New advert urges drivers to Think Biker!

Government campaign aims to tackle road deaths

Posted: 5 March 2012
by Visordown News


A NEW advertising campaign has launched, urging drivers to Think Bike! Think Biker!

The idea for the campaign was based on survey data that suggests drivers are more likely to notice a motorcycle if they know a biker themselves.

The adverts show bikers riding along with flashing neon signs attached to their motorcycle. The signs show the biker's name and gives you an insight into their life, with words like 'shy retiring type' or 'new dad'.

Road Safety minister Mike Penning said: "As a biker myself I know how great motorcycling can be but as Road Safety Minister I know that the statistics show bikers are tragically over-represented in road casualties and I want to see this number come down."

"The campaign I am launching today aims to get drivers to think again about how they look at bikers when they’re out on the road.  I hope this will help to reduce the number of bikers killed and injured in crashes with cars."

The new ‘Named Riders’ TV campaign starts on Friday 2nd March with radio and petrol station advertising running from Saturday 10th March. It is estimated the campaign will be seen by 92% of drivers an average of eight times. The total cost of the campaign is £1.2 million.

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Discuss this story

This is all well and good... but the bastards STILL DON'T LOOK PROPERLY AT ANYTHING...

The amount of people who just stare straight ahead, even when you're pulled up in their peripheral vision at their side... not even a flicker of the eyes or head to acknoledge they've seen you.. its like they've got a neck brace on or something.

Posted: 05/03/2012 at 16:09

A recent survey reported that drivers go in autopilot mode after driving 11 minutes. I think the campaign should be "Who are you going to kill today"

Posted: 05/03/2012 at 18:35

I think it's a great campaign to remind drivers to be careful, and the point made that 'we are just normal people using the roads', is good at getting one's attention! If it saves just one of us from harm then it will be worth it.....I might have a light display like that made for my wing....Lol.

Posted: 06/03/2012 at 14:32

I doubt it'll do any good. The issue is there aren't enough bikes so car drivers discount them as unlikely to be there. Bit like cyclists, they expect cyclists to be going slowly so they pull out on them but some are going fast.

Posted: 06/03/2012 at 15:18

The answers just occurred to me; all bikes carry a big spike with an exploding head on the front of them which detonates on penetrating the car.

I bet they'd look more carefully then!

We look very hard at other road users & conditions because of the high probability that an accident will be serious or fatal to us.

Posted: 06/03/2012 at 15:21

NEW ? I'm sure I have seen this video before - maybe a couple of years ago.

Posted: 06/03/2012 at 17:36

The only way to get safety across to car drivers is to show how badly knocking a biker off would affect THEIR lives.
The best advert would be a driver leaving his damaged car at a bodyshop.
The Body shop man is looking at the damaged drivers side wing, door and windscreen and says " Oooh - that looks expensive. How did that happen".
The driver answers, " I didn't see the motorbike coming and I pulled out in front of it, but I'm OK, not injured."
The body man asks " How about the bike rider ?"
The driver answers " Not so good, broken back and legs , but he'll probably survive". How long will my car be ?"
The bodyshop man answers " You'll be without it for at least three weeks, maybe more if we can't get the parts."
The driver says " Damn ! I'm absolutely stuck without my car."
The bodyshop man replies " If you'd taken a second to look properly before pulling out you wouldn't have 3 weeks without your car."
Video ends with car driver getting soaked in the rain at a crowded bus stop as the bodyshop man passes on his scooter.

Posted: 06/03/2012 at 17:56

Nice advert though hardly new - it's been around for at least a couple of years, maybe more..

Posted: 06/03/2012 at 22:44

Talkback: New advert urges drivers to Think Biker!