What people say about Smidsy

The following emails were sent to smidsy@southglos.gov.uk

All names and personal details have been removed to protect the identity of individuals. All information contained in the emails about matters not relating to the Smidsy campaign have also been removed.

22nd July 2008

 I am from the USA Phoenix Arizona and I am with the Modified Motorcycle Association of Arizona we are a motorcycle safety and education organization and very politically active in getting bills passed on motorcycle laws and safety. 

I think it's a good campaign that your doing. We are doing something the same out here but our signs say LOOK TWICE FOR MOTORCYCLES. I am one of the three people who started our campaign, glad to say we have them up in our city. We are working on getting them up state wide. Good luck with your campaign.

9th July 2008

I think only about 1% of road users are adhering to it (the speed limit).The worst offenders also include motorbikes, even though we have to be more vigilant for them c/o SMIDST. Dificult when they ride so fast.

28th June 2008

Sorry,but when I see a sign saying 'think bike' I automatically see 'think idiot'. There are accidents involving motorcycles at junctions, but perhaps that is because, despite knowing they are far less visible than other vehicles, and despite being sure to fare badly in any accident, they are likely to be travelling over the speed limit and quite possibly overtaking (on either the outside or inside) when approaching the junction.

I ama car driver and cyclist. I hold a full motocycle licence and used to be a regular motorcyclist. I know that if a car driver pulls out in front of a motorbike doing 60mph in a 30 limit it will probably be constued as the car driver's fault, but motorcyclists need to understand that they have to ride sensiibly and defensively. I managed to survive five-odd years using a motorcycle as my only means of transport without injury, and I am sympathetic to motorcyclists, but there are too many suicidal idiots on bikes these days.

If you want to stop motorbike accidents, stop wasting my money by putting up pointless and distracting signs, and stop bike riders being stupid (difficult).

26th May 2006

"Well done for running this excellent campaign. It has been interesting to read the comments of car drivers. It has been very easy to identify the comments of those who have no motorcycle experience nor understanding." 

"I ride a bike and drive a car and I simply prefer to take two wheels rather than four whenever possible. I am persuaded that my car driving skills, levels of awareness and observation are improved because of my two-wheeled experience. How many car-only drivers check the blind spot over their shoulder before manoeuvring? Bikers do...we call it - quite appropriately, the "life-saver."

"Perhaps if car drivers were compelled to undertake modern motorcycle training and testing they would become aware of what 'real' driving skills are demanded of them in today's traffic conditions. Everyday on my bike I see and must take positive steps to avoid scores of motorists who are obviously either clueless or simply not paying sufficient attention to their driving."

"I have personally witnessed ALL of the following acts on the part of drivers in motion: using their mobile phone, rolling cigarettes, playing with a sat-nav, putting on make-up, reading, eating fish and chips, eating Chinese or Indian takeaways (look for either chopsticks or naan bread and you can tell which)..... wiping ketchup/mustard/mayo off their tie, putting on their tie, combing their hair in the mirror, wiping the nose of the child sat in the back seat, turning maps around, turning heads around to try to read a map, trying to take off their jacket, writing notes in a filofax, closing their eyes to bop to the beat of their walkman......searching the glove box, searching their briefcase on the back seat, window shopping, gawping at scenery, turning one way while looking the other (including a police 'Panda' car on one occasion), not looking at all junctions, peering through letterbox slots in frozen windscreens, sending text messages, conducting lengthy 'matrimonial' disputes and dancing the 'dance of the scalded underwear' after apparently dropping a hot drink into their lap.

I have even had drivers open their door in my path to deliberately prevent me from legally 'filtering' through congested traffic. If drivers can't stand to be stuck in traffic, they should buy a bike; holding other people up and adding to the congestion is an act of pure meanness.

I have lost count of the number of cigarette butts, apple cores, tangerine peels, sandwich wrappers, soggy ketchup-daubed french fries, chip wrappers, crisp packets and soft drink containers that have been thrown at me in ignorance (or at least I hope it has been in ignorance).

I have never seen a driver brought to book for any of these negligent actions.

By definition a 'Smidsy' incident is the fault of a driver who changes course without assessing the situation correctly. he obligation to exercise proper observation and judgement before manoeuvring is absolute. I believe too many drivers are unaware of their responsibilities and are ignorant of the consequences of their actions. Drivers must be made aware that such negligence is not acceptable and if they can't or won't pay proper attention they should not be driving.

I have no problem with bikers who ride like lunatics being taken off the road though sadly for their families, evolution does pretty good job of weeding them out naturally!

Thanks to your team for highlighting the 'Smidsy' menace.

13th April 2006

Dear Smidsy.

Having been a biker for over 20 years, the things that stick out for me in the last few years (driving standards over this period have definitely deteriorated) and have been the subject of countless near misses are:

The last minute lane changers (you know, the ones who don't even look), they just get into the fastest moving lane - several times usually if the other starts moving quicker.

The "I own the road" drivers (BMW drivers are by far the worst!) who queue-jump or pull out in front of you (even though they DO know your there!).

The drivers who just have to overtake as they're exiting the roundabout because the outer lanes clear (they dont look either) whilst your alongside them.

The roundabout lane-crossers (those that can't/wont follow a curved line to save their lives).

The wrong-laners (those who can't read) - usually in the right-hand approach lane to a roundabout and then going straight on or LEFT (had more than my fair share of these herberts!).

And last but not least (and I even had a near-miss with a police car doing this!) - crossing the double white lines at roundabouts' junctions just so they can fill the empty lane ahead and save 5 seconds when the lights change. Worst place for this is turning right from A4174 Ring Road into Badminton Road coming from Kingswood direction.

Perhaps if some drivers planned their journeys better and allowed more time they wouldnt need to drive like crazies to get somewhere on time.

Most of the above applies equally to the journeys I make by car or bike but when the accident involves a bike the bike driver always comes off worst !

Regards

27th March 2006

Hi.

As already mentioned on most other emails, congratulations on the site - easy to read and navigate, useful info.

I drive a car and ride a bike (do about 22,000 miles a year split pretty evenly between the two).

This is probably always going to be a 'them and us' situation to some extent. I wonder whether there is some other bits of info we can help on understanding with. Not saying the below are my thoughts, just some of the comments I've heard:

Maybe from a car drivers point of view:

• It's hard to pull out quickly enough at junctions
• Road space is so tight there are quite often cars, lorries and vans parked in your field of vision
• People don't let you out of junctions as they used to so you have to ''go for it' if you want to get anywhere
• Bikes don't need much space
• It's frightening having bikes coming at you from nowhere
• It's horrid riding along with a bike near your rear wings - you end up spending more time looking behind than in front
• I'm stressed sitting in traffic and start worrying about other things so my attention wanders - just for a second
• Bikes work in the same way as cars

Maybe from a bikers point of view:

• Cars don't look for us - they're too busy trying to get where they're going
• People park in stupid places
• I'm fed up of leaving a safe gap only to have it filled. Might as well sit behind the cars revving loud as that seems to be the only time they see me
• Car drivers have no idea what problems they cause you - just in staying upright, when they pull out
• Drivers never clear their side windows in the misty/snowy/foggy mornings - only a little box in the front windscreen

So maybe bikers could:

• Remember they have better standing start acceleration in the main
• Watch out for how the hazards might be affecting other road users (as well as ourselves)
• Not crowd cars so much or whizz around them in either direction
• Think twice about filtering through traffic at 40mph
• Realise that (whilst we might think it necessary) not everyone understands how bikes are ridden and that two wheels is harder to balance than four
• (in emergency situations) think a bit about the gaps they leave themselves/chances they take from a driver's perspective

Maybe car drivers could:

• Be given information on how much harder it is to keep a bike upright on a real emergency stop (i.e. if you pull out in front of a car in the drizzle this might happen, but if you pull out in front of a bike, it's more likely to go like.....)
• Stop parking so close to junctions, even if we do only want a packet of fags or to post a letter and will only be 3 seconds
• Unfold our wing mirrors
• Clean ALL windows and mirrors properly before driving off - particularly in bad weather
• Stop using their mobiles (on the way to work this morning - in car- I saw 7 people on mobiles, 4 of which were driving around roundabouts and 2 were pulling out of junctions

Not rocket science, just be a bit more courteous and think about what we are driving/riding rather than just treat it as an extension to the office/bus/train/house.

From a government/training agency direction, it's nice to see there are some things being included but maybe they could also look at including how the different vehicles may behave under the same conditions. I'm sure a lorry driver this morning had to pop home for an underwear change, after Mrs School Run changed lanes at the last minute and severely shortened his braking distance.

Cheers

16th March 2006

Dear SGC.

I think your Smidsy campaign is really good and well needed. I am a motorcyclist and it is really comforting to see those signs. However, I also cycle to work which feels more dangerous than riding a motorbike! Perhaps you could do a similar campaign for cyclists pointing out in particular how close buses get to cyclists; cars also do not drive around you and give you space - not even on a dual carriageway where they have plenty of space to move out (they can see me because I wear a high viz jacket and have 3 lights). I feel extremely vulnerable on my bicycle but safer on a motorbike. I count about 7 cyclists on my 20 min journey to work. There could be more if cycling was made safer which would lead to the promotion of this form of sustainable transport.

Regards

9th March 2006

Hi.

I'd just like to make a few comments about the 'Sorry mate, I didn't see you' campaign.

Although the idea is a good one and the yellow motorcyclist signs themselves are very visible, personally I don't think the 'Smidsy' acronym is very effective.

I only found out what Smidsy actually stood for in February this year which must be over 6 months since I first saw the yellow signs.

I had heard some of the publicity about the signs being put up and obviously saw the signs myself, but I had never heard or seen it be explained anywhere what the letters 'SMIDSY' actually stood for.
There is an advert on local radio for a company with a similar sounding name (sounds something like 'Simmonsday') so I thought (obviously incorrectly) they were sponsoring the signs, (I didn't read the exact combination of letters on the sign too closely as my attention was on the road).

I'd be interested to hear how many other motorists are unaware what Smidsy stands for (or at least took a long while to find out).

How many people who drive pasts the signs and wonder what the letters stand for will actually remember the exact spelling by the time they get home or to work where they could acually look it up on the internet? Of course, they could write it down or concentrate hard to remember but this would distract them from driving, making it even more likely that they would have an accident!

That said the 'Did you look?' sign is quite effective as this conveys the message in a direct form.

'It's not an excuse!' might confuse drivers as exactly to what message it's trying to convey - some drivers might even think it's aimed at motorcyclists.

I think the campaign would be more effective if the Smidsy acronym was dropped and replaced with messages such as the existing 'Did you look?' and other similar messages like 'Look for me before you turn'.

A lot more needs to be done to educate both car drivers and motorcyclists to help prevent these kinds of accidents:

Motorcyclists need to be as visible as possible and be made more aware of the sorts of situations that can lead to a Smidsy accident and a lot more more needs to be done to educate car drivers to bring it home to them that as they are effectively driving a bullet on wheels (perhaps an idea for a publicity campaign there?), they need to be very aware of what's going on around them. I'm not sure how much this concept is actually bought home to drivers in the current theory and practical driving tests.

Regards

9th March 2006

Hello,

I am a fairly new rider, and I have probably been on the roads for at least 3 or 4 months after passing my test. I totally agree with the campaign that you are heading and I suggest an idea.

I travel 100 miles a day and noticed the Smidsy sign that you have placed at the Aztec Roundabout. This was when I thought of a good idea.

Ideally I was wondering whether you'd be able to send me a large sticker with the SMIDSY text and/or logo to stick on the back of my fluorescent yellow backpack cover. My backpack is a medium size (i.e. to carry a laptop), and the cover just fits around it. If you were able to provide this, or something similar to, I feel that I could help raise the awareness of motorists. When people follow me, pass me or I pass them, they'd clearly see this large sign on my backpack and then could be intrigued to look up on the web to find out more.

I am an active member of the Unofficial Fazer Owners Club (www.foc-u.co.uk), here in the UK, and we are always trying to raise awareness of this campaign. If you were able to provide this to me, I'm sure I'd be able to show this to the rest of the members and hopefully we'd be able to do out bit for the safety of motorcyclists.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Regards

23rd February 2006

I have seen your Smidsy boards around the places I drive most and I cannot believe that the council is wasting valuable taxpayers money on this. If motorcyclists are getting killed/injured on our roads it is usually their own stupid fault. I have yet to encounter a motorcyclist who does not weave dangerously in between traffic and they all have a total disregard for the speed limit. As a law abiding driver who keeps to the speed limit and drives carefully, the thought of my very expensive council tax being used to fund this campaign leaves me with a very bad taste in my mouth.

22nd February 2006

Hi, I am a car driver and a motorcyclist, and was involved in a 'Smidsy' 'accident' in 2003. Fortunately I was OK and could give the true version of events (though that did not stop the driver from trying to say that I was going too fast even though with the low powered bike, my weight, and the uphill gradient, this was not possible).

I believe the true figure for 'Smidsy' accidents is even higher than figures suggest - if the rider is KSI they may be unable to put their version of the events forward, and if a driver thinks he/she can get out of trouble by lying, they will do! Do traffic accident investigators know enough about bikes and how bike accidents happen?

I believe there is also a sub-conscious attitude amongst some car drivers that they would really prefer it if the bikes were not there. "I would rather not see him, he isn't there!" Additionally, I believe that there should be some kind of psychological testing as part of the driving test - some drivers are homicidal maniacs with the attitiude "he is going to come off worst, so he had better make allowances for me" (and of course, they are right that the motorcyclist will come off worst).

I acknowledge that many riders do not give themselves the best chance of avoiding an accident (by riding too fast, or in a poor road position, or without adequate observation). There should be subsidised advanced training for both car drivers and motorcyclists - cheaper than the NHS bill!

22nd February 2006

Hi

I just wanted to mail in with some feedback :-)

I'm a driver and a rider and have been involved in a Smidsy accident myself.

I found out about the website from the signs on the A38.

I have sent an email about the website to many people around the office - both drivers and bikers - asking them to forward the mail on.

I think it is a fantastic campaign and would love to help if there is anything I can do to raise awareness… Are there any leaflets I could hand out around my office? Or around the city centre at any time? Also, although I work in Aztec West I live in Fishponds which is under Bristol City Council - are there any plans to coordinate with BCC on this? If not thus far would you be able to advise me on how I could bring this matter to their attention and try to persuade them to follow with a similar campaign?

Many thanks for your time - and keep up the good work!!

22nd February 2006

Hi,

Do your accident stats take account of all the unreported Smidsy minor accidents as well? I am sure you will have heard a lot of these stories by now, but in case you haven't, here is mine...

I am a female rider and fairly confident on my motorcycle, having ridden for about 8 years now - accident free until about a month ago!!

About a month ago I was caused to be knocked off by a car driver that pulled out into my lane in a hurry without checking his wing-mirror or just simply LOOKING outside his window!! We were at a roundabout with 2 lanes - one for turning right and one for going straight ahead.

The turning right lane was long, solid and pretty stationary and the straight ahead lane was mostly empty apart from 2 cars at the far end. I was in-lane for going straight ahead when he just pulled out on me. No warning and NO INDICATION. I swerved to avoid being hit and ended up on my left side. Fortunately I was wearing all my protective gear and a security guard heard the crash and came to my rescue, lifting the bike off my leg. Even so, I got a badly bruised knee and ankle on my left side. The knee is fine now but the ankle is still in pain and taking ages to heal.

The saddest part about all of this is that the person who caused the accident never even stopped!! Just drove off!! The security guard got his number plate, but because the guard didn't SEE the accident (only heard it) and nobody else bothered to stop, I had NO proper witnesses to the incident. Security got in touch with the guy who caused the accident and asked if he would be willing to provide insurance details but he is just denying it saying he never saw the accident until he checked his wing mirrors further down the road. All I can say is that he must have heard it at least, so it's a blatant lie. Unfortunately one person's word against the other, so I can't do anything about it. My insurance is TPFT only.

This also happened on private property work grounds - so the police won't get involved! It is so depressing to think that I had to pay for my own bike repairs and suffer several weeks off from doing sports (I do a lot of sports!) just because someone was too lazy to make the effort to LOOK!!! He never even said sorry - just didn't care! I'm sure there are hundreds of these incidents that occur in car parks or equivalent because I have already been told lots of them!!

I think people need to be reminded that they need to stop if they witness an accident regardless of whether it is bike, car or whatever - at least that would be a start. Secondly teaching people to LOOK before they 'leap out' of a lane would be a really good lesson too - using their INDICATORS! I would have stopped if I'd seen an indicator and let the person out, because I am nice that way!! (And I rather let someone out in case they try to pull out anyway.) How many times do these kinds of accidents happen? - eg. on dual carriageways when people change lanes without properly checking what is coming and just leaping across because they've seen a gap!

17th February 2006

Last May me and my husband took our motorbike tests and passed. What an achievement after waiting for fifteen years away from motorbikes to raise my family. We bought two brand new Honda CBF 600 and never looked back. However on the 30th January 2006 Gloucester had a motorbike awareness week. I was jinxed, second day in I took a direct hit to my left side by a car pulling out of a parking bay, luckily nothing was broken, except my bike and I just had severe bruising to my leg and whiplash. I took all the necessary precautions. I was wearing all the correct clothing, headlights on and I am not a small person by a long shot, but alas the driver still did not see me, even though I was directly in front of them.

I do feel that there is an awful lot more that can be done to educate drivers and riders alike, but I will always maintain even after 25 years of motoring, the onus will always be on the biker to avoid an accident until the law starts to do something to reduce the amount of problems that everyone is faced with. Traffic calming schemes DO NOT WORK. I know because it was the main contributing factor to my accident. It just frustrates the driver even more. Frustration leads to anxiety and this leads to lower concentration levels. We need to address the problem - not treat the symptoms and until we do motorcyclists will always be vulnerable.

We need signs everywhere to emphasise the dangers to motorists and also there needs to be better training all round. I see young kids on mopeds - and god forbid my son will be able to ride one in October - riding like idiots, weaving in and out of traffic and playing chicken with cars, totally oblivious to what can happen to them. They should be shown the results as part of their CBTs and maybe it might encourage the not so hardy to stay well away. Also they should be put through better initial training and be examined before being allowed out on the road. Let’s face it, you would not put an untrained person behind the wheel of a formula one racing car and expect him to win without hitting anything, would you?

We need more signs on the road like the ones that are on the Fosse Way to the Midlands. It is very simple and is directed at the biker. It shows a silhouette of a bike and rider with the words TO DIE FOR?

Here's another idea for you. We all know that motorcycle police are spotted miles away, so what you do is take a photo of a motorcycle cop in uniform, with the heading 'NOW YOU SEE ME!' and then take a photo of him in leathers and on an ordinary bike, with the heading, 'NOW YOU DON'T!' Let me know what you think.

Here's another idea aimed at insurance companies. When a rider takes out insurance, there should be a clause in there that states that if the rider is involved in an accident which was not their fault the compensation should be judged according not only on the injuries, but also what measures the rider took to reduce the injuries - for example by wearing the appropriate clothing approved for riding a bike. It might make more riders think about jumping on their machines in shorts and T-shirts.

16th February 2006

I live just off Tower Road South where the Smidsy sign keeps appearing. I'm not surprised there are so many accidents in this area as a large number of motorcyclists use this as an extension of the ring road which they seem to use as a racetrack. Living near the ring road I can hear them tearing up it all the time. Do the police ever sit in wait with speed traps for them??? They could make a lot of money from motorcyclists if they did.

In general I find most motorcyclists weave behind you from side to side, ride on your bumper and also ride alongside your drivers door. I also don't feel that you should be able to ride motorcycles on an 'L' plate, given that gangs of young lads drive exceeding the speed limits in formation and do their best to run you off the road.

8th February 2006

As a car driver, every day I am forced to pull out extremely fast, especially during rush-hour, to join a gap on the Avon Ring Road via one of the non-traffic lighted roundabouts (incidentally I think the traffic flows better without the traffic lights!).

However on numerous occasions there have been instances when a motorbike rider has pulled up on the inside of my vehicle whilst I'm looking right and when I then turn to pull away I find myself having to slam on the breaks to avoid a bike that wasn't there a few seconds ago.

I have absolutely no problem with motorbikes undertaking during peak periods, but can they please not block the car at the front of the line who has enough to deal with trying to pull out. Can they just hold back by one or two cars?

As a general rule, I find motorcyclists who have had to pass a driving test a whole lot better than the moped riders who are constantly zigzagging in and out of cars and are generally a nuisance on the whole.

1st February 2006

Hi there,

First of all I'd like to congratulate you all on a super site. The campaign itself is most noble and something that I'd like to see taken up by others.

It's interesting to read the comments posted to the effect of denying all liability from either the side of driver or biker- aren't we all so angelic?

Do you have such a thing as car stickers to further spread the word of your campaign?

Thanks

18th November 2005

In response to a previous correspondent regarding motorcycles with small numberplates – I do not necessarily condone small plates but am concerned that the correspondent sees them as an indication that the rider has a death wish and only uses one to avoid prosecution for travelling over the speed limit - i.e criminal intent.

Most motorcyclists that I know who have small plates have them for cosmetic reasons. A standard 9-inch square (roughly) number plate just does not fit cleanly on the often tapered or streamlined rear of a bike. I am forever catching my waterproofs on the edge of mine while manoeuvring it while parking. It protrudes almost as far as the standard (!) rubber-mounted indicators...

Again, I accept that the standard-sized number plate is required by law and many bikers are pulled over because they ride around with small plates (or loud exhausts). The law does not seem to be applied equally to those motorists who modify the spacing and characters of their number plates to spell initials, names or worse – perhaps they also have a death-wish or are hardened speeders/criminals? I have been cut up by motorists with number-plates so unrecognisable (thick italic fonts!) that I could not report them even if they stopped in front of me at the next traffic-jam! It would simply take me too long to work out what they were supposed to be!! Give bikers a level playing field and perhaps we would not get so defensive and feel persecuted.

Now - back to loud exhausts….there is NO excuse for a loud exhaust on a car yet every town centre in the country is plagued by yobs driving Novas, Fiestas and Saxos who think that under-lighters, boom-box and a megaphone exhaust qualify them as extras from 'The Fast and the Furious'. While Smidsy's still exist, a loud exhaust on a bike could be considered a safety feature – at least it gets you noticed.

And - just in case you are wondering - my exhaust is standard and my plate is the regulation size (and my headlight is ALWAYS on and my horn is over-worked).

11th November 2005

Firstly, let me congratulate you on your campaign – I commute by car or bike in the M4 corridor daily and wish we had a similar campaign down here – whether it would make any difference to car/van/truck drivers is another matter.

I have three children and ride a (fairly quick 600cc Suzuki J) sportsbike for two reasons:

1. To avoid the inevitable traffic problems in this part of the world – which are only getting worse daily
2. Because of the feeling of freedom and being 'at one' with the elements (yes, even the rain!) which you get from riding a bike

I am under constant pressure from 'her indoors' to stop riding for (three) obvious reasons. I try to ride quickly but not dangerously, taking advantage of my bike's power to make my way past traffic whenever possible as long as I do not cause any car or van drivers to swerve or slow down because of me. I do not cut into other people's braking gaps and I do not overtake into incoming traffic – if there is any doubt, just back off and wait your turn – with the traffic jams around here, your turn will ALWAYS come. Despite my paranoid, safety-conscious (and hopefully courteous) driving style I still make much faster progress than driving my car and always arrive at home/work with a big smile on my face.

Like many of the comments posted, I have experienced some mad/bad bike riders in my time (25 years driving/biking) but simply move over and let them through. I have experienced many more mad/bad car and van drivers – are the drivers weaving from inside to outside lanes, under- and over-taking allcomers at high speed -  a feature of the M4 motorway only? (Do they all drive BMW 3-series, Vectras or Mondeos – almost definitely)

All I want to do is to live (!) and enjoy the freedom to ride a bike without feeling in mortal danger at all times. I think the recent MCN campaign to restrict the use of speed cameras and bring back mobile police units on motorcycles or in cars is key. If I stray over the limit, deliberately or otherwise and get caught then I'll take the punishment – once we are old enough to be drivers we are all big boys and girls and should have the intelligence to weigh up the possible consequences of our actions and take any resulting punishment. I would feel so much safer in my car and on my bike if there were police patrols doing the rounds and removing the inconsiderate, incompetent and dangerous drivers (car/van AND bike) from our roads.

Lastly – ask yourself this – when was the last time you saw a motorway patrol car (except when it was attending an accident)? When I started driving you drove down motorways checking every bridge and slip-road for the inevitable 'jam sandwich'. Thinking back – really hard – the last time I was followed up the motorway by a patrol car was in 1999!!  If you move off motorways and think about fast A and B roads now (you know, the ones with Gatsos!) I cannot remember when I last encountered a roaming police car.

No wonder there are 'Smidsys' out there – they have nothing to concentrate on except their stereos, mobile phones, lighting cigarettes (and flicking ash, packets, wrappings and butts out the window at motorcyclists...don't get me started!!!) putting on make-up or eating their sandwiches and drinking tea/coffee.

3rd November 2005

I think much of the reason that motorcyclists get seriously injured is because they travel too fast. The fact that many motorcycles - and particularly the high-powered ones, have small number plates too small to read fitted to them indicates to me that those motorcyclists don't want to be identified - because they are speeding. When motorcycles are being ridden above the speed limit it is more difficult for others to register the speed - it is unexpected - and there is less time for the motorcyclist to be seen.

Another reason that vehicles pull out of side roads in front of motorcycles is that the motorcyclists indicate left, but very often I observe that the indicators don't cancel automatically. Therefore, it seems to the driver in the side road that the motorcycle is going to turn left and it is safe to pull out, but it isn't. Everyday I see motorcycles driving along with left turn indicators flashing and the rider not intending to turn left.

Yours sincerely.

20th October 2005

Website...is very good. First saw a link to it on www.sv650.org. Yes I'm shocked at the statistics. I'm a biker - car drivers regard us as a sub-species. What needs to change is attitudes to bikes. Why do drivers get so combative? - especially young female drivers, they're worse than young lads. And so many look but don't see.

7th October 2005

Hi, I'm a DSA car and LGV instructor and also an observer for a RoSPA advanced driving group. Would you be able to get any of the large 'Smidsy - it's not an excuse' boards that I might be able to display in our company car park? We have over 500 cars using this car park every day it might help to get your message across.

Thank you.

6th October 2005

Well done. I think your campaign is brilliant. I shall forward it to Camden - my borough.

Do you have any stickers for my bike?

20th September 2005

I had seen the notices and wondered what it was about, then read about it in a motorbike magazine (Bike) and found the website. As a motorbike commuter I am heartened to see official recognition in my own county of the problems we face (us bikers are so often ignored or thought to be always at fault).

I saw the sign in Winterbourne where, earlier this year I was hit by a car whilst travelling along the main carriageway. He was turning out of a junction from my right, connected with my right leg and knocked me off my bike. Unfortunately he did not stop to say 'Sorry mate, I didn't see you', but instead left the scene sharpish whilst I was lying in the road and got away without any comeback despite several witness statements.

All I can say about the campaign is that it is an excellent idea and more of the same please, media promotion, car stickers etc. Ideally it should go national as the dishonest person who hit me was not a local.

Thank you.

16th September 2005

Dear sir or madam.

I was pleased to see your Smidsy campaign, which is being discussed on pistonheads.com. I thought I would come over and have a look. Well done, at last the causes of accidents are starting to be addressed again. For too long we have had focus on the fatally flawed speed camera campaigns (nice little earner though they are!) and it makes a refreshing change to see a council recognising that speed is well down the list of reasons for accidents.

As a car-driving motorcyclist I would also like to see additional focus on diesel spillage, a big contributor in motorcycle crashes and more attention to road repairs. After all, we pay an awful lot of tax for our roads! I am finding that the road surfaces on our highways and by-ways are increasingly pot-holed and repaired with poor quality overbanding. Not only this, but the proliferation of additional signage represents an additional hazard to the motorcyclist. Please be aware that every additional signpost represents a potentially lethal impact for the motorcyclist in the event of them coming off. It should be recognised that motorcycles are far more susceptible to environmental influences and surface changes than cars.

Good work, but please take these additional points on board.

Yours faithfully.

15th September 2005

Hi there.

I thought I would accept your invitation to comment on the Smidsy website, albeit from very far away.

I started riding in the UK and Europe in the late 60s (I obtained my car licence first) and commuted by bike most days until the late seventies when I moved to South Africa. Over here, the weather is stunning and ideal for biking but the driving standards are appalling and my wife would not let me buy a bike for over 20 years.

I have now started biking again (my wife says that she cannot remember me asking this time!) but the roads are probably more dangerous than ever before due to congestion and the widespread use of unroadworthy minibus taxis (as we call them here when we are being polite). I have never actually seen a taxi driver wearing spectacles (think about it!).

Your campaign is well presented, thought provoking and considerate of the weaknesses of both driver and biker. It should be adopted by our traffic authorities without delay. It was very refreshing to see that someone actually cares.

Do keep up the effort.

Best regards,

• Are you a driver, rider.... or both? Both
• Where did you find out about the website? Motoring Telegraph (Online)
• What were your initial thoughts? Somebody cares
• Are you surprised by the facts and figures? Probably lower than in SA.

15th September 2005

I was the victim of a 'Smidsy' despite being fully aware of the danger I was facing. I was riding sensibly at 30mph and saw a car pull up to a junction on my left about 100 yards ahead, indicating right while looking to his left. When he continued looking left I got a little worried and eased off the throttle a bit and covered my brakes but I was still thinking 'he would not actually pull out without looking right'. When I got to within 10 yds he suddenly pushed his foot flat to the floor and pulled out and despite being prepared and ready to brake I could no nothing to avoid hitting him. I flew over the top and must have landed badly because I pushed my femur through my hip socket and spent 10 weeks in traction and had to have the socket rebuilt with plates and screws. Despite being on my early 40s I will probably need a hip replacement before I am 50 and will always have pain and a limp.

Looking back I cannot see what I could have sensibly done to avoid the accident. It was not a matter of visibility, I was in a hi-vis vest with headlight on in the mid-morning. It is just not practical to stop or slow down to 10 mph every time someone in a side turning worries you. I considered and rejected the idea of sounding my horn because it can induce road-rage in many drivers to be tooted when they have not actually done anything wrong yet. My feeling now with the benefit of hindsight is that it is worth the risk as that is the only thing, short of stopping in the middle of the road, that might have avoided the accident.

I am also ambivalent about my feelings towards the driver. Part of me is angry that his carelessness has caused me problems that will affect the rest of my life but the other part of me recognises that it could easily have been me pulling out in front of a motorcycle. Even after my accident I could not honestly say that I could never do it. Only a few weeks ago I was seconds away from pulling out to overtake someone in my car when a previously unseen motorbike went past me. I just can't see a solution though. Even intensive safety campaigns can only reduce the risk slightly.

13th September 2005

Hi.

Just read my forwarded copy of BMF magazine to my current home away from Blighty and saw the article on Smidsy.

Good luck with the campaign, I have been saying this to friends and colleague car drivers for years - usually whilst trying to convince them of the virtues of motorised 2-wheeling!

I guess drivers simply don't anticipate a motorcycle's acceleration, nor the lack of stopping ability in wet conditions - and perhaps perceive motorcyclists to be all young and headless.

I suffered a  'Smidsy' after somersaulting over the bonnet of a Metro back in '97.

Luckily I landed on my feet whilst the bike was written off.

I now ride an '87 R80RT, not fancy, trendy or particularly fast. But convenient, time-saving, fun and oh so stress-free !

13th September 2005

Good idea to show this.

I am a road user… however the number of riders that PUT themselves in this danger is high.

I call this two scenarios.

The true Smidsy, when a car driver fails to see.

And a self-inflicted Smidsy when a motorcyclist moves into the part of the road that a car driver would NOT expect to see someone.

Examples:

• Overtaking across traffic lights
• Overtaking on approach to a crossing
• Crossing double white lines (I have seen this, a car was pulling out left, was looking right, the motorcyclist was across the double white lines and had a hairy moment - he put himself in danger)
• Cross hatchings abuse
• Motorway weaving, I have even seen an idiot on the back wheel only!
• Etc. etc.

12th September 2005

Details of your motorcycle awareness campaign have been spotted in the Telegraph.

As IAM riders we are only too aware of the dangers from cars exitting from side roads and only yesterday whilst riding in Cambridgeshire I was lucky not to be taken out in such an incident.

Might I be so bold as to suggest that riding with headlights on and high-vis gear increases the risk. On the first count I suspect that the biker on spotting the potential hazard slows down, hesitates and then proceeds assuming he has been spotted. The effect of his action is to dip the front of the bike maybe signifying that he is flashing to let the car go. On the second count I believe that car drivers are generally unable to assess the speed of a bike approaching and high-vis gear as against a solid black mass approaching only confuses.

I recall there was some research into this by Reading University some years ago - the findings of which continue to be ignored.

11th September 2005

Regards your campaign my observations are:

You should change SMIDSY to RURTF are you riding too fast because surely, this IS the main reason for motorcycle accidents.

If you are turning right at a junction on a curve right and you look left, right, left and right again as you're driving out the motorcyclist can be into you or be a near miss. The fact is that to look left, right, left and right takes about five seconds. In a 30mph zone vehicles move nearly 50 feet in a second. A motorcyclist however doesn't, they move at anything up to 90 feet a second. In the one-and-a-half seconds that it takes a car to move the 16 feet over the white line the crash occurs. If instead you are turning left they have even more chance of hitting you. Basically many just aren't aware how quickly events can change in front of them due to their speed. In the 1½ to 2 seconds that it takes to look left, back to right and start to pull out they just appear literally from nowhere. SMIDSY is true then because they simply weren't there to be seen! It's all to do with maths, a subject or something that most road users never use.

Have you EVER seen a motorcyclist travelling within the speed limit. I have seen them come past me when I'm doing 55-60 like I'm stopped. I have heard them bragging about doing 190mph on the A65. How many times does a motorcyclist take a 'decide to die' risk? How many motorway drivers running at 60 in heavy traffic see the ones that whip up between the middle and outer lanes on the motorway? A line of cars doing 34 in a 30 zone will be overtaken by a bike doing 45 or so, they appear to be unable or unwilling to run with the flow.

Is it not the case that they simply create accidents due to their unexpected speed? At 30 or 40 or 60 an experienced driver judges distance and expects something to happen in a certain time. Something that avoids the mirrors due to location and speed may not be seen, particularly if it is going half as fast again as you expect. If every car drove at motorcycle speeds both in town and on the open road it would be mayhem.

I have to say that motorcycling is just the best way to travel but bad car drivers do make it difficult. At the same time motorcyclists could think more to help themselves.....and do a little maths.

Regards.

10th September 2005

Hallo, I'm 73 and have held a m/cycle licence since I was 21 and never been without a bike and scarcely passed a day without riding. Touch wood, in something like 250,000 miles in that time, I have had only 5 fallings off, 3 of them in snow or ice and none requiring hospital treatment. But I am never complacent and still approach a 60 or 70 mile spin on my present machine, a 125 Honda scooter, with the thought that this time I might just be unlucky.

The statistically large number of Smidsy (I like the acronym) mishaps makes me wonder how I have been almost devoid of experiencing such. I put it down to always wearing a Sam Brown belt, even if just locally shopping, riding, as you advise, well out from the curb, wearing an open-face helmet which greatly enhances the important 'eye-contact' which can often remove the uncertainty of my intentions, riding at sensible 'expected' speeds for the road.

Experience and restraint and a readiness to let the other chap/chapess go first are also aids to happy, incident-free riding. One ghastly trap for car drivers you do not quite emphasise, is the danger when turning right into a main road, especially when being courteously waved out by another driver in slow-moving traffic, of colliding with an incautious rider passing up the outside of the queue.

The blame is of course on the rider for not anticipating such a happening, but it does not diminish the seriousness of such a collision and the hurt all round.

Anyway, enough of me. Thanks for conducting such a campaign. I hope it might be extended nation-wide. I trust you will promote it in the M/C press.

10th September 2005

Great site.

Could I suggest that in the 'Tips for safer riding' you include links to your local advanced motorcycle groups that are affiliated to the Institute of Advanced Motorists. We are all charitable organisations dedicating our spare time to safer and better biking.

22nd August 2005

I was most interested to discover your campaign to highlight the problems of Smidsy accidents. This type of accident continues to claim far too many lives and yet so little is generally understood about their causes and the possible prevention strategies that can help.

The Smidsy has long been a particular bee in my bonnet, not least because I have suffered from one or two in my time and because of this, I have been involved with some significant research into such accidents. I have recently had some of my discoveries published in Bike Magazine which has brought one of the causes of smidsys to a wider audience.

There are one or two other bits of research available on the web that also give cause for thought, not least of which is the article collated by Jeff Dean in the US which you will find at http://jeff.dean.home.att.net/blind.htm

With greater understanding of the causes of Smidsys, it will not be long before we can consign the Smidsy to the dustbin of history where it rightly belongs.

Keep up the good work!

Regards.

20th August 2005

It's interesting to see a campaign warning car drivers that they should be more responsible in their driving techniques in order to avoid motorcyclists getting killed or injured.

The problem is that the people who dreamt up this campaign are unaware of what really happens on the roads on a day-to-day basis. Motorcyclists should stay in a position like a car rather than using their slender shape to weave in and out of traffic as if the Highway Code does not apply to them. If a motorcyclist breaks the Highway Code and gets hurt/killed then I think it is very unfair to blame car drivers.

Motorcyclists should remember that if they undertake it is against the law. If they drive along the A30 or M5 at 100mph then it is likely that they will die if they fall off, let alone become involved in a collision which is a direct route to a grave. It is the motorcyclists who are to blame for the high fatality rate amongst them - not car drivers who have to sit in traffic jams wondering which side the bikes will appear from and at what speed.

Broken wing mirrors all round!

Best wishes.

14th August 2005

Are you a driver, rider.... or both? - A driver

Where did you find out about the website? - Signs en route to/from work (Swan Lane/A4174)

What were your initial thoughts? - Thought Smidsy was a garage/dealership touting for business

Are you surprised by the facts and figures? - No

I think too many motorcyclists ride far too fast, take great risks, and don't wear appropriate safety kit.

That said, I've witnessed the aftermath of a Smidsy  accident at the end of Swan Lane. It was very nasty indeed (white van man pulled out in front of a bike).

12th August 2005

I'm not surprised by the facts and figures but it does seem to put the onus all on the car driver. I'm a car driver myself and I'm often astonished at the actions of many motorbike riders (I used to have a motorbike as well so I can see both sides of the argument).

The most common problem is unsafe overtaking. Quite often in a queue of traffic they ride the white line and more than once I've had my mirror knocked as they've been so close. In fact once a motorcyclist pushed my mirror in in order to get past! On the two-lane stretch by the BRI it's not uncommon in the outside lane to have a motorbike either side of you which is downright dangerous.

The other favourite is overtaking at speed and diving in in front of the natural space between you and the car in front to avoid them hitting oncoming vehicles which means you have to break hard to avoid hitting them.

I'm not saying car drivers aren't often to blame and we all need to be more careful but motorbike riders could also do their bit by overtaking safely and not scaring the wits out of other drivers with their swerving in and out tactics.

9th August 2005

Dear Smidsy.

Just a note to say I like the program and approach to building motorcycle awareness. Motorcycles are perceived to be more toys than useful and efficient forms of transport in the U.S. As an expat and former London dispatch rider, it would be interesting to hear how we could bring this program to our area and how we should approach our local authorities?

Sincerely.

8th August 2005

I heard about the Smidsy website from a news email sent out by the American Motorcyclist Association, AMA-cycle.org. I was quite intrigued by the title and visited the site to see more. I wish we could get similar action here in the States. Motorcycle accidents can be especially deadly here because many states, such as New Mexico - where I live, do not have helmet laws. I understand the US Department of Transportation has commissioned a study of motorcycle accidents, so hopefully that will identify problems like Smidsy accidents here.

I am a member of several motorcycle groups, including a local riding club. I will pass on your website to all of our riders to pass on to their friends, family, and others. The tips you provide are very useful everywhere, not specifically England. Of course, I might have to translate some of the words for my American-English-speaking friends. :-)

Thanks for doing a great job. I hope the campaign is a great success.

8th August 2005

A few thoughts off the top of my head having seen 'Smidsy' on the South Glos website by accident :

1. Despite having seen the signs for some time this is the first time I have realised what 'Smidsy' is supposed to mean. Hence, until now (with the possible exception of the 'did you look?' sign which is slightly more intuitive) they are rather a waste of time as without knowing the interpretation/logic to 'Smidsy' they really don't mean anything and I am sure there are a lot of drivers who still don’t understand
2. Do you have any figures as to the % of moped riders contained within the motorcycle accident totals? The sight of groups of youths on mopeds riding two or three abreast, swerving and speeding around the roads is a fairly common sight these days. I don’t know but I would have thought that these irresponsible clowns and show-offs who appear to have no road sense would have been at considerably greater risk than the 'serious' commuter motorcyclists/bike enthusiasts

Like I say, just a few thoughts for what it’s worth.

Regards

8th August 2005

As both a rider and driver I'd like to congratulate SG Council on their support for this campaign. It makes a refreshing change to see some unbiased information concerning motorcycle accidents. Whilst I do agree that bikers need to take a lot of responsibility for their actions, car drivers are increasingly showing a lack of care when negotiating junctions and roundabouts and even when executing simple lane changes.

I live near two of the worst areas/roundabouts in Kingswood and suffered a Smidsy myself on the A4174 roundabout near to ASDA in Longwell Green. Fortunately I suffered only minor injuries and the other driver involved had to undertake retraining under a A&S police scheme.

Please continue the good work.

7th August 2005

I think the safety of motorcyclists is a two-way issue. I say this from the point of view of someone who rode a 125cc motorcycle for 3 years before owning a car for the last 2 years.

I think it is true that a lot of car drivers don't notice motorcyclists as much as they should do. Having the L-plate on a 125 was a nuisance, because I could be riding at 60mph and somebody would pull out in front of me expecting me to be only doing 30mph on a little 50cc. However, those who ride the faster motorbikes ride irresponsibly too, speeding down the side of traffic, weaving in and out of cars. It's unreasonable to expect car drivers to check their mirrors every second. The speed at which some of these motorcyclists go past, they can have zoomed right past you in the time between looking in your mirror and making a manoeuvre.

It is a two-way thing. Car drivers shouldn't expect to drive around with no regard for bikers, but by the same token, bikers shouldn't expect to ride like complete nutters and expect everything to get out of their way.

3rd August 2005

• Are you a driver, rider.... or both? Both
• Where did you find out about the website? Roadside signs
• What were your initial thoughts? Info signs are large, but probably need to be ?
• Are you surprised by the facts and figures? Yes but also cautious of statistical grouping 

Thank you for this positive action which I believe will be cost-effective.

2nd August 2005

I have been reading about the Smidsy campaign and while I agree that car, van and lorry drivers can be a menace ( I was driven off the road whilst driving a scooter when I was 25 by a lorry) I do feel that you should also address the behaviour of the motorcyclist.

I know as I have seen them, that there are police motorcyclists that ride with small groups, however it would help if a high profile drive to change behaviour was made.

For example, as we drive out onto Greenways Road we approach traffic lights, motorcyclists overtake there, moving along to North Road traffic lights, they overtake cars before that (near the island) and also again at the lights (all doing over the 40 mph speed limit). It seems that they think that the speed limit does not apply to them!.

As we move along to the main roundabout, motorcyclists ride over the white line overtaking cars, even when vehicles are approaching them. Now, between that roundabout and the Frampton Cotterell lights, the times that motorcyclists overtake at lights, or on bends are countless. Interestingly when the motorcyclists see a police officer they behave!

Therefore I would like to know what the plan is for addressing this issue.

Many a time we have discussed this when we see this behaviour and we say "no wonder they are getting killed". They get too close to the back and sides of a car, charge past well over speed limits in all kinds of weather - all highly dangerous behaviour! From a psychological view, one might argue they have a death wish or like taking risks and seek some form of gratification.

What I do know, is that you will not reduce the deaths and serious accidents until you also include the motorcyclists and their mental attitude toward their position on the road and that of other users.

I look forward to hearing from you

With kind regards.

1st August 2005

Very good idea to encourage drivers to watch out for other road users. Strange that we also have to try to read the adverts on Winterbourne roundabout at the same time

31st July 2005

Hi. I'm a rider and driver and think the road signs you've put up are very good. These days cars are very comfortable and drivers tend to be half-asleep, filing there nails or on their mobile phones, not doing what they should be, paying attention to the road and its users keep up the good work.

29th July 2005

Good campaign.......keep it going.

29th July 2005 

I know there are good and bad drivers of all vehicles and that we all make mistakes at some point but what really annoys me with pedal cycles and motorbikes is that one minute you can look in your rear view mirror or side mirrors and there are no bikes and the next minute there they are - if you are constantly having to look for bikes you'd never be looking at the road ahead.

I have experience of bike users acting irresponsibly on Gypsy Patch Lane as I drive along it twice a day. At times I have had cyclists on one side of my car and motorbikes on the other - they always try to squeeze through under the railway bridge and they drive down the middle of the road or over the white line. I thought undertaking was an offence! The cycle path is another problem- only yesterday as I turned into Smithcourt Drive, Little Stoke, a cyclist was going so fast he obviously had no intention of stopping to cross the road, so I had to slow down when it was my right of way.

Drivers of cars etc. are not allowed onto the roads on their own until they are qualified, but this doesn't apply in the same way to people on two wheels so there are many people out there who have no idea what hazards to look for.

28th July 2005

Dear SGC.

A *wonderful* initiative! I wish other councils could be as proactive and imaginative.

Congratulations to whoever came up with the idea.

Best regards.

25th July 2005

I saw your Smidsy sign today in Filton and within 1 mile - that's right, 1 mile, I was undertaken on a B ROAD and cut up ON A ROUNDABOUT by 2 different motorcyclists.

This is not unusual - I simply can't remember the last time I saw a motorcycle obey the speed limit, proper rules of the road or even look like they were driving safely.

These people are putting themselves at risk cutting through traffic as if it is 'clever' to get to their destinations quicker than car drivers. By driving too fast they are giving other road users NO chance of seeing them. Sort out their behaviour first and perhaps we can then look at others? In the meantime please stop wasting our council tax money on this sort of signage - there is enough street furniture out there already!

25th July 2005

Hi there, congratulations on this initative! We would like to link your site from our website to help publicise your worthwhile campaign. It's particularly satisfying that you have recognised that not all motorcyclist casualties are the result of maniac riders as some of the popular press would have us believe.