ACOMSDave

Community Journalist

The Roads Are Dangerous

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A while ago, I wrote about driving on the roads and how both cyclists and motorists seem to be disregarding the ‘Highway Code’ the aim of The Highway Code is to make the roads safer for everyone because the roads are danerous. It gives guidance as to how you are to use the road in conjunction with fellow users (whether they be motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, or even riders of horses).
For motorists, they are cocooned in a metal box of some type which seems to make them think they are invincible, for the other users (who should be thinking of visibility) most seem to think that wearing dark clothes night and day is perfectly acceptable – of course, everyone will see them!

 

The Roads Are Dangerous

 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Get Up To Speed – The Roads Are Dangerous

So why am I writing again about the dismal use of the Highway Code on our roads; well Belfast Live decided to also run an article on the use of our roads.

‘Belfast the most dangerous city for cyclists in the UK, new research suggests’

The statistics they gathered are staggering:

⦁ 71% of those who took part in the survey had been involved in some kind of accident while on their bike
⦁ At least 51% cannot correctly identity Highway Code rules related to cycling and that four out of ten cyclists (38%) quizzed don’t agree that cycle helmets should be compulsory on UK roads (sic doesn’t this remind you about the argument about seatbelts?)

 

The Roads Are Dangerous

Photo by Matteus Silva de Oliveira from Pexels

Lockdown

Lockdown - The Roads Are Dangerous

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

With lockdown, the usage of bikes has gone up, but it would the majority of cyclists are not aware of many of the current rules put in place for their own protection! For example, over two-thirds of those surveyed (69%) wrong believe cyclists are able to ride more than two abreast on the road…59% of those surveyed did not think they were required to obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

However, the problem is not all one-sided. Motorists are equally as blind to the Highway Code, but they are more likely to get stopped and advised by the police, whilst the police do not have cyclists high enough on their radar.

It is a matter for all of us; in today’s society where we are handling a pandemic of global concern, and where our NHS is under so much pressure, surely we can all take a little bit more care, dress appropriately and act safely to ensure we don’t become the next statistic in the hospital waiting list.

 

Link:

 

 

Safety First – Wear Something bright At Night

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IN 1967 as part of the campaign about road safety ‘The Wear Something Bright At Night’ was started.

 

 

To me an advert which has remained in my mind always.  However, the level of stupidity I see by pedestrians and cyclists on today’s road is almost beyond belief.  According to figures just released in June this year, … the annual average number of injured and killed while cycling between 2014-2018 is 53, which is 74 per cent greater than the 2004-2008 baseline average….[The Irish News]

But why am I in despair – firstly cyclists – last week as I was waiting or a bus on a main arterial road. I saw a car with driver pull up at the end of a side road at the double broken white line, check the road was clear and then having indicated pull out and turn right.  Meantime coming from the left came a cyclist, with high visibility leggings, a high visibility waist coast which was lying open, and therefore flowing back so you couldn’t see it.  Just as the cyclist came up to the road with the motorist halfway out, he (the cyclist) suddenly decided to turn right onto the side road without indication or warning.  In itself, not a major problem as the motorist was going one way and the cyclist the other, however, the cyclist broke the highway code in a number of ways:

  • Firstly not indicating his turn
  • Secondly deciding to skip behind the car turning right and therefore crossing the oncoming traffic lane, not turning into his lane for travel
  • Thirdly, he did not have a front headlight or red reflector on his bike – which the law states must have (…a white front light and red rear lights that must be lit at night. A bike is also required to have reflectors…) [Rule 60]

So gripe one; but this is not the end, because obviously there is this continuous unnatural hazard being caused to motorist and pedestrians when cyclists come up on the inside of motorists sat at lights and then cut across them, and then with pedestrians, the cyclists come flying down the footpath, no bell, no lights – a silent menace to everyone.

But pedestrians are equally irresponsible because the go out in the dark without anything white or bright and then complain when motorist says they couldn’t see them.

Over the last few years, there has been a campaign to get motorcar drivers to pay attention for motorcyclists and also to not drive in the blind spot of vans and lorries,  something which I commend and have not a problem with.

However, I now feel that the level of respect for the highway code and for recognising that our roads and footpaths are becoming very congested (more so that they everywhere) means that local government and the police need to re-evaluate their current strategies on road safety and target cyclists and pedestrians as well.

Bring back suitable campaigns, even some of the older ones –

LET’S ALL WEAR SOMETHING BRIGHT AT NIGHT

 

and be thoughtful to our fellow road and pavement users.

 

 

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Course 2 – Day Six: Landscape — Crop Your Image

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In today’s challenge, which I am a little behind in doing (ugh!) I was to walk in the footsteps of masters like Ansel Adams and focus on landscape photography.

Landscapes generally focus on wide, vast depictions of nature and all of its elements, from formations to weather. In this genre of photography, you won’t find much of a human presence: nature itself is the subject. A focus on nature isn’t mandatory, however — you can also capture a sweeping panorama of a city.

Landscape

Today, I was to take a picture of a landscape. Focus on the gestalt — the entire setting as a whole, like the shot above of the English countryside in Kent — rather than a specific subject or focal point within the scene. The setting itself is the star.

Oliva, is a small Spanish town with beaches and a seaport close by, but it does not have what you might call spectacular scenery on the doorstep; so when I was looking at this challenge I tried a number of different shots and subjects to try and match the challenge, and this is my selection:

My final selection came up with the diversity that the town has to offer if you go hunting for it, but, it takes time and patience – it is not always obvious where your journey is going to take you, but it is worthwhile and usually productive.

However for the challenge I had to choose one, and this is my choice,

Landscape of road bisecting orange grove trees

Road in the distance

I would have loved to choose the either of my two photographs for the Old Quarter, but they are not landscape – but this I believe has merit.  It reflects the farming background of Oliva, its rich history in producing oranges and all the off-shoots from oranges; but what it doesn’t reflect is the fact that prices for oranges have been driven down through the ground, and that the younger people do not want to work on the land for peanuts.

#developingyoureye #Oliva #Orangegrove #Oldtown