One recent ad, which was created as part of a safety campaign by Cycling Scotland was banned from being broadcasted.
The idea behind safety promos is well intended, however that’s not always how it comes across. Take one recent ad, which was created as part of a campaign by Cycling Scotland.
Its purpose was to encourage motorists to give way and be cautious when sharing the road with bicyclists. The problem was that a cyclist in the commercial was not wearing a helmet, hence the all around safety aspect wasn’t quite there.
According to the Advertising Standards Authority, the commercial shouldn’t be shown on TV, as they referred to the shown rider’s obvious lack of helmet as “socially irresponsible".
Cycling Scotland countered that statement, saying there is no official law in the country pertaining to bicyclists wearing helmets. It was further elaborated that in the UK, helmet wearing all boils down to personal preference. That was something reflected in the ad, as other cyclists were showcased wearing them.
In the end Advertising Standards Authority, or ADA for short, decided to ban the commercial from being broadcasted because helmets are recommended to prevent injuries.
The ADA cited another safety issue that appeared in the advert, where a cyclist was featured riding too far from the curb
