weepej wrote:
In Gear wrote:
I fear it's inevitable that Nanny will start legislating ..

Possibly.
I think the dangers are greatly over egged, and people on cycles are massively over demonised by people who don't like to see cyclists 'getting away with it', because they are not getting the same 'treatment' as car drivers.
I'd go so far to say its simply jealousy.

Everyone gets the same treatment here.. we do things the "quaint twee way" by using human beings. Oh sure we do use photos .. but the police take them and are fully visible when they do so.

We also offer the same discretion and apply the same professional judgement to all and usually we like to use a punishment as good parents do .. as the "last resort"

when the ticking off and stern waggy fingers fail.

If we do tick off - you will remember it for a while though
But when one man ended up very dead in another patch.. and we had an old lady with a broken hip after a different incident here - then you cannot say the dangers of people cycling very fast on pavements (especially when the CTC say they want to be "an accpeted and equal part of the normal road traffic" is over -egged. A seasoned road-biker can get up to some speed on a modern machine after all. I know .. I have

.. on the road .. where I should be of course ./..
Quote:
I don't cycle through red lights on on pavements myself, but spending millions on a cycle and cyclist registrations scheme so people that choose to can be traced is a little overkill IMO, especially when the real (and present) danger to people is motorised vehicles going through red lights at speed.
Nope.. they don't.
We cop relatively few on red lights compared to other offences. Might be just this patch.
You should never speed to "beat a traffic light" Green does NOT mean GO or the right to go by the way.
It means you MAY go IF it is safe for and clear you to do so.
Amber means STOP .. but if you are passing the post or very close to the lights when it changes .. you may proceed as to do otherwise could cause an accident.
RED means

STOP! Absolutely and you approach lights with caution and should never speed up to "beat them"

We do have words if and when we see this. Word gets out and could be why we are now seeing a little less nonsense here now,
Quote:
A cyclist might approach a red light, check the scene out and pootle through it; vehicle drivers are more likely to see it going red and whack their foot down, shut their eyes and hope for the best.
I do not tend to see many drivers putting their foot down if the lights are already on red. I have seen then go through on red as it changes amber to red. If the lights are stuck.. then they can and do go through .. but ideally they should contact the local Highways Agency or the civil non emergency line to the police and we will come to direct the traffic
Red means stop and given traffic will be flowing through on green - you may find insurers will refuse to pay up the compo if you deliberately go through and are hit even though "green only means you have the right to proceed if safe to do so" since red signal means STOP absolutely and without discretion.
We do all who break this law. Discretion on this is NEVER allowed here.
Quote:
As for cycling on pavements, again, I don't do it myself, but don't have a problem with cyclists dawdling along a pavement, indeed there are shared pavements and i don't see many yellow boards up on them where a cyclist has killed a family of four. Cyclists and peds happily co-mingle on many shared pavements I use.
A shared path is different. It is wide and there is a dividing paint line as well. Both expect to be sharing the path too.
But pavements with no sign for cyclists means Highway Code Rule 64 and supported by STATUTE Law. It is jhust as valid a LAW as the LOLLY!

and as such we WILL and DO PROSECUTE for this here.

Still think we are soft up 'ere?

Just cos we only have one speed cam and our guv does not buy into the hype over 'em

Think again.. we really are quite

ly
Quote:
However, if I see a cyclist on a pavement with a real "get out of my way attitude" I will generally do the opposite.
The Mad Doc had a nasty scar when he was shoved out of the way.
But as more cycle and more complain of loutish behaviour .. Nanny will take action. She usually does and besides that .. there's cash to be made from it too./..
It is inevitable really. Perhaps you'd better join the rebels after all
