Boris, you're killing me...

Bumbling Boris has struck again. This time (in a speech this afternoon) he is expected to ask people to be careful of the language they use when campaigning for safer cycling.

An example of the Mayor's excellent approach to cycle safety...

...and another

When I first heard about this I thought, well yes, fair enough. Mind your p's and q's, and no f's and c's. But I think, in hindsight, it is a reference to the group 'Stop Killing Cyclists' which staged the TfL Die-In.

Whilst I appreciate his concern suggesting that 'Stop Killing Cyclists' might not be the best slogan to get people onto London roads, I think it's pure scapegoating. The name used for campaign groups isn't scaring people away from cycling; the 14 people who've died and the countless others who have been injured whilst cycling in the Capital might have something to do with it.

Seriously, if he spent a little less time questioning the syntax of the campaign groups and a little more time questioning people on the street, he might find a different answer. Words can have a detrimental effect, I'm not doubting, but I doubt many people actually know the group behind the Die-In and the Vauxhall protest this week.

This was confirmed when LBC radio got Donnachadh McCarthy on it's phone in this morning to speak about Boris' comments. They were aware of the Tfl Die-In, but not aware of his involvement with the group 'Stop Killing Cyclists' or even the group itself. The Die-In was bigger than the names of the campaigners, and the dying is a bigger than us all.

Sort yourself out Boris, and while you're at it, sort out our roads...