Safe Speed Forums

I admit to some despair over this letter.

North Yorks apparently refused to allow the ToN on their patch. The CW reader accuses N Yorks of having "zero-tolerance to cyclists" and accuses them of the same acrimony "as displayed to Dan Cadden"

Look - they assessed their budget and resources here. Probably they could no more afford this that Durham at the time. It costs us to police these events after all

This reader accuses police, insurers and even the DSA of "playing into the motorists' hands"
Errrr! ALL the cycling rags claimed victory over the CTC's mere 11K votes to remove certain items such as MUST use cycle lanes to SHOUL use - which has been the case in each edition - including the "new" one I cannot be expected to enforce one set of rules against one section of society and let off the otehr "just because they happen to be walking or riding a bicycle" at the time a poice officer apprehends on suspicion of some "misdenour"



Err.. The computer

But we have so many laws passed these days that even I as a serving police officer of many years now have hard questions to ask of my employer - ie the GOVERNMENT as elected bny my REAL employer - the PUBLIC at large .. only the vibes I get are that the public I am supposed to be serving and protecting are not that happy with these laws and we apply discretion and judgement when faced with crass stupidity here

Besides - I suspect industry - including that manufacturing our very nice bikes, gel saddles, lycra gear.. lights .. tyres. and the delivery vans .. asll - er pollute

As for the comment that we police football matches. Er.. there's a history of violence at these events. We have a moral obligation - regardless of the subsidy which the clubs pay us in recognition of our presence and a job and intelligence as to containing known thugs.

Both Durham and N Yorks had to think hard about resources to police a rolliing road block and the impact on those living here on the dates and proposed routes in question on those dates.


As it happened - the ToB went swminngly well and covered the same tried and tested areas. Our terrain was not exactly suitable for this event and N Yorks considered the planned route ovder the Dales - narrow roads - was just not feasable in reality.



Um.. police prosecute all who seriously offend and the judges sentence according to the Bench and Statute Book Does not matter how they are travelling at the time either

But the route planned for the TOB through N Yorks? N Yorks could not deliver in strict accordance to the law on the police/health safety requirements in terms of the planned route and they had no alternative but to refuse this. The ToB planned a contingency challenging route and it all panned out very smoothly indeed and praise is due to the route planners and the liaison with the police and councils involved here.

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

In surrey - we regularly see on road cycle races. sometimes well run, sometimes not. I've even had 'marshals' step out on an NSL road to stop traffic to allow cyclists to cross en mass. Surrey police actually made arrests last year for causing obstruction. according to my contact they cause a lot of problems and the police have limited powers to prevent on road cycles races.

Per CW - Surrey Road Racing Polices its own events

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

But CW claims that cycling as a sport requires policing on the cheap/

Part of this is because we do not accept "marshals" per British Cycling in CW

Costs for poloce staff and security cover has escalated to £25K projected onto the London Lumpits (as Wildy now calls it after reading of the VIP lanes .. ) BC is complaining that costs for the TOB have risen from £3k to £10.5 K for next year..

But.. the TOB is now getting bigger and better and longer. Costs will rise accordingly here.

Oh sure - we charge for football and tennis. But why the hell should Joe Public have to pay for these events when the opportuity cost to them as TAX payers mean our limited resources are applied to ensure orderliness and safety at sporting events here? They pay enough already here. The sponsors of these events are paid enough to cover the cost of the local police force in any case It's business and the promoters are in it to win it after all. They have budgeted for the security/health/safety costs after all .. surely Just like the football clubs.. Wimbledon and any other LTA event



Doughnuts surely

But these are commercial with commerical backing and 50% can be charged for non-comercials - but this cost is covered by the initial entry fee in any case.. I pay this when I do the charity rides and I know that this funds "admin/elf and safety/police" and that what my sponsors pledge goes straight to the charity here.

Yes I know cycling can help promote well being - biut I also get that glowing feeling from playing golf, tennis, jogging around and kicking the odd football . I cannot thus sat "cycling " is special case on that basis - sorry CW' Keith Bingham


As for the claim to solve "traffic problems". I should really get my cousin - Krissi to upload her video of her ride in Beijing. That looked like hell to me - and both Krissi and her husband Mike said they'd never want to rid in such conditions again - ta very much.

Any crowd will cause congestion and crush. We have evidence of human crush at various sports stadia over the years after all. We cannot then claim cycling will resolve congestion when you only have to look at the footpaths in city centres to know that congestion and crowding is not just a motoring issue but a wider issue for all of society here.

We then have to look at how we plan our towns/work and lives in reality.

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.