CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Cyclists the flout the law

(11 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by Scotland's Worst Drivers
  • Latest reply from Nelly

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  1. Scotland's Worst Drivers
    Member

    The account below was emailed in by a pedestrian.

    "I was knocked down by a rogue cyclist on the pavement on Grove Street yesterday Sunday 28th December 2014.

    "He was going the wrong way too, heading from Morrison Street direction to Fountainbridge.

    "As he hit in to me, I went flying and he shouted, "Get out of my f**king way".

    "I fell, and as I fell, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder, I put that down to falling hard on a slab.

    "I later went to hospital and I was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in my shoulder blade.

    "I discussed the incident with Police at the hospital, and they told me that since they have no way to identify the cyclist, it would not be possible to track him down.

    "All I could tell them was the cyclist was white, dark hair with a dark jacket on, on a dark framed bike."

    I don't want you thinking we are tarring every cyclist with the same brush by publishing this, but its the minority that gives law abiding cyclists a bad name.

    How should these cyclists be punished?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. Arellcat
    Moderator

    The fact that the person A who injured person B was on a bike and on the footway really makes no difference. Of course bikes should not be on the footway.

    But if person A had instead been someone wearing a dark hoodie and dark trainers, running along the footway at top speed, and caused the same injury to person B, how would you report the individual and suppose to catch him? You'd appeal for witnesses and perhaps check CCTV, and there'd be calls for people to run on the road, not the footway.

    <gripe>
    This is the same SWD/EWD, is it not, who once included a photograph of a red torpedo, which was in fact waiting in line in a queue of stationary traffic, and also by not being powered by infernal combustion was as far removed from the description as possible.
    </gripe>

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. Smudge
    Member

    "I don't want you thinking we are tarring every cyclist with the same brush by publishing this, but its the minority that gives law abiding cyclists a bad name.

    How should these cyclists be punished? "

    Sorry this reads like a trawl for quotes, or to be more honest, a troll. I would however be delighted to be proven wrong...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. Morningsider
    Member

    Generally, anyone cycling on a footway or footpath in Scotland is committing an offence under the provisions of Section 129(5) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. The investigation (and normally also the enforcement) of cycling offences is a matter for Police Scotland.

    The police generally issue fixed penalty notices for most cycling offences, which require the payment of a £30 fine. However, someone found guilty of cycling on the pavement, on summary conviction, could be liable for a fine of up to £500.

    In summary:

    Cycling on the pavement is an offence
    The police are responsible for investigating reports of pavement cycling
    There are established penalties for this offence

    I don't really see how it could be any other way.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. neddie
    Member

    The story sounds made up to me. It is almost impossible to fracture your shoulder blade. It is a very strong bone indeed. The collar bone is far weaker and would most likely be broken in any fall. (Normally the shoulder blade smashes into the collar bone and breaks it instead.)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. minus six
    Member

    To my mind, a cyclist is someone who primarily cycles on the road, give or take the occasional infraction.

    The guy on the bike in this story sounds more like someone who routinely uses a bike on the pavement, and wouldn't dream of using the road, ever.

    We all see them. They lack any confidence to use the road. Their saddle is usually far too low. They are often in the wrong gear ring, pedalling like billy-o. The pavement is convenient for their haphazard riding style.

    Somewhere along the way, the guy on the bike has forgotten he has no right to use the pavement in this manner.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. Instography
    Member

    If you were going to make up a story would you choose to break a supposedly unbreakable bone or would you go for a more probable and therefore more plausible injury? While it's true that the scapula is rarely broken, a brief consultation with Dr Wiki confirms that where breakages occur:

    High-speed vehicle accidents are the most common cause. This could be anywhere from a car accident, motorcycle crash, or high speed bicycle crash but falls and blows to the area can also be responsible for the injury.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. condor2378
    Member

    <sarcasm> Maybe the sun was in his eyes and he couldn't see the guy on the pavement? Seems a valid excuse for car drivers killing cyclists. </sarcasm>

    But still, pavement cycling is an offence so basically what Morningsider said.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. Uberuce
    Member

    The cyclist sent a pedestrian flying but didn't fall off himself?

    How to deal with cyclists who flout the laws of physics like this? Well, given he's apparently an angry sort, might I suggest we worship him as a god?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. condor2378
    Member

    Angry Gods are Best Gods

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. Nelly
    Member

    Confirmation bias about cyclists on pavements.

    Its a police matter.

    Would said complainer post on a football forum if offender was a pedestrian with a Hibs or Hearts scarf on?

    And what reaction would they get?

    Posted 9 years ago #

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