Six cyclists have died on London’s roads in less than two weeks.  Several others have been seriously injured.

A horrifying thought for cyclists and non-cyclists alike. And particularly thought-provoking for a rural cyclist like me who has had to make frequent cycle trips across London, visiting my child in hospital. I’m a sensible, careful, confident cyclist, but clearly just being  sensible, careful and confident is not enough. If  I were killed, who will look after her?

Every death on the road is the death of someone who was needed by someone, was responsible for someone, is missed by someone .

Three of these six tragic fatal collisions involved lorries, the rest coaches or buses. For years these large vehicles have posed a threat to cyclists and pedestrians completely disproportionate to their numbers – and both in and out of London. There are a number of factors likely responsible, but design of roads and lorries come right at the top. This video shows  the shocking extent of a lorry’s  blind spot.

The kneejerk reaction is to blame the cyclist. “You wouldn’t be in danger if you don’t ‘come up’ on the inside of a lorry.”  Right.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Unless the lorry ‘comes up’ on the outside of you, that is.

“You wouldn’t be in danger  …if you wear hi-viz  …have bright lights …stick to the rules of the road ..maintain your bike properly …cycle defensively… etc etc.”

No, my friends, this is not the case. You will be in danger if you don’t do these things –  but you are far from safe even though you do.

Boris Johnson’s latest bright idea is that safety can be achieved by a ban on cyclists with headphones. Another example of missing the point completely:  when I had a near-fatal encounter with an HGV, I wasn’t wearing headphones. But the HGV driver was.   Having failed to spot me – all neon yellow and glittering lights –  in front of him, he was unable to hear either my air-horn or my screams.   Banning  headphones will only add to safety  if the ban is all-embracing.

CTC’s view is far more balanced.   All it is asking is that Boris Johnson  should “apply the most fundamental principles of safety management to this dreadful situation as a matter of urgency. In other words, the danger must be designed out and reduced at source to stop more unnecessary deaths“.   CTC suggests this should be by:

• Re-designing and re-building major roads and junctions to optimise safety for cyclists and other road users, rather than optimising the motor traffic  flow;
•  Insisting hauliers operate vehicles of the most cycle-friendly design . Models  already on the market feature lower and more transparent cabs to give drivers a better, direct view of the road;
• Keeping lorries off the busiest roads at the busiest times.

Training and awareness activities – for lorry drivers, for cyclists, in fact for everyone –  would come next  says CTC and “their purpose should be to minimise whatever risks cannot be eliminated at source by the measures listed above“.

Here, I would counter Mr Johnson’s simplistic notion, with a reductio ad absurdam of my own.  Cycle safety on roads (whether city, town AND country) is not a matter of headphones, its a question of whether you’re plugged in to reality. And I would suggest that these days very few drivers are. The modern vehicle is built to give one a feeling of virtual travel – insulated against sound,  smell, atmosphere,  action, weather.  So to ensure people drive safely maybe we should be reintroducing these elements into their travel?  perhaps we should require vehicles that drive in rush hour to drive with their windows down? their roofs off? They could enjoy the vicarious experience of being a virtual cyclist.

From which it may be a simple step to getting out from behind the wheel altogether