Think road safety ad criticised for blaming cyclist in violent HGV collision
UK government initiative Think, tasked with raising awareness of road safety issues, has come under fire from cyclists angered by a new ad that has been accused of wrongly blaming a cyclist for a collision with an HGV – in addition to making light of the incident.
Think
The group, funded by the department of transport, debuted a graphic ad on Monday (26 September) designed to show the dangers of cyclist collisions with HGVs. It commences with hard-hitting visual metaphors depicting the collisions.
Cyclists: Don’t get caught between a lorry and a left hand turn. Watch and share our new #THINK! cycle safety ad. pic.twitter.com/AG3hqVeXjN
— THINK! road safety (@THINKgovuk) September 26, 2016
The 46-second slot shows a cyclist overtaken and trampled by a lorry taking a sharp left turn at speed. Crumpled on the floor, the cyclist somehow receives the blame for the incident despite, what appears to be a breach of the highway code from the HGV that attempts an overtake when approaching a junction.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine and Cycling UK were among those critical of the slot.
Truck overtakes cyclist and turns left across him, and this awful road safety advert blames the cyclist. https://t.co/d5lrI6hQg0
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) September 26, 2016
V disappointing ad. Expressed concern to @transportgovuk on this message in development. Keen to work w/ them on better campaign @roadsafety
— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) September 26, 2016
Here’s the reaction to the video.
@THINKgovuk desperately misguided campaign that a) tries to make death fun b) vulnerable road user responsible for vehicle not fit for road
— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) September 26, 2016
@THINKgovuk Appalling. You need to remove this today and apologise.
— Chris T-T (@christt) September 26, 2016
.@THINKgovuk video CLEARLY shows HGV driver overtaking cyclist just before turning left, contrary to HC167 @ASA_UK pic.twitter.com/ybcuuHUzfn
— New Forest Cyclist (@forestcyclist) September 26, 2016
.@THINKgovuk oh please do sod off. There's nothing a cyclist can do about a lorry that overtake him/her and then turns left.
— Parimal Kumar (@parimalkumar) September 26, 2016
@THINKgovuk - no, no, no. Overtaker's duty of care. This is victim-blaming. 'Think' yourselves & do better please.
— Talis Kimberley-F (@taliskimberley) September 26, 2016
Please, @THINKgovuk, do not spend our taxes absolving lorry drivers of illegal "left hooks". The law required *lorry driver* to "hang back".
— (@SpacePootler) September 26, 2016
.@THINKgovuk seriously, your add shows an overtaking vehicle turning into the space a cyclist is in AND YOU BLAME THE Cyclist.
— Cab Davidson (@gnomeicide) September 26, 2016
The Drum has contacted Think for a statement regarding the ongoing criticism.