For the 2 million people who cycle every day, close passes are an almost daily occurrence.
Close passes are really intimidating and account for around a third of all threatening incidents between drivers and cyclists.
Last year 44 out of the 45 police forces in England adopted our close pass mats and are now regularly pulling over drivers and educating them on safe passing distances.
But – we have a new tool that will help take this education process a step further and that is virtual reality.
Our new virtual reality film will give drivers in the cyclists shoes and experience what it’s really like to feel close passed.
We’re currently fundraising via our Kickstarter campaign so we can send all the police forces headsets and the virtual reality film. Donate and help us supply headsets to forces across the UK: www.cyclinguk.org/toocloseforcomfort
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27 Comments
Why does the boss of CUK set the WORST POSSIBLE EXAMPLE by not wearing a crash helmet…not even when talking about road safety? Barking mad.
and tell her to get out of the door zone!
Why are the numberplates obscured? If these were "demo" passes, then fair enough – oherwise name and shame. Oh and the evidence on helmets isn't clear cut.
Hi, if he's thinking "safety" he needs to where a (Helmet) and set a "example" !!!!!!
First thing i thought was why isn't he wearing a helmet, it's all I could think about throughout the video.
People not wearing a helmet get more respect from cars and more space as a result. Try it.
Great idea, and it is far better to cycle without a helmet than not cycle at all. Thought the downside of fetishising helmets was pretty clear by now. I wear one but don't believe it will help me much in a tangle with a car or lorry.
I wish there was a high vis vest that said clearly legal overtaking distance 1.5m.
Absolutely agree that vehicles can be a danger to cyclists. That is why all cyclists should be paying a similar
Road Tax to vehicle drivers and that revenue could pay for dedicated cycle roads to keep the two apart.
Just because you are on a bike does not mean you do not pay a Road Fund License. Many cyclists also drive cars but are not wearing out roads or polluting the environment when they are on a bike. Maybe they should get a refund (tongue in cheek).
I think the helmet wearing is a bit of a side issue. I generally wear one – but not always. In Holland where people cycle far more they are not worn so much for general purpose cycling. I expect that in some environments the helmet may make us look more alien and less vulnerable.
I noticed quite good behaviour by motorists in Scotland, perhaps they are ahead of the curve
http://www.scotland.police.uk/whats-happening/news/2017/may/stopclosepass-changing-behaviour
I seem to recall signs suggesting leaving as much room for a cyclist as a car. The other group that need education are motorcylists who sometimes dodge around cyclists as they were part of some computer game.
First thing i thought was why isn't he wearing a helmet, it's all I could think about throughout the video.
Helmets? Really? You see this film and you think 'Helmets'? Helmets mitigate the injuries caused by some low-speed accidents but the way the helmet brigade go on about it you'd think the wearing of a helmet casts a magic force-field. Get a grip people! Vehicle knocks cyclist off bike, likely they're going to be injured, helmet or no. This is a matter of education — most drivers aren't malicious, they are ignorant, and this VR film will help enlighten them!
Not only should cyclists pay Road Tax or Excise License as some call it, they should also pay vehicle insurance for the damage they could cause to other road users. The duty is paid per vehicle that you use on the road, so the fact that a cyclist already pay duty is not a justifiable argument. If I owned a car, a van and a motor cycle, I would have to pay three times and also insure three vehicles. Cyclists are being supported by the rest of us.
Drivers are dicks . You soon learn this even after just a week on the roads .
OMG he's not wearing a helmet OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG . Idiots !!!
I'm sorry but the reality is that UK police often do nothing even in the face of overwhelming evidence see: https://youtu.be/RC0NgydhwFQ I'm sorry again — but the West Midlands police force approach to stopping close passes is almost certainly more effective than this expensive VR one (see: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-37384899).
About too add fundraising for this but it's now complete! Excellent news, great point on Road CC blog, This should be done by the government!
Why is it up to a charity to educate bad driving?
The van driver in the country road is going way to fast.
car drivers are an incredible bunch of people. you're already shitting all over our environment and our lungs by driving a car, and then you are deciding to also kill people more directly by threatening to crush them with your 2 tonne rolling lump of metal. if anyone should be wearing helmets its car drivers.
Do you want safer streets to cycle on? Find out how you can support our vital campaigning work: https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle-campaigning
On my daily 5 mile commute with panniers, 1/3 of drivers drive close during overtake. then I fitted an old reflector arm, only 14" long. Because that little bit of ugly plastic threatens there cherished body work the standard of overtaking has got alot better. I think someone once suggested a golf umbrella across the rear rack once. If it works I'll stick to it.
the law should do bigger fines and teach the drivers how to overtake a cyclist
So where is your head protection ie crash helmet
Best you also educate cyclists on close passes. In London, cyclists are reckless – they treat the streets like a personal race track and pass cars, cycles and pedestrians at high speed within inches. Because they are anonymous there is no way to report them for their dangerous riding
It goes both ways …. The way this boy in tights on a skinny bike passed me … He didn't even say Hi or by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QMdUmamyJ4
We still need more protected cycle lanes. They could also open up more pavements as shared paths IMO and not force cyclists onto roads.