Give Cyclists Space Facebook group...Please support :)

litwardle
litwardle Posts: 259
edited January 2011 in Commuting chat
Hi All,

I have started a Facebook group entitled "give cyclists space". I'm sick of drivers trying to kill me so I thought I'd start this group! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119499004746860

Hopefully I can get loads of members and raise awareness. Members also means press so I'll send a press release out to various news sources should the membership go well.

Regards

Lee
Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
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Comments

  • The Chingford Skinhead
    The Chingford Skinhead Posts: 718
    Just joined :)
    Pain is only weakness leaving the body
  • litwardle
    litwardle Posts: 259
    Upto 35 members in only 5 hours. Keep em coming! Once we have enough membrs we'll go to press!
    Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
  • gaz545
    gaz545 Posts: 493
    joined.
    Silly Cyclists!
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  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Cracking idea, We rode 28 miles for charity yesterday and there were two incidents that nearly ended badly. A landrover forced one of our guys on a road bike off the road whilst laughing (didn't get reg () and a rover 45 came towards me on a singletrack road doing 30mphish and missed my bars by 3" causing me to have an involuntary bout of tourettes.

    I can design some form of logo if you want?
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • Bassjunkieuk
    Bassjunkieuk Posts: 4,232
    Joined up, also fired off a message to the 734 member of "The Game" group asking them to throw their support behind it :-)
    Who's the daddy?
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  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,404
    Would be good to get some motorists signed up though wouldn't it. All our other halves who don't cycle (but presumably would like us to hang around a bit longer) for example.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
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  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    Just joined as well.

    Almost got squashed between a No 10 bus and a parked coach yesterday. Sadly no camera yesterday to capture it
  • spannerchucker
    spannerchucker Posts: 55
    My girlfriend and I have just joined too. We live in Spain but have exactly the same problems on a daily basis and we're mountain bikers! Just riding a few hundred metres to the trail is a major trauma here. The drivers have no respect whatsoever for cyclists and even less if they realise the cyclist is female, but they never want to stop and 'chat' about it when I 'invite' them to! Anyway, great idea and hope it raised awareness in the UK and elsewhere.
    Jamis Dakota Sport
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  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    Joined and invited all cycling friends to do so.

    I ride mainly on country lanes where if a car decided to not pull out they are doing 60 mph so i would go squish :shock:
    FCN 3/5/9
  • joebatz
    joebatz Posts: 32
    Joined this morning :lol:
  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    DaveHudson wrote:
    I can design some form of logo if you want?
    Do it! We'll get jerseys made...
    4537512329_a78cc710e6_o.gif4537512331_ec1ef42fea_o.gif
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    How about a slogan of:

    "Cycling home to my children"
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
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  • glauciaregina9
    glauciaregina9 Posts: 259
    The logo idea reminded me of a tag line I read years ago, possibly on a t-shirt actually:


    Ride Like You're Invisible

    Assume all Motorists are Idiots
    (not difficult is it)


    Of course, it wouldn't help the cause to blatantly label all motorists as idiots...
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  • MadammeMarie
    MadammeMarie Posts: 621
    Can't access Facebook at work, so I'll join this evening.
  • TommyEss
    TommyEss Posts: 1,855
    spannerchucker wrote:
    My girlfriend and I have just joined too. We live in Spain but have exactly the same problems on a daily basis and we're mountain bikers! Just riding a few hundred metres to the trail is a major trauma here. The drivers have no respect whatsoever for cyclists and even less if they realise the cyclist is female, but they never want to stop and 'chat' about it when I 'invite' them to! Anyway, great idea and hope it raised awareness in the UK and elsewhere.

    Slightly OT - but did not experience this at all in Almeria - perhaps you should move?! :P
    Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...
  • spannerchucker
    spannerchucker Posts: 55
    TommyEss wrote:
    spannerchucker wrote:
    My girlfriend and I have just joined too. We live in Spain but have exactly the same problems on a daily basis and we're mountain bikers! Just riding a few hundred metres to the trail is a major trauma here. The drivers have no respect whatsoever for cyclists and even less if they realise the cyclist is female, but they never want to stop and 'chat' about it when I 'invite' them to! Anyway, great idea and hope it raised awareness in the UK and elsewhere.

    Slightly OT - but did not experience this at all in Almeria - perhaps you should move?! :P

    you were very lucky in Almeria - I hope you continue to be, It's difficult to move , I work here.
    Jamis Dakota Sport
    Fuel EX 8
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    I applaud the efforts of the OP to try to do something, but seriously, what do these Facebook groups actually achieve? They'll eventually attract the attention of the idiots who will use it as a way to wind cyclists up.
  • jonny_trousers
    jonny_trousers Posts: 3,588
    dodgy wrote:
    I applaud the efforts of the OP to try to do something, but seriously, what do these Facebook groups actually achieve? They'll eventually attract the attention of the idiots who will use it as a way to wind cyclists up.

    Agreed!
  • litwardle
    litwardle Posts: 259
    Hi all,

    many thanks for the joins and indeed the messages on here! Be great to have some kind of logo! Thank you!

    The point of the group isn't to "have a group" it's to prove a need. It's been going for 3 days and we have nearly 1000 members. That's newsworthy. I'm using it as a "stepping stone" to kick start a campaign. To make it newsworthy though we need 1000's of members. There is weight behind it then.

    I've seen releases to the beeb, the Sun, Cycling Weekly, itv news and a few other places. So far it's just my local paper that are running a story next week. It's a startthough and I can always use that article to further promp the rest. Suprised at the lack of reply from cycling weekly though.

    Lee
    Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
  • jonny_trousers
    jonny_trousers Posts: 3,588
    Well as a spring board for a larger campaign I think it is an excellent idea and good on you for putting in the time and effort. Joined!
  • El Diego
    El Diego Posts: 440
    There's a website called www.fightbaddriving.co.uk, which you might be able to link with to get more support.
  • litwardle
    litwardle Posts: 259
    Thank you for the kind comments, and thank you for the link!

    Regards

    Lee
    Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Sorry had a busy couple of days at work but have a few little ideas scheming away in my brain.

    I'll drop you a PM in a minute with one that I think could be effective.
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • litwardle
    litwardle Posts: 259
    Aha! Great. All ideas and feedback welcomed as I don't really know where to go from here! Need to do a bit more web-networking and cross linking too.

    Lee
    Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
  • litwardle
    litwardle Posts: 259
    http://forums.cyclingweekly.co.uk/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=93042&page=0&vc=&PHPSESSID=#Post93042
    Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    He's got a point about the Cheryl Cole sausage roll thing :lol:
  • litwardle
    litwardle Posts: 259
    ha ha yeah, thats the trouble with facebook. Of course it's also exluding non-FB members too. I'm working on a website as we speak.

    Tis was a brief moment of "oh, that might be an idea" to start the facebook group. It wasn't after a long concidered thought process or anything. It might turn into nothing. I've already had a long meeting with our local paper (North Devon Journal) and photo's taken so If it reaches a few thousand non-cyclist drivers and just one of them gives a rider a bit more thought then for me I'm happy!
    There is no plan, no campaign. However DaveHudson is working on a logo as we speak, then I can look at building a web-site. Hopefully I get get some online cycle retailers involved with a bit of sponsorship to fund a site. Halfords would be a great partner for the obvious cycle/driver crosso-over. Once there is an online presence I can speak to someone like Foska to produce a jersey with the logo etc. (similar to the road tax one).

    It's an issue that affects us all so the more positive input I get from people like Dave the more likely it will be to do some good.

    Lee
    Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
  • litwardle
    litwardle Posts: 259
    104 members away from 1000! If you havn't taken a look yet then please do:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119499004746860

    Once I get a smart logo sorted would anyone wear a Give Cyclists Space Jersey?

    Lee
    Chubbs Cycle Challenge! 3 Chubbs, 3 bikes, 1000 miles for S.U.D.E.P. Action
  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Still working on it Lee, Don't worry I haven't forgotten :D

    I have a specific design I'm looking for for one part but can I find it..... Nope! I think I have found another image that will work too. I'm trying to avoid creating a vector image of that part as it takes hours to do and as I'm doing it at work it's tricky.

    I'll get in early tomorrow so those pesky cutomers won't interrupt.

    I'm up for a couple of jerseys too, What about hi-vis Hump style backpack covers for those of us that need to carry stuff to work?
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1
  • DaveHudson
    DaveHudson Posts: 290
    Just updated my status to

    "If you do any cycling, Even a couple of miles to the shops, Please join this group. I have covered over 350 miles in the last month and the way drivers treat cyclists is disgusting. I too pay road tax (2 cars, both fully legal) so why do I feel at risk for every bloody mile!

    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119499004746860"

    Be interesting to see how many of my friends join after reading that, I know a fair few have joined already.
    2011 Cannondale Flash F1

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