With truck issues back in the public mind again, I was wondering whether this would be a good opportunity to organize an event similar to what was held in Minneapolis?
*Behind the Big Wheels*
During the 2011 Fall Bike Walk Week, the Public Works Department partnered with the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, Minneapolis Public Schools, Metro Transit and the Minnesota Trucking Association to hold the first-ever Behind the Big Wheels safety event.
The event was an opportunity for bicyclists and pedestrians to get behind the wheel of a full-sized semi truck, a Metro Transit bus and a school bus to better understand the visibility and blind spot difficulties that large vehicles frequently have. Public Works also created an educational brochure for drivers and bicyclists on this issue and created a presentation for drivers of commercial vehicles. This event was created in response to several fatal bicycle crashes in recent years involving large commercial vehicles making turns. The Bicycle Advisory Committee is interested in making Behind the Big Wheels a regular event and moving it around the city for more residents to see.
-Jonathan