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"The contentious issue of cyclists"

(19 posts)

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    On one morning of the operation, ten motorists were dealt with for speeding offences, one was issued a notice under the Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme for a defective exhaust, and a Public Order warning was given to an angry motorist for swearing. On the same morning, 100 cyclists were stopped for cycling on the pavement. Of those stopped, officers used their discretion: some received warnings. However 59 received £50 fixed penalty notices, issued for cycling on the pavement.

    "

    http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/latest-news/the-contentious-issue-of-cyclists-1-6188201

    100 in one day - in Spalding??

    Posted 10 years ago #

  2. Instography
    Member

    Only 10 speeding, although I'm guessing that officers used lots of discretion to only ticket people exceeding the limit by some margin. Maybe those over 40mph.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  3. stiltskin
    Member

    Hmmm. I really think this is one of those statements which needs a context in order to draw the correct conclusion.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    From the comments -

    "

    Want to see some absolutely atrocious cyclists, go and sit outside any of the big factories in Spalding at 5.30 in the morning.

    "

    Maybe there are LOTS of cyclists in Spalding! (It is flat.)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  5. Kenny
    Member

    This is regardless of road-tax

    ffs.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  6. Scoosh
    Member

    Some of the idiots want their bikes cars confiscating and crushing and banning from ever owning another one.
    FTFThem

    Posted 10 years ago #

  7. wingpig
    Member

    Pancakes down that way. Fens, you see. Sometimes windy, though.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  8. gkgk
    Member

    You guys are pretty widely read!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    We like people reading CCE...

    Posted 10 years ago #

  10. Min
    Member

    It is a shame Brasseye isn't still going. Although on the other hand, even they might find some of this stuff difficult to parody.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  11. gibbo
    Member

    100 in one day - in Spalding??

    It does seem an extraordinary number.

    It's also an incredibly round number - which makes me believe it was probably made up. (Unless it was a case of "once we've seen 100, we get to knock off".)

    Posted 10 years ago #

  12. Colonies_Chris
    Member

    Perhaps all on one single stretch of pavement that's a shortcut for cycle commuters, or avoids a dangerous junction? This kind of figure strongly suggests that's what's needed is infrastructure improvement to eliminate the problem, not law enforcement.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  13. gembo
    Member

    Maybe there was a worm hole and the police went back to 1950 and diverted all the workers cycling to the Spalding Golf Club / Golf ball factory on to the pavement and then knicked them? Maybe they knicked any child cycling to school on the pavement? Now I am going to have to google the population of effing Spalding. 28,872

    Posted 10 years ago #

  14. wingpig
    Member

    Maybe it was the 'same morning' as in "always a Wednesday, with results sampled weekly over two months and added together".

    Posted 10 years ago #

  15. Instography
    Member

    To be fair, he gets the point about infrastructure. He says:

    "It’s my experience that most community problems can be resolved by addressing three key areas: environment, education and enforcement.

    In the case of illegal or improper cycling, environment is about getting the cycle routes in the right place and clearly marked."

    Posted 10 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    "To be fair"

    IF the suggestion/explanation above is correct - cycling on 'known' bit of pavement (perhaps) avoiding a dangerous bit of road' - it would be 'fair' to stop them, count them and point out the problem to the local council.

    BUT no so sure that fining so many is fair(?)

    As this article was by the policeman it can't be a case of 'journalist misunderstood/made it up'!

    Posted 10 years ago #

  17. Instography
    Member

    Sure. As I read it, his argument seems to go like this - he understands the need for infrastructure but he doesn't do infrastructure. They do a bit of education and try to deal with problems with discretion and diversions from punishment. But under pressure from communities about a common problem illegality, they sometimes have to respond with enforcement.

    There are many notions of fairness in the article - the balance of risks faced by pedestrians and cyclists and by cyclists and drivers, the equality of his loathing, the volume of cyclist v driver enforcement, the clear application of discretion at when to enforce, the levels of fines given relative to the risks created.

    But Colonies_Chris says "This kind of figure strongly suggests that's what's needed is infrastructure improvement to eliminate the problem, not law enforcement." He gets that.

    Posted 10 years ago #

  18. chdot
    Admin

    Though reading the comments, seems Spalding has other issues too...

    "

    Completely agree with you Jim. You have to send out messages to the cyclists in this community that pavement cycling is not allowed ( unless on cycleways of course ).

    The hardest part of all of this is the same as the street drinkers issue. And that is trying to be everywhere to see so many offences that do happen daily. I would like to see ALL anti social people caught, spoken to, and dealt with where appropriate. Until the day comes where we have more resources we just have to put up with it.

    "

    Posted 10 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    I've sent the editor an email -

    "

    The article by the Inspector has led to a few comments on our forum!

    It seems he has identified 'infrastructure issues' (as has one of the commenters on your site about paths and pavements near a factory).

    Perhaps you could ask the council what it intends to do to remove 'anomalies' and improve conditions for cyclists AND (in turn) pedestrians.

    "

    Posted 10 years ago #

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