THINK! Day three of Road Safety Cycle to School Week kicked off with the following tips for parents cycling with their children…
#CycleToSchoolWeek Day 3 🚲
Riding 2 abreast (side by side) with children/inexperienced riders can help keep them safer on the road.
Remember to be aware of people driving and allow them to overtake (for example, moving in single file or stopping) when it is safe to do so. pic.twitter.com/7sMTScVqG6
– THINK! Road Safety (@THINKgovuk) October 5, 2022
Followed by a full rant on the second paragraph, which many suggested was inappropriate and unsafe advice…
— Lockdown Cyclist (@LockdownCyclist) October 5, 2022
If I’m walking with both arms to protect a child from traffic, why should I switch to single file every time a car appears? Drivers can wait until it is safe. Or just wait.
— Katy (@TheBlueUlysses) October 5, 2022
If I’m walking with both arms to protect a child from traffic, why should I switch to single file every time a car appears? Drivers can wait until it is safe. Or just wait.
— Katy (@TheBlueUlysses) October 5, 2022
Please focus on the real problempic.twitter.com/A4weE6zMfI
— cycle guy- off topic (@thecycleguy3) October 5, 2022
So where did this advice come from? THINK!? No, this heavily criticized advice came straight from… well… the Highway Code…
Consider the needs of other road users when driving in groups. You can ride two abreast and it may be safer to do so, especially in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Be aware of drivers behind you and let them overtake (for example, moving in single file or stopping) when you think it is safe to let them do so.
This revelation made it a little more understandable (to some) why THINK! had used that wording, but others pointed out that protecting children riding bicycles on the street should probably be a little higher in the hierarchy of old priorities than perfect code compliance.
Is the key point “if you feel safe to do so” and/or do parts of the Highway Code still need updating?
This is not a great piece of commentary because, while the second sentence is straight from the Highway Code, when I’m riding on the road with kids/inexperienced riders, I always find it safer to be a little further back. than they are. https://t.co/W8MNC9fTjK
– Jon Owen (@anotherJon) October 5, 2022
No. You go into the other lane to overtake even a single cyclist. Singleing out doesn’t help overtaking. It only encourages the dangerous squeeze of past cyclists. pic.twitter.com/oLwtjdBy8t
— CyclingMikey (@MikeyCycling) October 5, 2022
These think! tweets aren’t terribly useful in real life, but they do comply with the current Highway Code (which remains unclear in many respects and needs further revision.)
— Carlton Reid (@carltonreid) October 5, 2022
