CycleSheffield membership has risen by 50%  this year.

We now have 367 members.  More members means:

• more political clout and influence, our basic work is political – with a small p;

• more ears and eyes on the ground; the better the intelligence for us

• a bigger pool of people willing to share campaigning tasks no matter how small or big

• the more we can negotiate in terms of members benefits

• the more the economies of scale and the more we have to spend on campaign/publicity materials and the less likely we need to raise subs

We are grateful that so many people are joining us.  It is good to see that so many people want to support safe & pleasant cycling for everybody in Sheffield.

Members benefits are at http://www.cyclesheffield.org.uk/2013/10/02/7715/ and are updated as and when we negotiate them.

We offer standard membership and we also offer affiliate membership to Sheffield CTC and other groups, clubs and BUGs that would value our membership for their members.

If you know somebody who would like to arrange this then ask them to contact membership@cyclesheffield.org.uk

 

These aren’t proportional reductions but there what we have offered to groups – we can review it in the spring when we set our budget

Meanwhile please would you ask friends, family, colleagues to consider joining CycleSheffield.  Chris Rust has helpfully sent the email below to some of his friends and colleagues who he thinks would be interested in our work and directly supporting us.  Please use it as a template to send on to anyone you think would want to support us.

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Hi folks,

I’m writing because you are all cyclists that I know personally. Would you please take the trouble to sign up as a supporter (member) of the CycleSheffield campaign group who are doing great work to get the authorities to improve the lives of cyclists and make it possible for more people to cycle in our city? You don’t have to be an activist to join, although active members are very welcome.

You can find out more and join here http://www.cyclesheffield.org.uk/

It costs £6 for individuals and £8 for families. We have around 350 members and are aiming for more since nothing gets the attention of politicians better than knowing that a lot of voters are interested. Membership fees go towards the practical costs of campaigning. Members receive regular updates by email so you know what we are doing and can join in if you choose.

Recently we have persuaded the council to hold an enquiry into cycling which has gathered evidence from 150 people and organisations and is transforming the council’s understanding of people’s feelings about cycling and the barriers to more people using cycling for transport. After years of poor policy and patchy action we believe we are seeing a significant change in how our local authority understand cycling and a real wish to make progress towards a cycle friendly city.

Other campaigns and activities of CycleSheffield include:

• Scrutiny of planning decisions and planned changes to roads to ensure that cycling is not overlooked (a constant struggle).

• Regular consultation with the local authority to ensure that cycling is on their agenda

• Campaigning for better provision for bikes on trains and (in future we hope) trams

• Working for the CTC’s Road Justice Campaign to ensure that motorists who cause accidents with cyclists and pedestrians are properly prosecuted

• Working with South Yorkshire Police to ensure that dangerous driving is dealt with and cycle routes are kept free of illegally parked cars

• Campaigning to keep cycle routes open and free of problems, recently we worked with the council to ensure that cyclists on the well-used Sheaf Valley Cycle Route were not endangered by vehicles using the Virgin Active car park as a “rat run”.

• Sheffield FridayNightRide a brilliant monthly social cycling event attracting up to 60 people

• Nether Edge Bikebus, my own little project helping less confident cyclists find safe routes around this part of Sheffield

So if you think this is worthwhile and would like your name to be on our list of members to add weight to our campaigns please sign up.

NB, if you go for the Household or Family membership, every member of your family will count as another supporter so that’s a huge help.

Best wishes

 

A fuller explanation of this advice is below this “print, cut and out and keep” advice.

CycleSheffield advises members to take out personal 3^rd Party liability insurance.

CycleSheffield members can get this by affiliating to the CTC (and get other services as well) for £16 p.a. This is a very inexpensive insurance policy.

Contact membership@cyclesheffield.org.uk if you want to do this.

You may wish to become a member of the CTC as well, join at www.ctc.org.uk

Procedure for reporting an incident not involving injury (101) As soon as possible after an incident Note the registration, make, model, colour of the vehicle Note a description of who was driving it. Get the details of independent witnesses. As soon as you can describe the incident and write it down. When did it happen? Where did it happen? Who was involved? What happened? How were you affected or put at risk? Call 101 and state you wish to make a formal complaint about driving that you thought was anti-social, or careless, or dangerous and has put you at significant risk. It is essential to get an incident number Do retain the record you made at the time. The police will make an appt to interview you and take a statement, either at a police station or at your home. Witnesses may make a statement but not in your presence or other witnesses. The PO should contact you at a later date to tell what action has been taken. CycleSheffield October 2013

 

Procedure for reporting cycling related incidents to the South Yorkshire Police.

An ‘Incident ‘ is a situation where another road user has put you at significant risk, the gravity of which you judge warrants you making a report to the Police, with a view to the driver subsequently being subject to their attention.

This attention could be anything from an advisory  phone call, through to a prosecution (e.g. for careless/dangerous driving).  Often just a phone call has a deterrent effect.  (Prosecution is unlikely if the evidence is solely one person’s word versus another – see advice about independent witnesses below).

Another purpose of reporting is to get incidents logged so that the information they contain progress to inform future policing, transport planning/maintenance etc.

Procedure for reporting an incident

As soon as possible after an incident (ie within mins ideally, maybe by sending yourself/other a text, which will have the time on)

• Note the registration of the vehicle and its make, model, colour.  Nothing much can be done without a reg plate number.  If the incident involves a taxi then the taxi licence plate number can be used.
• If you can note a description of who was driving it.
• If you can get the details of independent witnesses. The advice is they are worth their weight in gold. If an incident occurs, most will be witnessed by somebody, e.g. approach people stood at the bus stop, by the side of the road etc. and simply ask them if they’d help. Most people would if asked, the same people who would happily walk on past if not approached directly. A name and a phone number to pass to the police would be very helpful. If they refuse, so be it, but most people will help if asked (believe it or not). Scribble down a car’s number plate if it was obvious the occupants saw what happened, the police may be able to trace them and ask them if they’d like to help.

As soon as you can describe the incident and write it down.

•  When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Who was involved?
• What happened?
• How were you affected?

Then call 101 and state you wish to make a formal complaint about driving that you thought was anti-social, or careless, or dangerous and has put you at significant risk.

If asked ‘What do you want to be done about it?’ or ‘What do you expect me to do about it?’

then the reply is to repeat

‘I want to make a formal complaint and for you, the Police, to take the appropriate action please…’

It is essential to get an incident number (a number followed by the date of the report)

Do retain the record you made at the time – this is very important as more weight is given to this rather than later info/recollections.

By stating the request in this manner, you should trigger a process whereby the police will make an appt to interview you/take a statement.

If you go to a police station to make a statement then there is no reason why a friend/colleague cannot accompany you whilst you make the statement but they cannot be a witness to the incident. Witnesses may make a statement but again not in the presence of the complainant or other witnesses.

You may take your written statement to submit and as a prompt for you talk through with the PO taking the statement.

After the statement has been taken the PO will more than likely seek advice from colleagues as to what course of action to take and should contact you to tell what action has been taken.

More serious incidents

Your bike is damaged or you have damaged a vehicle

If you have been in a collision and there is damage to you or your bike then record reg plate, make & model of vehicle.

If the driver has stopped then get her/his insurance details.

A driver may want to counterclaim against you if you have damaged their vehicle and you are obliged to give your name and address and your insurance details.

Get the details of any witnesses.

If this is an incident where you think the driving was at fault then ring 101 and follow the procedure for reporting an incident above.

If you’ve been physically hurt or injured (999)

If you have been in a collision and you are hurt or injured then ring 999 (if you can).

Get witness details if you can.

Record vehicle reg plate, make, model, description of driver if they have driven away.

 

If a driver has hit or manhandled you (e.g road rage) then ring 999 and record as much detail as you can as quickly as you can – see advice above

 

SYP have a website which details the service standards you should expect and the advice on reporting incidents, however trivial

http://www.southyorks.police.uk/