CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 16years old!
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POLICE have admitted they have not fined any drivers for blocking boxes designed for cyclists at traffic lights despite launching a crackdown against such offences.
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http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/police-fail-on-fines-for-blocking-cycle-zones-1-3348710
Yes been following this on Facebook.
No surprises there then. Under the leadership of the SNP, Scotland remains a country where the consequences of motorists behaviour are only taken seriously if they affect other motorists.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Police Scotland’s two-week city centre road safety initiative during November primarily aimed to educate road users.
“Over the course of the two weeks, more than 300 motorists and cyclists were spoken to or given warnings, including for motorists stopping or creeping into the advanced cyclist boxes.
“This remains an offence and drivers will be given a £100 fixed penalty notice and three points on their licence.”
Thanks to FoI we know they won't. Liar.
Well done FOI guy!
I would imagine the police could set up a camera and film cars encroaching. Plenty of blatant encroaches. Repeat offenders could be followed from one ASL to next in unmarked car.
Does sound like they would need to devote a lot of staff time to this.
My understanding is that there are some circumstances where vehicles can encroach, but you see plenty of drivers doing it when the light is already at red. Also I have never been sure about status of motorcycles?
"Does sound like they would need to devote a lot of staff time to this."
Or any...
I'm afraid it highlights a culture where the police institutionally disregard 'lawbreakers like us'. As has been mentioned on here before one reason they are (probably) reluctant is the three points.
On one hand this demonstrates the lawmakers view of the importance of road safety on the other, the police (appear to) side with 'ordinary motorists' who think it's trivial - with little chance of any sanction!
"Also I have never been sure about status of motorcycles?"
Not allowed in ASL boxes - like all other motor vehicles.
Why is the penalty fixed like that when penalties for killing or hurting people are so movable? Eg. -"we could jail you and take your licence away for ever but we are just going to let you off with a fine and a couple of points on your licence. Does that take you over 12 points? Well never mind, you can keep driving anyway".
I can't say I'm surprised by the lack of enforcement on ASLs. Far apart from the lack of any actual enforcement issuing 300 warning in the space of 2 weeks during a major campaign smacks of Gregs Doughnut sales spiking during the same time.
Assuming one Bobby was working on the "Campaign" for 35 hours a week that makes a grand total of 4.3 warnings an hour which seems reasonable. However as they billed this as a campaign I would expect several teams to be involved covering longer periods in the day so I'm left wondering how much paperwork they had to file for each warning.
Could I claim that the sun was in my eyes and get left off with encroaching? Seems to work every time a cyclist is killed by a vehicle anyway?
It would only take 1 police officer to cycle around the streets of Edinburgh, every day, slapping £100 (and more importantly 3 points) on every encroach, and the problem would be gone overnight.
A police officer in a car or on foot would have no chance of catching anyone. The way to catch them is to sneak up behind on a bike.
"The way to catch them is to sneak up behind on a bike"
Probably, this is still the 'I was there when the lights changed' issue.
It is legal to be in ASL in that circumstance.
(Not that that covers most of them!)
Of course nabbing people 'in the act' would cause havoc with traffic flow...
I wonder if one velocipolis (plus hat-cam-footage) would be considered an adequately forensic source of evidence if anyone contested their punishment...
It would only take 1 police officer to cycle around the streets of Edinburgh, every day, slapping £100 (and more importantly 3 points) on every encroach
Or police could do it in their spare time. Let them keep half the money.
Got a spare hour and fancy an extra £400 in your pay packet? Just go down to the junction of London Road and Marionville Road. That'll do it...
I see we have a new(?) EEN anti-cyclist keyboard warrior in "MalmoJoeFiPortobello (caps are all his):
"I REALLY HATE CYCLISTS (AND I USED TO BE ONE) WHY SHOULD THEY OWN PARTS OF ROADS THAT WE CAR DRIVERS PAY TAX FOR?
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY GIVE A SH*T WHEN THEY ARE SCRAPING THEIR HANDEL BARS ALONG THE SIDE OF YOUR CAR WHEN WEAVING THROUGH TRAFFIC AND RED LIGHTS!!! WHILST LISTENING TO MUSIC ON THEIR IPHONES ON THE ROAD WHEN THERE IS A CYCLE LANE THERE FOR THEM TO USE!
SURE I'LL PAY FOR ROAD TAX AND FOR A NEW PAINT JOB EACH YEAR, CYCLISTS SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED IN CYCLE LANES IF A PEDESTRIAN RUNS ALONG THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND GETS HIT BY A CAR IT'S THEIR FAULT BUT IF A CYCLIST GETS HIT WHILST ACTING AN IDIOT IT'S THE DRIVERS FAULT.
MAKE THEM PAY TAX THEN THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN CYCLE PATHS."
Laughable and worrying at the same time. Some of these muppets are all mouth but it only takes one who transfers what they say into their actions on the road.
absolutely, Focus
when punishment passing becomes a clip and oh he's gone down
which then becomes a not proven in the court, if it goes to court at all
sickening
Hmm, almost goes without saying that focus MalmoJoeFiPortobello used to be a person on a bike rather than a cyclist. I suspect when he/she/it refers to scraping cars paint work it's a confession rather than an accusation.
I like his last point though. "MAKE THEM PAY TAX THEN THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN CYCLE PATHS."
He clearly agrees that us tax paying (and VED paying) cyclist deserve better when it comes to putting cycle paths on every road.
Well I already pay tax. Where are my cycle paths? >:-(
@ acsimpson
"Hmm, almost goes without saying that focus used to be a person on a bike rather than a cyclist."
I'm very much a cyclist rather than a person on a bike. I think you meant "MJFP" ;-) And I totally agree.
"I'm very much a cyclist rather than a person on a bike."
SHOTS FIRED! (kidding) :)
@edd1e_h
Totally agree, except police officers would have to be in plain clothes ( in this instance AKA cycling gear) Drivers behave better around uniformed police on bikes.
@Focus, yes you're totally right, I've corrected my post.
not to mention that I've seen the police encroaching on ASL's. If even they don't care there really isn't any chance that anyone else will.
The Police also park on the pavement on occasions so it's little wonder that goes unpunished too.
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