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news
The AA Cyclist's Highway Code coverCarlton Reid defends AA’s Cyclist’s Highway Code
Earlier this week, the AA launched the Cyclist’s Highway Code. British Cycling policy advisor Chris Boardman welcomed the publication saying it should encourage new cyclists and help parents get children into cycling – but others have been less impressed.
BikeBiz executive editor Carlton Reid provided the foreword for the book and yesterday found himself fielding a number of questions on Twitter. A large proportion centred on whether the Automobile Association has any place producing books about cycling.
Reid believes that overall cycling will benefit from the AA’s reach and reputation and he was also keen to highlight the cycling credentials of the AA president, Edmund King.
“The AA is a trusted brand, with motorists and non-motorists alike. Its publishing arm already publishes cycling guidebooks, and has done since the 1990s. Edmund King, the organisation’s president, dots around London on a Brompton and rides a Whyte MTB at the weekend. And with four million members it has a huge reach. Cycling organisations are tiny in comparison.”
He also defended the publication’s content which he says hasn’t been written in the assumption that cyclists are more likely to be law-breakers.
“The AA promoting cycling is a positive. And the AA Cyclist’s Highway Code is promoting cycling. It’s got lots of “how to” beginner stuff in it as well as basic maintenance tips, and many pages of Bikeability information. The book isn’t “victim blaming” or singling out cyclists as law-breakers. Those who actually go take a look at it will see it’s pushing cycling for both transport and leisure. And that’s why I got involved.”
Launching the book earlier this week, King was keen to emphasise that cyclists and drivers are often the same people and said that he hoped it would encourage more people to take up cycling.
“As a keen cyclist and father of three cycling children, I would urge you to check out this book. Today more than one fifth of AA members regularly cycle and this guide will encourage a new generation to join them.”
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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14 comments
I see that Bez has now put his thoughts on this book up, at beyond the kerb
"The AA is a trusted brand"
Trusted to campaign for more roads, looser laws, poor enforcement of those laws and generally to encourage driving. Then attempt to look like a good thing with this pathetic PR stunt.
I can see that it could contain useful information but I expect it to include guidance on wearing helmets and reflectives which, as we all know, are much debated as to their usefulness...
Perhaps they should instead stuff it into their motorist oriented publications to subtly increase their knowledge?
I said "Seems to be aimed at (driving) parents of non-driving potentially cycling children". Carton said "Good description".
https://twitter.com/alanrmb/status/739812600620437504
Which doesn't necessarily make it worthwhile, but having the maintenance and Bikeability bits does make more sense than "motoring organisation publishes cut down version of something all motorists should have read already anyway and which costs less (or is available online for free)", which is the impression the title and some of the launch gave.
except why on earth would parents who DRIVE, and well of course children dont drive!?, then BUY a book called "Cyclists' Highway Code", do vegetarians buy meat only cook books, to learn how to cook steak ?
people are riled about this book, because it makes it sound like the existing Highway code, the one everyone had to read and understand to pass their driving test which presumably covers 100% of the AA membership but who knows, doesnt include anything about cycling already, as why else promote a completely separate book about it, is the AA planning to do a horse riding edition, pedestrian edition just in case the AA president has another "it makes you think" moment.
and that then chimes with the fervent anti cycling rhetoric that many of the worst motorists assume that cyclists dont follow the highway code and there are no rules for cyclists.
so rather than easying the tribal nonsense and promoting cycling as was its claimed aim, it actually just exacerbates the whole thing, now in the mind of some motorists theres a separate highway code for cyclists, which even has the subheading "Essential rules for the road", and if the AA says so and published a book about it all to remind those pesky cyclists about it,it must all be true.
the AA shop doesnt sell a single car maintenance guide.I wonder why if they are such grand ideas to tack on to their publications.
I'd have thought "do meat-eaters buy vegetarian cookbooks" was a better comparison. And yes, some of them do.
Nah that's terrible.
Virtually all meat eaters eat vegetables, very few drivers are also cyclists.
Sales figures for this book will be interesting.
Yet oddly, it's not aimed at cyclists, it's intended for drivers. At least that's what Carlton tweeted yesterday.
He wasn't just "fielding questions" on twitter, he was actvely going looking for dissent and inserting himself into conversations about it.
Screen-shots or it didn't happen.
I'll come back to this later. You saw a conversation between myself (oddly enough, my twitter handle is the same as my nusername on here) and Bez and replied. Then other people saw you wwre replying and my mentions went into meltdown, so thanks for that.
In fact here you go
If the argument is only about whether the AA should have written it or someone 'more appropriate' should have then my basic response is that they have had nearly 200 years to get in first and they should have done it rather than bitch about it after the fact.
And they have. There must be several hundred similar books, leaflets and downloads which do pretty much the same thing, some going back fifty years and more. The only new thing about this publication is plagiarising the name from the Highway Code, which can only introduce confusion with the public.