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Trainees and instructors on Manchester roadProfessional drivers to experience what it’s like to be a cyclist on city roads
The UK’s leading cycle training and development company, BikeRight!, has launched two new courses which will give professional drivers practical experience of cycling on city roads. The aim is to equip them with the skills they need to drive safely on multi-use roads
Established in 2003, BikeRight! run a range of cycling training courses for children and adults at test centres in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The firm has recently introduced two new courses which are geared towards improving professional drivers’ awareness of cyclists. The safe urban driving course is designed for large goods vehicle (LGV) and passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) drivers, while the 2WheelsAware is for those whose jobs involve driving smaller vehicles, such as delivery drivers and taxi drivers.
While the full day courses have several components, including hazard recognition and use of mirrors, it also includes practical experience of cycling. It is hoped that by having professional drivers spend time seeing the roads from a different perspective in the company of qualified National Standards cycling instructors they will gain an understanding of how to better accommodate cyclists while driving.
Course instructor, Colin Unsworth, commented:
“These courses provide a unique insight into the behaviour of vulnerable road users and complement BikeRight!s portfolio of cyclist training courses that we have successfully run for over 10 years.
“This full-day CPC course offers the opportunity to gain practical experience of cycling on the roads accompanied by BikeRight! qualified instructors. This helps trainees to define who vulnerable road users are when assessing risk and to raise awareness of cyclists and how to assess a situation to reduce risk.”
Thanks to a partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester, there is funding available which means the courses for LGV and PCV drivers are free for organisations in the area.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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11 comments
So when are all the dumb people on bikes going to get to experience how difficult it is to drive an HGV or PSV in city traffic?
Its not 'cyclists' that are the problem, its 'people on bikes' if you get my meaning - anyone who looks serious about cycling I find is usually both courteous and confident in their actions, its the people who just happen to be riding a bike you need to watch out for!
I'm a bus driver who commutes to work by bike so I guess i get both ends of the stick!
This course has already been running for two years in London with over 11000 drivers trained by professional cycling instructors. Funded by TfL it's free for drivers and counts towards the 35 hours of professional development every driver in the EU must complete every 5 years to keep their licence, known as Driver CPC.
The aim is behaviour change and for drivers to experience life as a cyclist on the roads of London.
Speak to the guys from CTUK and Cycle Confident who are flat out delivering the courses and seeing first hand the changes in attitude and awareness of Lorry drivers towards cyclists and other Vulnerable road users.
I assume Bike Right are looking to achieve the same in Manchester.
A bloody good use of taxpayers money if you ask me.
Boss - I've signed the company up for this 'cycle thingy' as it will be good brownie points for us. Anyone who wants to take part gets paid.
Worker - Paid day off from work and all I have to do is ride a bicycle!
Week after ride (or less) goes back to driving as usual
"The UK’s leading cycle training and development company..."
This is an advertisement, just doesn't say so at the top.
There are plenty of other similar organisations some of whom have been running cycle training for drivers for a while and have been offering cycle training for cyclists for much longer (e.g. CTUK).
http://www.rsct.org.uk/health_and_education/ITO%20Update%20-%20Bikeabili...
Great that another organisation is offering them as well though, the more the better.
"The UK’s leading cycle training and development company..."
This is an advertisement, just doesn't say so at the top.
There are plenty of other similar organisations some of whom have been running cycle training for drivers for a while and have been offering cycle training for cyclists for much longer (e.g. CTUK).
http://www.rsct.org.uk/health_and_education/ITO%20Update%20-%20Bikeabili...
Great that another organisation is offering them as well though, the more the better.
So when is this going to become part of the driving test?
I always considered my self a good and safe driver, clean licence for 30+ years. Getting back into cycling seven years ago changed my perspective and did more to improve my driving than anything. In my opinion all drivers should have to undergo a programme like this.
I've always thought that the route to learning to drive (unless a physical disability prevents) should be 1 year riding a bike 1 year riding moped / motorbike, then car driving, too many drivers go from sitting in the comfort of there house with some music on, nice and warm, to sitting in a car in comfort with some music on, nice and warm. They never experience what the feel of speed is actually like, i guarantee take them out on a motorbike at 40/50mph and i think they would be a little suprised to say the least.
I can only hope the course is sufficiently road based in and around towns at rush hour so they can experience the generous nature of drivers.
"This helps trainees to define who vulnerable road users are"...
Wouldn't think that's hard, it's everyone without an armoured cage around them?
On the other hand, if they're actually taking drivers out on bikes, in real traffic, this can only be good.
They're going to clip them with wing mirrors and pull out in front of them then?