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Family of cyclist killed when taxi passenger opened door launch safety campaign

Sam Boulton's family want 'Sam Says' stickers on doors of every taxi in Leicester and also urge government to act...

The family of Sam Boulton, the cyclist killed in Leicester two years ago when a taxi passenger opened a door as he rode by, are calling for ‘Sam Says’ stickers, which warn people to look out for bike riders, to be put on the inside of doors in every taxi in the city.

The campaign, which is supported by the charity Cycling UK, is also calling for the Dutch Reach technique of opening car doors to be incorporated within the driving test and the Highway Code.

Sam, an artist and graphics teacher was riding past the East Midlands city’s railway station in 2016 when the taxi passenger opened the door, causing him to fall of his bike and into the path of a van with fatal consequences.

> Leicester taxi driver loses appeal against conviction in Sam Boulton dooring death case

His father, Jeff, has produced a video with the help of Cycling UK about the Dutch Reach,.

 He said: “Losing Sam has been heart-breaking for the whole family, but the fact that his death was due to entirely avoidable behaviour is particularly painful.

“People need to be aware of the life-threatening dangers of opening their car doors onto the road without carefully checking for cyclists first.

“The ‘Sam Says’ campaign will serve as a reminder of the dangers and potential human cost of car-dooring and the simple techniques that we can all learn to prevent it from happening.”

Stickers have been produced with the wording ‘Stop! Before you open the car door check for cyclists’, and Jeff continued: “Ultimately, we’d like to see these in taxis, fleet vehicles and family cars across the city as a reminder to drivers and passengers to take care when opening their doors.

“It’s a gentle way of urging people to change their habits until the government decides to make this a formal part of driver training.”

Two of the biggest cab firms in Leicester have already backed the initiative.

Tracey Whitehead, director of Swift cabs, said: “The ‘Sam Says’ campaign has our full support. With the number of cyclists on the road increasing each year, it’s vital that car-dooring is highlighted as a serious danger.

“The ‘Sam Says’ stickers will be displayed in all our cars and we hope that further tragedies are prevented thanks to this powerful campaign.”

David Hunter, managing director of ADT Taxis, added: “ADT Taxis are pleased to supporting the campaign to create awareness of car-dooring.

“We are delighted to join our friends at Swift Fox Cabs as members of the local taxi trade, to spread the word amongst not just our drivers and customers, but to the community at large.”

Duncan Dollimore, head of advocacy and campaigns at Cycling UK, commented: “We applaud Sam’s family for their strength in campaigning to raise awareness of the dangers of car-dooring.

“Sam’s tragic death should act as a reminder for all drivers about their responsibility to ensure passengers do not cause harm to others when exiting a vehicle. Car-dooring is completely avoidable and can kill.

“This is why Cycling UK is joining the families of those affected by car dooring to call on the government to improve driver education and introduce a new offence of causing or permitting serious injury or death by car dooring backed by tougher penalties.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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6 comments

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roadmanshaq | 5 years ago
1 like

It doesn't matter if most people are sensible and check mirrors before opening - cyclists ride past hundreds of parked cars a day, eventually one of them will have a numbskull who doesn't look. So the only precaution is for us to TAKE THE LANE AND GIVE SAFE CLEARANCE to opening doors and passengers/drivers stepping out. 

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to roadmanshaq | 5 years ago
1 like

roadmanshaq wrote:

It doesn't matter if most people are sensible and check mirrors before opening - cyclists ride past hundreds of parked cars a day, eventually one of them will have a numbskull who doesn't look. So the only precaution is for us to TAKE THE LANE AND GIVE SAFE CLEARANCE to opening doors and passengers/drivers stepping out. 

Problem being as with all other measures, you're again asking/forcing the vulnerable to change their behaviour instead of those posing the risk of harm. Yes riding wide does resolve that problem but it comes at a cost elsewhere too, for every dooring how many times have people being admonished and even had 'relaiatory' actions taken on them for doing so?

Also you fail to recognise that particularly in areas where there are parked cars or people exiting vehicles in stationary traffic it can be extremely intimidating to cycle in primary. This is not a natural position, not for a very, very long time have people on bikes being able to freely and without thought being able to ride in the 'middle of the road' without much thought, fear of reprimand or fear of being killed.

It's all well and good saying ride in primary but it really isn't as easy as that because primal fear takes over for a lot of people even if the statistics prove that it's safer overall.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
0 likes

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

roadmanshaq wrote:

It doesn't matter if most people are sensible and check mirrors before opening - cyclists ride past hundreds of parked cars a day, eventually one of them will have a numbskull who doesn't look. So the only precaution is for us to TAKE THE LANE AND GIVE SAFE CLEARANCE to opening doors and passengers/drivers stepping out. 

Problem being as with all other measures, you're again asking/forcing the vulnerable to change their behaviour instead of those posing the risk of harm. Yes riding wide does resolve that problem but it comes at a cost elsewhere too, for every dooring how many times have people being admonished and even had 'relaiatory' actions taken on them for doing so?

Also you fail to recognise that particularly in areas where there are parked cars or people exiting vehicles in stationary traffic it can be extremely intimidating to cycle in primary. This is not a natural position, not for a very, very long time have people on bikes being able to freely and without thought being able to ride in the 'middle of the road' without much thought, fear of reprimand or fear of being killed.

It's all well and good saying ride in primary but it really isn't as easy as that because primal fear takes over for a lot of people even if the statistics prove that it's safer overall.

There's also the problem of filtering in traffic and having someone in a stationery vehicle open a door straight in your path.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
0 likes

Simply make someone's death the offence of manslaughter as it should be, GBH/ABH assault accordingly and use the MUST check your mirror before opening a door, MUST for changing lanes/turning, MUST ensure lanes are clear before turning and so and so forth.
Removal of pathetic motoring prosecutions where people are harmed/in fear of their lives is one way to help reduce (it won't ever eradicate) these criminal offences.

That and police taking these offences by motorists seriously at the lower level beause it's ignorance of that which ends up being part of the culture of 'I'll do what the fuck I like' in motoring circles.

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bobbypuk | 5 years ago
0 likes

I was in Toronto recently and all the taxis had mirrors on the B pillar and a little sticker reminding people to check. Seemed like a very simple solution to the problem. I was so impressed I even took a little photo at the time but technology prevents em from posting it so here's a link:

http://www.cachimirror.com/

 

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
0 likes

Excellent idea, but I don't like the image of Sam - it looks like they've made him into a cartoon character.

I wonder if it'd be worth having a nationwide public information campaign on not 'dooring' people though I have no idea on how many KSIs are due to it.

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