http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Cyclists exceeding 20mph speed limit labelled "anti-social" (Cambridge) en Mon, 18 May 2026 22:59:57 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131538 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 10:00:18 +0000 fimm 131538@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Because those of us who observe speed limits while driving use our speedometers to help us do so, the speedo will always read under the actual speed - the things are not perfectly accurate and you don't want people getting off speeding charges by claiming that they were within the speed limit according to the speedometer.</p> <p>I bet the police person was passed by one cyclist doing more than 20 once. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131528 Wed, 06 Nov 2013 00:50:40 +0000 Snowy 131528@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Speedometers are pretty inaccurate, certainly on cars (HGVs, public transport etc maybe have better standards of accuracy). I think they are manufactured to read from +0% to +10% of 'actual' speed. Can't recall where I read that though so it may be rubbish.<br /> However, when I sampled my own constant speed on a long drive to the far north, with a Garmin Etrex, I did find my own car's speedo over-states my speed by about 7% compared with GPS speed.</p> <p>When you're talking about 20mph, it's not much difference, max 2mph, ...and in theory works in the favour of making the driver slower (they stick to '20mph' but are in fact doing 18 or 19).<br /> But I wonder if there is a pernicious reverse-psychology at work here - 'all speedos overread by 10% so I'm not really speeding very much'.</p> <p>Anyway, the average 'hard pressed motorist' could do with a few lessons in what bonkers acceleration does to their fuel economy. Not all that hard-pressed, judging by a lot of the driving I see... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131519 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 20:13:01 +0000 Focus 131519@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm not going to defend the commissioner because yes, he does look to be targeting for votes. I was only interested in the concept of obeying speed limits, and I don't change my opinion on that.</p> <p>Interesting to note on the September article: "<em>One thousand cyclists riding without lights were stopped by police in the blitz but 850 bought lights as offenders get a chance to avoid paying up under a new Cambridgeshire police campaign, Lights Instead of Tickets (LIT).</p> <p>Riders are given seven days to buy lights and fix them to their bike – and have their £30 fixed penalty notice scrapped.</em>", as was discussed here recently.</p> <p>As I say, the only action to take is pulling a rider over and having a word unless they are demonstrably acting dangerously, in which case there are already laws to cover that.</p> <p>Here's an idea... <strong>Maybe <em>all</em> motor vehicles (not just police cars) should have an LED display on the rear, indicating their current speed!</strong> No excuses then for anybody getting off a ticket or for speeding when others in front are doing it!!! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131518 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 20:03:07 +0000 crowriver 131518@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In that case definitely nothing to see. Grandstanding politico bashes cyclists: yeah, tell me something I ain't heard before! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131517 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:30:39 +0000 Roibeard 131517@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>He has form, alongside the local chipwrapper...</p> <p><a href="http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/Police-chief-calls-for-crackdown-on-danger-cyclists-31122012.htm">December 2012</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/Crackdown-on-rogue-Cambridge-cyclists-announced-by-crime-commissioner-20130921060115.htm">September 2013</a></p> <p>He's not a police officer, he's an <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19511791">elected politician</a>, ensuring that he gets re-elected by popularist rants.</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131516 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:26:32 +0000 Dave 131516@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm amazed that they have enough drivers sticking to 20mph to be overtaken!</p> <p>When I drive along West Saville Terrace the cars in front of me inevitably disappear like stones dropped down a well, while my needle is pegged to 20mph... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131515 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:14:43 +0000 crowriver 131515@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>How do you know the hypothetical police car is being driven at 20mph though? Mobile bike mounted radar gun?</p> <p>This is just a petrolhead (who happens to be a senior police officer) having a rant about cyclists overtaking him in his motor. Nothing to see here, move along now. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131512 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 18:50:22 +0000 rust 131512@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The only way a cyclist could currently be caught doing that would be by overtaking a police car doing 20mph.</p> <p>And in my personal opinion anyone dumb enough to overtake a police car while speeding should have the book thrown at them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11552#post-131510 Tue, 05 Nov 2013 18:27:19 +0000 Focus 131510@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/cyclists-exceeding-20mph-speed-limit-labelled-anti-social--38923/?CPN=RSS&amp;SOURCE=BRROADNEWS">Cyclists exceeding 20mph speed limit labelled "anti-social"</a></p> <p>"<em>A city crime commissioner has identified a new trend of cyclists breaching the 20mph car speed limit – a law intended to protect vulnerable road users such as cyclists. </p> <p>Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner Sir Graham Bright told Radio Cambridge: "Now we've got a new issue. Now that we've got a 20mph limit in the city, it's more than possible. I've seen it myself, by driving at 20, you get cyclists overtaking you."</p> <p>Currently UK speed limits apply to motor vehicles only – with a couple of exceptions – and mean cyclists can't be punished for breaching the limit. However numerous cities around the UK are introducing widespread 20mph zones, meaning the phenomenon of cyclists overtaking cars could spread</em>. "</p> <p>(More at above link).<br /> I agree with the first comment: "<em>Hmmm, plenty of 20 limits round here, I stick to them whether I'm on the bike or in the car. Who's travelling a meaningful distance through town at more than 20 on a bike anyway, easy enough to back off for a bit isn't it?</em>"</p> <p>It's really about time that speed limit signs <em>did</em> apply to cyclists too, with the proviso that unless they could be charged under existing legislation, they would only be given a verbal warning for clearly exceeding the limit seeing as we don't have calibrated speedos the way motor vehicles have. I don't think it would be appropriate to fine someone because they have a speedo or GPS fitted as they an easily give out spurious readings at tmes and so could mislead a rider as to their actual pace.</p> <p>But if a bike passes vehicles who are clearly observing a 20 zone, I have no problem with them being pulled over for a polite word or two. I observe speed limits because it's the sensible thing to do, otherwise I'd feel like one of those drivers who says it's ok to speed at night because the road is (supposedly) empty. </p>