark the quality of the work against a standard by looking for evidence that certain questions were answered... one of those questions is "Did the trainer maintain an appropriate non-discriminatory manner throughout the session?"

That question was included to try and encourage trainers to make sure that the problems and challenges faced by all road users, particularly those with a certain vulnerability such as cyclists and pedestrians, but also those with control problems like HGV's and buses are discussed in the car with learner drivers in a manner which involves mutual respect, co-operation and equal accountability for road safety. Road safety is everyone's responsibility and collisions always involve normal people like you and me rather than the "idiots" everyone likes to blame it on. (On that subject, isn't it funny how you don't know anyone who drives like an idiot, and don't drive like one yourself, but you hear that a lot of drivers see lots idiots when they're out on the road? Odd isn't it... it's like some people think that everyone they know is okay, but if they don't know them, then they're an idiot - it's a nice character trait to have that is isn't it!)

So as a driving instructor, I will talk with my drivers about cyclists not using cycle lanes sometimes because of the poor condition of the road, or their vulnerability to skidding on manhole covers and that sort of thing, and I'll include in this plenty of talk about mirrors and knowing what's happening around you... keeping a cyclist (and it could be any road user really, I've just chosen them because I need to choose somebody) safe starts firmly with seeing them!

So why the resistance to making yourself more visible?

I'm noticing more and more cyclists these days wearing black gear whilst out on the roads. I also notice them taking up a very aggressive position on the road, potentially blocking an entire lane and making themselves hard to overtake. Now the theory here is to you are forced to wait for the correct gap in oncoming traffic before overtaking them which in turn makes you much more likely to leave the right amount of space (which should be around 2mtrs and would usually put you into the path of oncoming traffic anyway, so it makes no real difference to a good driver's overtaking manoeuvre) by not offering an opportunity to squeeze past, but surely making yourself into an inconvenience is one of the reasons for the increase in road rage events we're seeing and if you're dressed in black too, then you're going to get hit by an inattentive driver (not that that's okay, but it's going to happen if you put yourself in harms way). The advice to ride in that position is actively encouraged by the national cycling groups, that's why you're seeing so much of it (I assume the black clothing is a fashion thing - I haven't seen anyone advising cyclists to wear black).

Yet... when somebody suggests they wear a hi-vis vest to make yourself more visible... cyclists attack that as not being their responsibility - I don't understand that!

On the social media feeds recently, I asked the question "how tolerant are you of cyclists?" and the results surprised me - 70-80% of the respondents came back saying that they felt they were very tolerant of cyclists. I must admit, I expected that there'd be a definite "we don't like them" answer, but it wasn't, people generally accepted that the bikes were free to share the road with them.

So where does it come from? Cycling is a great way of getting fit and seeing some countryside. So is walking. The Highway Code contains rules for both on staying safe when using the roads and that involves wearing bright or reflective clothing - why not? I know you get bad tempered people riding bikes, driving cars, driving trucks and walking... but why so much disharmony? Don't we all just want to use the roads in peace?

HGV's have got massive blind spots - WHY not stay out of them?
Cyclists might swerve around grids so they don't fall off - WHY not leave loads of space as you pass?
Horses might be scared as you approach them on the road - WHY not slow down for 20 seconds?
Pedestrians could fall into the road - WHY not go round corners at speeds that allow you to stop easily?
ANYONE can make a mistake - WHY not make it less likely to happen?

I'm fully behind Auto Trader's campaign and it's a shame I've read some of the comments I've read this week... perhaps what people really need to do is start seeing more good in things and try to just get along with each other a bit more.

Nick Heath Driver Training is a multi-car driver training company based in and around Alsager in South Cheshire / Stoke On Trent. We provide driver training for all levels of driver from the complete novice who holds a provisional licence, to those training to become Approved Driving Instructors or those looking to complete an advanced driving qualification through Diamond Advanced Motorists (including the taxi driving assessment) More details can be found on our website www.nickheathdrivertraining.org.uk

Pedestrian Crossings vs Traffic Lights

One aspect of driving that I see people getting more and more confused over is spotting the difference between traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. This confusion is causing people to stop when they shouldn't which leads to congestion and encourage people to cross the road when they shouldn't, which increases the danger to the pedestrians.

The key thing to look out for is the presence of ZIG ZAG road markings. These are only used at pedestrian crossings and they disallow overtaking and prevent people from parking or pulling up at the side of the road in the area covered by the zig zags. These rules at pedestrian crossings create safer crossing conditions for the pedestrians.

At traffic light controlled junctions of course, the aim is to control the flow and interaction of traffic approaching on different roads. In it's most basic form, traffic in one direction gets green lights whilst others are held back at red lights and after 20 seconds or so, that situation is reversed and it reverses again after another 20 seconds or so. At those junctions with a strong pedestrian presence, this cycle is actually three way, so we have 2 cycles of green lights followed by 1 cycle for the pedestrians to cross which usually means that ALL traffic lights are on red. In other words, the pedestrians are being treated as a normal road user that requires an opportunity to negotiate the junction. To help reduce congestion, the pedestrian phase is usually skipped unless a pedestrian has pressed the crossing button to indicate that they are waiting to cross the road.

The reason for ALL of the lights changing to red when the pedestrians cross is that if any of them were on green whilst the pedestrians were crossing the road, you'd have a situation where drivers turning right and exiting a junction might come across pedestrians walking in the road. If that happens, then obviously the drivers need to stop to create a safe situation for the pedestrians to get out of the way but it would never be engineered to be like that due to increased risk to the pedestrians AND the congestion it would cause.

So if you see no Zig Zag road markings, then you are approaching traffic lights and not a pedestrian crossing. At all traffic lights, remember that the red one means stop JUST BEFORE THE STOP LINE. Stop lines are on the approach to junctions or crossings and not on the exits.

Whilst we're on the subject... people learning to drive often don't realise that there are different types of pedestrian crossing:

• Zebra Crossings have yellow flashing lights on poles that are often painted black and white and the crossing area itself is painted black and white. Pedestrians are encouraged to stop and waiting for traffic to stop for them at these crossings, but it is important for vehicular traffic to recognise that the pedestrians CAN just walk out if they like without looking and any traffic that hits them will be automatically to blame - the pedestrians have a RIGHT OF WAY to cross the road and are protected by law.
• Pelican Crossings are traffic light controlled. You press the button and wait for the green man signal (which comes on after the red lights have stopped traffic) before crossing the road. They can be identified by looking at the button (which has the word WAIT on it) and at the cones for the red and green men signals (which are across the road on these types of crossings, facing the pedestrians). The thing to remember about these crossings is that there is a flashing amber light after the red one that replaces the red and amber "get ready to go" signal. As with the flashing yellow light at the Zebra crossing above, you can drive over this crossing at this time as long as everyone has finished crossing the road.
• Puffin Crossings are the head of a family of crossings. They are very much like pelicans, but they use sensing technology to be more intelligent. If you press the button and then cross before the lights change, the button will cancel. If you are slow to cross the road, then they will keep the lights on red until you are finished. These crossings have the red and green men signals for the pedestrians on their buttons and there is no flashing amber phase of the lights.
• Toucan crossings are puffins at which cyclists can ride over.
• Equestrian Crossings are puffins that can be used by horse riders.

Nick Heath Driver Training is a driver training company based in Alsager, South Cheshire. We offer a variety of driver training courses from the complete novice, through to those looking to improve their skills in preparation for an advanced driving test, those undergoing training for work related driving and those considering a career as an Approved Driving Instructor. More details can be gained by visiting our website www.nickheathdrivertraining.org.uk