Dark bike Dark kit, no problem with that, nice bright 5 led flasher on the back.
Invisible from the front at 7.30 in the morning.
Not even a pound shop flasher on the front. This guy ran the lights at Kirkliston, up the unlit road to Ratho Sation and along the A89. Madness
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
Some people have strange view on their safety
(35 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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£30 fine per missing light apparently if the cops catch you, something I have a suspicion they will be doing more of this year to make the community cooncils happy that they are tackling the perceived "nuisance cyclists"
Posted 13 years ago # -
I didn't notice if the bloke who popped out of Lower London Road in front of me this morning had any lights or not. At first I thought it was just unlucky that he was almost swiped off by a van turning into the car park next to what was the violent tendencies academy but he then proceeded along Abbeyhill and up the Royal Mile as far as St Mary's Street executing a series of textbook devil-may-care dodges-round-vehicles, including a really stupid one around the inside of an opaque van coming out from under the railway bridge. He turned off after he caught me up at the top ("morning"-ing me and staring a bit at my handlebarbottleholder) but was replaced by another bloke we'd passed on the way up, who skipped the lights across North Bridge, earning him a mutter when I went past opposite Always Sunday.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"earning him a mutter"
I like this and I don't know why.
A Roll and Mutter.
Hand them a little piece of paper with 6pt font saying "Mutter" on itPosted 13 years ago # -
I'd need a selection (perhaps in one of those different-coloured mini-Post-It holder/dispenser things you sometimes see in stationery cupboards) for different types of muttering.
mutter mutter red light mutterorgrumble wrong gear mumble.Posted 13 years ago # -
Don't forget: mutter grumble oil your chain squeakboy mumble mutter
Posted 13 years ago # -
Couple of ninja cyclists crossing from east to west preston street last night almost wiped out by a van trying to pull out of parking bay. Felt sorry for van driver, he didn't have much a chance to see the cyclists - who weren't for giving him way.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I just came along the West Approach Road by car, emerging at the Murrayfield end, and a man and child on a Circe tandem turned left out of Roseburn Street and cycled up the slope for the WAR. It's very clearly marked 'No cycles' and I've never encountered a cyclist using that route before!
Posted 13 years ago # -
I walked through the Meadows to James Gillespies last night and lost count of the number of cyclists with no lights. The bike police people should do their monitoring after dark.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"I just came along the West Approach Road by car, emerging at the Murrayfield end, and a man and child on a Circe tandem turned left out of Roseburn Street and cycled up the slope for the WAR. It's very clearly marked 'No cycles' and I've never encountered a cyclist using that route before!"
I wonder if that's the same pair I just saw crossing the canal at the lift bridge and going the wrong way down the one-way street on the other side...
Chap with a kid on the back. All lovely hi-viz and everything. Probably needed for breaking traffic laws and still being seen.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Not me/us! (although we do go the wrong way down the one-way street sometimes....it's very quiet...)
Posted 13 years ago # -
"although we do go the wrong way down the one-way street sometimes"
Presume you mean Leamington Road.
If CEC was slightly brave/wanted to encourage cycling, it would have been a proper contra-flow cycle route years ago.
Posted 13 years ago # -
But cars need to park there...
It makes more sense than the loop to the other side. Still shouldn't do it though! (used to ride that way when I lived in Greenbank - swot that I am I used to get off and walk the bike through there).
Posted 13 years ago # -
Apparently -
"
It is possible to dispense with the contra flow cycle lane altogether, if other site conditions allow: Either 85th percentile speeds are less than 25mph and vehicle flows are less than 1,000 vehicles per day Or the street forms part of a 20mph zone."
http://www.cycleshrewsbury.co.uk/cycle-network-improvements/have-your-say/contra-flows
I'm sure first two apply.
Don't know if this is same in Scotland.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Cripes, they'd better have VERY good signs on the routes which allow contra-flow without a specific contra-flow lane!
Posted 13 years ago # -
well, its what everyone (except anth) already does anyway....
In fact, there are usually more people walking the wrong way down the middle of that road than vehicles coming the correct way.
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Cripes, they'd better have VERY good signs on the routes which allow contra-flow without a specific contra-flow lane!"
Not really.
Presume they'd just remove one way street signs (still no entry except bikes at other end) and put some cycle symbols (side by side facing both ways) on road.
Posted 13 years ago # -
On road contraflow cycle lanes are normally mandatory cycle lanes, i.e. indicated by a 150mm unbroken white line and operational 24 hours a day. Advisory contra-flow cycle lanes could be established, indicated by broken white lines, but require special signage that needs Government authorisation. Details:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/traffic-signs-manual/traffic-signs-manual-chapter-05.pdf
I was under the impression contraflow lanes were normally a last resort as many cyclists feel uneasy using them. Understandable, as you are cycling on the "wrong" side of the road into oncoming traffic.
I can't ever imagine a situation where there would be a contraflow cycle lane with no on-road markings.
Posted 13 years ago # -
That contraflow in Canonmills ALWAYS has someone parked in it, and drivers seem surprised to see you coming the other way AND it spits you out onto a pavement without a cycle crossing light on the crossroads. All very unsatisfactory!
Posted 13 years ago # -
Rode that for the first time not that long ago and did get a funny sense of where next? when you get to the end.
Problem is they would have to stop the turning traffic a single phase and institute an 'all stop' crossing if they were to paint in a link with the paths that sorta-kinda connect to there.
Chaos would ensue, hell mouth under TBC would open, etc.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Cyclefuzz at the bike-marking event mentioned the Eyre Place strand-point and said it's one where she'd just go across on pedestrian green.
I always ride the long way round the Gilmore Place system. Doesn't take much more time as many of the MOR peds have childs/prams/directional control issues.
Posted 13 years ago # -
That contraflow in Canonmills ALWAYS has someone parked in it, and drivers seem surprised to see you coming the other way AND it spits you out onto a pavement without a cycle crossing light on the crossroads.
Yes when I've used it both me and oncoming cars have been confused by it.
And it saves you no time getting anywhere really, because you've no option but to get off the bike and go al pavement and use the crossings.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Gents, and ladies, there seems to be a lot of talk of £60 per light missing etc , is this info readilly available, as to what offences incurr what fines ? If so how can i get it, as i want to put it on the notice board of my young peoples meeting place ! Highway code, DSA,vosa,DVLA ?
cheers, ScottPosted 13 years ago # -
Splitshift: Penalties for road traffic offences:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069870
If you are willing to take my word for it, then please feel free to use the following:
Section 129 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 makes it an offence to cycle on the pavement. There is no legal exemption for children from this provision, although police would normally use their discretion (i.e. not do anything) when dealing with children cycling on the pavement.
The Road Traffic Act 1988 also makes it an offence for cyclists to:
Section 24: Ride more than one to a bicycle, unless it has been designed to carry more than one person
Section 26: Hold on to a moving vehicle or trailer
Section 28: Cycle dangerously
Section 29: Cycle in a careless or inconsiderate manner
Section 30: Cycle under the influence of drink or drugs
Section 36: Fail to comply with road signs and signalsThe Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989, as amended, require that any bike being ridden at night or when there is seriously reduced visibility must have a rear reflector, pedal reflectors and front and rear lights, flashing lights are allowed. Failure to comply with these requirements is an offence. The Pedal Cycle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1983 requires anyone using a bike to ensure that their brakes are in working order.
The enforcement of cycling offences is a matter for local police forces. Police use fixed penalty notices to deal with most minor cycling offences, e.g. cycling without lights at night or failing to stop at a red light. A fixed penalty notice for a cycling offence requires the payment of a £30 fine. However, someone found guilty, on summary conviction, of carrying a passenger on a bike designed for one person could be fined up to £200, holding on to a moving vehicle up to £200, careless or inconsiderate cycling up to £1000, cycling while unfit through drink and drugs up to £1000, dangerous cycling up to £2500, failing to comply with traffic signs or signals up to £1000 and cycling on the pavement up to £500.
Children and young people are not technically exempt from the legal restrictions described above. However, police officers can choose to exercise their discretion in dealing with any cycling offence. In addition, while fixed penalty notices can be issued to those of an age of criminal responsibility, the sanctions for failing to pay such a notice are normally enforced through the adult justice system. It is difficult to envisage a situation where failure to pay a fixed penalty notice issued for cycling offences is enforced through the children's hearing system. In practice this means that sanctions for cycling offences normally apply only to adults.
Obviously, this is my personal interpretation of the law and NOT legal advice.
Posted 13 years ago # -
And of course in Scotland, those under 12 cannot commit an offence, and if a child was referred to the Children's Reporter on the basis that they had been cycling on the pavement, the person making the referral would get short shrift; there's enough needy cases in the system.
Posted 13 years ago # -
scotti
Member
PM this userDark bike Dark kit, no problem with that, nice bright 5 led flasher on the back.
Invisible from the front at 7.30 in the morning.
Not even a pound shop flasher on the front. This guy ran the lights at Kirkliston, up the unlit road to Ratho Sation and along the A89. MadnessWinter before last, TBC staff were carrying spare light sets while commuting and handing them out to invisible cyclists. At least that was the theory. Anyone I met just didn't want them - even for free!
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'm waiting to get stopped for there being no reflectors on my clipless pedals then. I assume that all manufacturers of such things sell them knowing full well they aren't night legal? Do the retro-reflective heels of my shoes get me off with just a warning?
Posted 13 years ago # -
kaputnik
Member
PM this userDo the retro-reflective heels of my shoes get me off with just a warning?
If they're attached to the pedal by some sort of cunning clip system, who is to say what is pedal and what is shoe????
Posted 13 years ago # -
@kaputnik, you could always apply some orange retro reflective tape to your pedals if you're bothered/worried, virtually no weight gain as well ;-)
Posted 13 years ago # -
thanks all, looks good, ill print it all up on official ,kid on police style poster, or will go see if the local traffic section might fancy coming and giving the kids a wee talk !
scottPosted 13 years ago #
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