A cyclist is launching a online campaign to improve safety on the roads.
Paul Johnson, 44, from Macclesfield, has launched the campaign called Beyond A Cyclist, which aims to change the mindset of motorists to think of cyclists as more than just people in lycra delaying their journey.
He has written a blog post which was which was shared widely on social media, including by Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey.
Paul, who lives on Ecton Avenue, said: “Cyclists are not just that anonymous thing in lycra who slows you down or gets in the way.
“We are normal everyday people.
“The idea of Beyond A Cyclist is to make a connection between the person you see on the bike and their real life.
“I am trying to build bridges with drivers, to create empathy towards cyclists.
“I want them to realise that a few moments’ delay is worth saving a life for.”
Paul is appealing to cyclists from all over the country to join the campaign by sending ‘selfie videos’ portraying them as everyday people in their place of work, with their loved ones, perhaps at the voluntary organisation they work with.
He then hopes to combine those videos into a powerful film.
He said: “I’ve spoken to a lot of cyclists, including former professionals, and the reaction is the same: history keeps repeating itself, it’s time to do something.
“I am hoping that the cycling community will get behind the campaign and share it globally.
“We can all make a massive difference by changing the way motorists see cyclists and reduce the number of fatalities.
Paul lives with his wife Kathryn and daughter Amy, eight, and works as a director of a digital agency.
“He is an outdoor enthusiast who took up cycling three years ago.
Visit medium.com/@pdjohnson .
