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Traffic monitoring group slammed after telling cyclists not to ride at nightsouth_wales_avoid_riding_at_night_screenshot.PNG

Traffic monitoring group slammed after telling cyclists not to ride at night

The hastily deleted post was called 'obscene' with people pointing out commuters can't always choose when they ride; SWT now say the tweet was sent in error...
by Will Bolton
Sun, May 23, 2021 10:11
41

Traffic Wales South faced a furious backlash after advising riders 'not to ride at night'* for their own safety. 

The organisation is the Welsh Government's traffic information service for the motorway and major road network.

Earlier this week they posted an image on social media giving 'five safe tips for being a bicyclist'.

Controversially, it included the advice: "Avoid riding at night".

This sparked an immediate backlash with people expressing their disgust at the apparent 'victim blaming'.

Shortly after, Traffic Wales South deleted the image.

> 6 tips for cycling at night - don't let the dark stop you riding

One man, Richard Lake, commented: "'Avoid riding at night....' that's plain discrimination right there...

"Folk who commute to work do not have that choice at some workplaces. Victim blaming yet again."

Another person described the advice, which also suggested people 'avoid road hazards' as 'obscene'. 

Traffic Wales South has not responded to a request for comment. 

* Update, Monday 24th May: As covered on our live blog, Traffic Wales South has now responded to road.cc, saying: "We intended to convey the message "please avoid riding at night without lights” - this tweet was sent out in error. We have since apologised for the error and have removed the tweet so that it is not shared out of context. We want to encourage everyone to travel on our network safely by sharing traffic information and safety advice which is useful to all road users."

Wales
Traffic Wales

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40 comments

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hawkinspeter replied to David9694 | 3 years ago
1 like

David9694 wrote:

To be fair, the advice to drivers is pretty decent, although what happened to point 6 - I think we should be told. 

I think point 6 was to sacrifice other road users to your deity of choice.

Avatar
GMBasix replied to David9694 | 3 years ago
3 likes

Seems OK, but then we stumble across the passive attribution - in more subtle form, this time - that causes "cars to collide with cyclists" or "cars travelling along a road" (all of their own accord, of course).

In this instance, under "8. Be patient...":

"If you’re stuck behind a slow vehicle or a cyclist it can be very frustrating"

Should read:

"If you’re stuck behind a slow vehicle or a cyclist don't allow yourself to become very frustrated"

Agency is everything.  Frustration is not an external constraint, it's an emotional response to an external constraint.  Let's communicate in a way that tells motorists to be in control of their emotions, because our emotions influence how we drive.  (Cyclists too, but, you know, we don't generally kill people!)

Avatar
David9694 | 3 years ago
9 likes

never on a Sunday, right, lads? 

4 pm winter curfew, is it?

my other tips to you to not to be a stupid car centric victim blamer: 

stop with the bike helmets advice - if I die, it will be because a driver wasn't doing their job properly not because no helmet 

lights at night are a very good idea and there are so many bright and cheap  so make some suggestions about that

Get out on a bike yourself once in a while and see how your "advice" then feels; beyond a few basic safety tips, your main topics will be drivers, driver, and drivers.   

 

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
17 likes

Some extra tips:

  • Ensure that drivers behind you are paying attention and aren't listening to music
  • Only cycle where there aren't any cars or lorries
  • If a car is behind you, carefully dismount and doff your cap as you allow them to speed past you
Avatar
Dave Dave replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
0 likes

"Only cycle where there aren't any cars or lorries"

You say that like it's outlandish rather than an excellent general approach. But who doesn't prefer riding in such places? We all know that's much safer where it's an option.

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Zebulebu replied to Dave Dave | 3 years ago
9 likes

Shut up now Dave, there's a good chap.

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hawkinspeter replied to Dave Dave | 3 years ago
9 likes

Dave Dave wrote:

"Only cycle where there aren't any cars or lorries"

You say that like it's outlandish rather than an excellent general approach. But who doesn't prefer riding in such places? We all know that's much safer where it's an option.

It's almost exactly like telling women to avoid going out at night or wearing skirts etc to avoid being attacked by men.

Avatar
Dave Dave replied to hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Dave Dave wrote:

"Only cycle where there aren't any cars or lorries"

You say that like it's outlandish rather than an excellent general approach. But who doesn't prefer riding in such places? We all know that's much safer where it's an option.

It's almost exactly like telling women to avoid going out at night or wearing skirts etc to avoid being attacked by men.

You sound a bit rapey. It's completely different.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Dave Dave | 3 years ago
7 likes

Dave Dave wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

Dave Dave wrote:

"Only cycle where there aren't any cars or lorries"

You say that like it's outlandish rather than an excellent general approach. But who doesn't prefer riding in such places? We all know that's much safer where it's an option.

It's almost exactly like telling women to avoid going out at night or wearing skirts etc to avoid being attacked by men.

You sound a bit rapey. It's completely different.

Precisely how is it different?

One is a piece of advice to caution people against going about their legal business due to the criminal behaviour of others (i.e. victim blaming) and the other one is...?

Actually, I don't care for your opinions so I think I'll add you to my troll block list.

Avatar
espressodan | 3 years ago
10 likes

Just ill-considered 'advice' that was probably put together by somebody who doesn't actually ride a bike in a worthless social media post, like so many others.

Apart from the ridiculous final point, the first is debatable and the middle three are just "how to ride a bike", I don't think any cyclist would make it far without them.

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