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Ford’s ‘Share the Road’ campaign leaves cyclists unimpressed

Car manufacturer trying to encourage “a spirit of understanding”

It’s always tricky for a car manufacturer to pull off a cycle safety campaign and Ford doesn’t seem to have got off to a tremendous start with its Share the Road campaign.

Ford says it is trying “to encourage a spirit of understanding and respect between every road user, whether they’re travelling on four wheels or two.”

The launch featured, among other things, a virtual reality experience that allowed those drivers and cyclists who aren’t in the overlapping part of the Venn diagram to experience the roads from one other’s perspectives.

It’s called WheelSwap and Ford says it has been found to “breed empathy and defuse antagonism between cyclists and car drivers”.

However, the campaign’s central message – that if we all ‘Share The Road’ we can make every journey safer, whether on two wheels or four – has left many unimpressed.

The Guardian’s Peter Walker, tweeted:

He also took issue with some of the campaign material.

London Cycling Campaign’s Simon Munk added:

And he was particularly unimpressed by this element of the launch.

President and CEO of Ford Europe, Middle East and Africa, Steven Armstrong commented: “As someone who frequently travels on both two wheels and four wheels, I have experienced first‑hand many of the frustrations – and dangers – that drivers and cyclists encounter on our roads today. The safe integration of increasingly diverse modes of transportation is key to how we make our cities safer and easier for everyone to get about in, now and in the future.”

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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12 comments

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Simon E | 5 years ago
2 likes

Fluffy nonsense that will help nobody. Ford is merely trying to make themselves look good, nothing more.

Agree that the 'ghost bike' is in very poor taste. And the whole concept of swapping places, which could work if done well, also ignores the fact that 80% of cyclists are also drivers.

If Ford want to do something they could hold education days on a closed track for every Ford owner. Talk about reality, how every driver should behave (as if a policeman is sat next to you and that the cyclist/ped is your own child); show videos such as how to overtake by Chris Boardman & Blaine Walsh. They could also abandon the use of speed and motorsport in marketing their products. But they won't because they, like every other brand, really do not care.

Avatar
Hirsute | 5 years ago
3 likes

"Keep yourself out of harm's way. If you can touch you're way too close".

What does that even mean? That the cyclist should avoid being run over by a bus? http://road.cc/content/news/242464-near-miss-day-143-left-hook-london-bus

or that cyclists should ride on the pavement if they are about to suffer a close pass?

Avatar
brooksby replied to Hirsute | 5 years ago
1 like
hirsute wrote:

"Keep yourself out of harm's way. If you can touch you're way too close".

What does that even mean? That the cyclist should avoid being run over by a bus? http://road.cc/content/news/242464-near-miss-day-143-left-hook-london-bus

or that cyclists should ride on the pavement if they are about to suffer a close pass?

Neither: it’s  an argument for a transverse mounted three foot pole with a pointy diamond tip...

Avatar
burtthebike replied to brooksby | 5 years ago
0 likes
brooksby wrote:
hirsute wrote:

"Keep yourself out of harm's way. If you can touch you're way too close".

What does that even mean? That the cyclist should avoid being run over by a bus? http://road.cc/content/news/242464-near-miss-day-143-left-hook-london-bus

or that cyclists should ride on the pavement if they are about to suffer a close pass?

Neither: it’s  an argument for a transverse mounted three foot pole with a pointy diamond tip...

I see your point, but I think a Kalashnikov strapped to my back would be more effective.

Avatar
Mungecrundle replied to Hirsute | 5 years ago
4 likes
hirsute wrote:

"Keep yourself out of harm's way. If you can touch you're way too close".

What does that even mean? That the cyclist should avoid being run over by a bus? http://road.cc/content/news/242464-near-miss-day-143-left-hook-london-bus

or that cyclists should ride on the pavement if they are about to suffer a close pass?

 

I think it might be the equivalent of "Don't get on a crowded commuter train if you don't want to be groped."

Avatar
Housecathst | 5 years ago
3 likes

You’ve got to love that ford poster asking cyclists and motorists to put there phones away. No reference to the fact it’s agains the law to use a phone when in a motor vehicle.  Can’t offend motorists by singling them out can we. 

Avatar
ConcordeCX | 5 years ago
1 like

That ghost bike is in particularly poor taste. But next to the panel saying ‘every road user should have equal rights’ it puts me in mind of the quotation from Thackeray at the end of Kubrick’s film of Barry Lyndon:

“It was in the reign of George III that the aforesaid personages lived and quarreled; good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor they are all equal now”.

 

Avatar
Hirsute | 5 years ago
3 likes

The first video is telling me people are out to kill me but they will feel guilty when it happens.

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The _Kaner | 5 years ago
3 likes

The first 30 seconds of the video ends in the word 'conflict', up to that point all I saw was anger/violence aimed at cyclists and a fat bloke holding up a supercar.

and using the term 'miscommunication'  - again, that's not the case, a blatant disregard for cyclists (safety) by the majority of drivers is the main issue that needs addressing, not sitting around singing kumbaya, let's all get on with each other.

Once a motorist realises that all road users have the same rights to use that road, and that the penalties for disregarding other users rights, could end in driving privileges being withdrawn (of course the law has to back this up and stop handing out piddling wrist slaps)....

then maybe we can 'all get along'....

(BTW: I drive and cycle and walk)

 

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
4 likes

yet more responsibility deflection tactics to soften the image dressed up as we care about safety/safety of the vulnerable, do you fuck!

Avatar
burtthebike | 5 years ago
8 likes

Pretty much what I'd exect from a campaign organised by BRAKE, the biggest helmet promoters in the UK;  it's all your own fault for not wearing hi-viz and helmets.  Definitely nothing to do with all those lovely law-abiding drivers.

Kudos in the first vid for showing quite a few helmetless cyclists, but the rest is pretty much the standard blame the victim approach.

Avatar
alansmurphy | 5 years ago
7 likes

Again missing the point on how often cyclists actually pose a risk to those in a vehicle.

 

Ford could do much more to promote safety; provide cars you can see out of, maximise the speed etc.

 

No?

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