Comments on: StreetFilms: LOOKing to Make Cycling Safer in NYC http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:40:14 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Angus Greive-Smith http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/comment-page-1/#comment-38729 Angus Greive-Smith Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:49:01 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/#comment-38729 I really wanted to like this ad campaign. But the ad I saw was almost incoherent. It showed a bike lane on the <i>right hand side</i> of Lafayette Street a block south of Astor Place. The bike lane was striped over a car that appeared to be turning <i>southbound</i> onto Lafayette, going the wrong way. I agree with MKUltra and Aaron W that it's not sending a clear message to motorists. A really good ad campaign could make a big difference, which is why this one is so disappointing. I really wanted to like this ad campaign. But the ad I saw was almost incoherent. It showed a bike lane on the right hand side of Lafayette Street a block south of Astor Place. The bike lane was striped over a car that appeared to be turning southbound onto Lafayette, going the wrong way.

I agree with MKUltra and Aaron W that it's not sending a clear message to motorists. A really good ad campaign could make a big difference, which is why this one is so disappointing.

]]> By: Aaron W http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/comment-page-1/#comment-38727 Aaron W Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:36:36 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/#comment-38727 I've now seen the ads on bus shelters along my morning ride from 218th to Central Park. They are clearly visible to me, but I'm not sure they are to cars. Hard to tell. I think this campaign is only a small part of what needs to be done to improve cycling. The ads, in spite of the "crashes" depicted, have a joke like quality to them which I think devalues the message. The use of bike lanes in the ads may give the impression that bike lanes are where bikes belong and not in streets without lanes. I wonder if a better use of this money and effort would have been education and lobbying of the authorities who train drivers, employ drivers and enforce driving and parking regulations. Or more of that. I've now seen the ads on bus shelters along my morning ride from 218th to Central Park. They are clearly visible to me, but I'm not sure they are to cars. Hard to tell.

I think this campaign is only a small part of what needs to be done to improve cycling. The ads, in spite of the "crashes" depicted, have a joke like quality to them which I think devalues the message.

The use of bike lanes in the ads may give the impression that bike lanes are where bikes belong and not in streets without lanes.

I wonder if a better use of this money and effort would have been education and lobbying of the authorities who train drivers, employ drivers and enforce driving and parking regulations. Or more of that.

]]> By: mkultra http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/comment-page-1/#comment-37681 mkultra Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:33:35 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/#comment-37681 I agree that this appears to be telling bikers to look out more than motorists. I agree that this appears to be telling bikers to look out more than motorists.

]]> By: steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/comment-page-1/#comment-37647 steve Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:12:20 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/09/27/streetfilms-looking-to-make-cycling-safer-in-nyc/#comment-37647 The campaign and the video are wonderful. But the message is a bit subtle. Maybe I'm wrong, but it strikes me as possible that delivery van driver who doesn't know or care about bike lanes might give the image in the post a cursory glance and interpret it as endorsing the illegal parking job and warning bicyclists to "look" out for this kind of parking. I guess when you go for hip and clever you run the risk of not reaching everyone. The campaign and the video are wonderful. But the message is a bit subtle. Maybe I'm wrong, but it strikes me as possible that delivery van driver who doesn't know or care about bike lanes might give the image in the post a cursory glance and interpret it as endorsing the illegal parking job and warning bicyclists to "look" out for this kind of parking. I guess when you go for hip and clever you run the risk of not reaching everyone.

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