CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Police Crackdown - New EEN article
(175 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Officers will be on cycle patrol in locations throughout the city centre, particularly at busy times of the day where traffic is at a peak.
This I applaud.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Pc Stephen Kirk, from Police Scotland, said “ignorance will be no excuse”
then later in the same article:
“We also have issues with drivers in cycling boxes at traffic lights. Technically that is an offence on the same lines as going through a red light."
There's nothing technical about it, it is the exact same offence*. I despair...
“There are a lot of things that people that use the roads don’t know. The idea is to point it out and explain it is an offence and give them a warning or, in particular cases, give them a ticket."
Ah, so ignorance will be an excuse after all...
* unless you perform the miraculous in a vehicle and pass the 1st stop line while it's amber, and then see it turn red, react and manage to stop before the 2nd line. Good luck with that.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I wish they spent some time at Roseburn junction. At every single lights change - two or three drivers will accelerate through amber or red to turn right into Roseburn Street. This morning, setting off through the green light at Roseburn Street to turn into West Coates I had to stop after ten yards to let two cars complete their turn.
In contrast, in all my years going through that junction, I've only ever seen a single cyclist go through a red.
Posted 11 years ago # -
* unless you perform the miraculous in a vehicle and pass the 1st stop line while it's amber, and then see it turn red, react and manage to stop before the 2nd line. Good luck with that.
Or have entered the box on green and have been unable to exit by the time the light goes red. Both are perfectly possible (no miracles required - unless you need some evidence of intercession for the next patron saint of traffic lights) in slow moving/queued traffic.
Posted 11 years ago # -
It says they'll be advising on wearing luminous clothing. Didn't know that was available. Do recall there's a luminous On-One bike.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Agree with Firedog about that junction at Roseburn. I see it every time I'm cycling home; on Thursday it was a CityLink coach that came steaming through a light that'd been red for 4 or 5 seconds. We were already on green and moving, after having waited on green to let the usual amber-gamblers and their tailgaters through.
(Then again, having been on a CityLink coach to Glasgow in the summer which failed to stop at almost every red light on the way out of Edinburgh, it was no surprise. They obviously have such strict timetables that traffic lights are optional).
Posted 11 years ago # -
A bit of talk about telling cyclists to equip lights, but no mention of all the drivers going about with inadequate lights.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Had an NHS bus blast through red toucan on Melville drive late thus morning, only to have to stop behind traffic at pelican a few metres further on.
Posted 11 years ago # -
"NHS bus"
Yellow one?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Ah, so ignorance will be an excuse after all...
Sounds like it. Two weeks of warnings followed by SFA actual change. A bit like the crackdown on cars using ASLs earlier this year.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Having said that, I'm glad they're doing this.
It would be better if it was a consistent thing, rather than a temporary enforcement, followed by months of turning a blind eye.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Will they crack down on speeding in 20mph zones?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Officers on bikes will focus on notorious hot spots such as Haymarket.
Nothing to do then with a certain petition from a Conservative activist/shop owner in the local area, which secured promises to "look into" the issue from Councillors?
Posted 11 years ago # -
They are remembering that as it's a Core Path, riding on the pavement is not banned by the usual roads act stuff on the way past Haymarket? IANAL etc...
Posted 11 years ago # -
On the other hand:
The latest crackdown comes after we revealed the number of drivers caught committing motoring offences in the Capital has nearly doubled since Police Scotland was formed.
Almost four times as many speeding motorists and twice as many careless drivers have been snared since April – when Lothian and Borders Police was disbanded – and June, compared with the same period last year.
Which has to be good news!
Posted 11 years ago # -
@chdot yes. E&m horsburgh. Couldn't recall the name when posting.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Dave Said They are remembering that as it's a Core Path, riding on the pavement is not banned by the usual roads act stuff on the way past Haymarket? IANAL etc...
Anyone got a link to the legislation so I could site it if stopped? I cycle to Fife and its mosty paths, off the road.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@chdot yes. E&m horsburgh. Couldn't recall the name when posting.
These break down so often, the driver was probably just trying to keep moving while they still could..
Posted 11 years ago # -
Section 7(1) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 allows cyclists to ride along a core path, even where this right would normally be restricted by other legislation.
Section 2 of this Act is clear that "A person has access rights only if they are exercised responsibly." I wouldn't rely on a route being a core path to cycle along a pavement in central Edinburgh - as it is questionable whether that is responsible.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@SRD - doesn't surprise me...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Section 2 of this Act is clear that "A person has access rights only if they are exercised responsibly." I wouldn't rely on a route being a core path to cycle along a pavement in central Edinburgh - as it is questionable whether that is responsible.
But it may well be 'in the sticks', where pedestrian conflict is at a minimum. I'm thinking pavements which run along side fast moving roads that haven't been designated as cycle/shared paths.
I'm not sure plod would actually stop people in such circumstances but if they did, maybe would give some defence?Ah, DaveC got in there before me...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Will they crack down on speeding in 20mph zones?
This.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@threefromleith Citylink coaches are the one vehicle-type that really irritates/terrifies/intimidates me on York Place - they bomb along there at a speed that if it isn't in excess of 30mph is bang on it. That sort of driving might work on motorways, but it's downright dangerous, inconsiderate and rude in town.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Section 2 of this Act is clear that "A person has access rights only if they are exercised responsibly." I wouldn't rely on a route being a core path to cycle along a pavement in central Edinburgh - as it is questionable whether that is responsible.
True, however the offence would be a different one to the one on the fixed price ticket. I'm not even sure what it would be - "failure to exercise access rights you possess in a responsible manner" is completely different to the fixed ticket for riding on a pavement where that is not allowed.
Certainly it's not one of the offences which can be dealt with by ticket. Given the ongoing ambulance trips around Haymarket I should think it would be worth a go on the balance of responsibilities...
Posted 11 years ago # -
That sort of driving might work on motorways, but it's downright dangerous, inconsiderate and rude in town.
If I could face a bus trip to Glasgow (and I can't), it would be worth some GPS logging of their in-town speeds.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm never sure if they are obeying the speed limits and their size makes them seem to be going faster and more dangerous than others. However, they certainly aren't schooled in the usual "expect the unexpected" way of professional/advanced drivers. If a child ran out in front them they'd be squished. The stopping distance of a coach at 30mph must be considerable.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Dave
Quite a few city centre streets on Core Path map -
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/3007/core_path_plan_map
Posted 11 years ago # -
Never let whole truth get in the way of a good story -
Posted 11 years ago # -
So cops are going to pull people in when they are not doing anything illegal?
Posted 11 years ago #
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