When Channel 4 covered cycling in London recently, the content was predictably disappointing, but it does at least serve as an example of why coverage of this type is so problematic.
It came in three parts, which are best covered in reverse order.
Blog
The Wedge
OK, here’s a hypothetical scenario. Imagine this.
Are Cyclists Their Own Worst Enemies?
I Fought The Law and The Law Lost
Speed cameras are in the news again, so what better time to gather by the roadside to watch the glorious parade of naked, self-interested human deceit?
Just Some Guy
So there’s this guy, right?
A Smart Move
Recently the Bicycle Helmet Initiative trust (BHIT) rebranded itself as “Cycle-Smart”. But what did this change of name actually signal?
Taken For a Ride
Get in and buckle up, we’re being taken for a ride again.
Newspaper Clippings
I’ve already covered a number of aspects of the harmful use of language in reporting collisions. But some articles are particularly bad, and demonstrate particular points.
The Collision That Never Happened
Sometimes a single remark encapsulates a whole raft of misguided thinking.
Whose Law Is It Anyway?
What part does infrastructure play in lawbreaking? Let’s ask the Institute of Advanced Motorists.
When Words Collide
Language is a funny old thing: it can be beautiful yet brutal; trivial yet pivotal. At the very least, it’s always a product of the author’s thoughts: a symptom of an attitude; a barometer of a mindset. But—more than that—whether subtle or strident, malign or mendacious, it remains our main tool of influence. What you say, what you write, is important.
But sometimes, it’s a car crash.
Let’s take a look at it, pull it apart, see if it needs fixing, and then put it back together.
Masters of Disguise
Who’s the master of disguise? Sherlock Holmes? No! It’s you! (Provided you’re not in a car.)
Fuck This
Low sun. When do we get our collective heads around this apparently unfathomable phenomenon?
Testing Some Logic
This morning I tweeted a link to this oft-cited article which explains saccadic masking, with the suggestion that perhaps the explanation of it—the understanding of why that first look isn’t enough, even though you absolutely think it is—ought to be a part of mandatory training for drivers.
Back came the response, “How about a compulsory driving [sic] test for all cyclists as well?”
Well, why not?
Arguing For Protection
Amazingly, an MP has stood up in the House of Commons and argued the case for lifetime driving bans as protection from particularly dangerous drivers.
The Sounds of Science
The use of headphones is just one of many aspects of cycling behaviour which generates lively debate; but debate which rarely braves the cold world of data and quantitative study, preferring to inhabit the opinion columns of newspapers and the soundbites of politicians.
Let’s try and move it on a little.
Choosing a Scenario
Pop quiz time! Two scenarios, each with some questions.
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An Acceptable Death
Here we are once again: The sun exists, therefore fatal road collisions are legally inevitable.
Don’t Shoot the Messenger
Here’s a joke:
Q: When is a facetious comment not a facetious comment?
A: When you don’t have a legal team and a big pile of cash.
OK, it’s not a funny joke. Maybe it wasn’t a joke. I don’t know. I wonder if The Telegraph can help us out.
Of Stickers and Snideness
A grim vignette of commercial operators’ attitudes to road laws and other road users.
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