Police 1 - Cyclists 0

Man of Honour
Joined
5 Jun 2003
Posts
91,331
Location
Falling...
I thought I'd share my experiences of yesterday which brought me great joy and a sense of justice.

I was waiting in a shop chatting to the owner whilst he did some paperwork. His shop front faces clapham road - for those of you who don't know, it is a rather busy road. Opposite his shop is a side street called stirling road. It's a residential side street off the main road. Now, parked out of the way, was a police BMW 5 series with 2 traffic cops stood outside of it.

Curious as to what they are doing there, I observe them from the shop, and simply the most incredible sight occured before me. They pulled in a cyclist! Then, 30s later - another! I didn't get it at first, but I then noticed that they had gone through the red light and that must have been why they were pulled over. The shop keeper and I now both engrossed, start talking about cyclists and sharing our disdain for them etc... he had lived in France, so we remeniced on the fact that in France you have to have a stamped badge (like a registration) on the bike - during our nostalgic reminicing, 2 more cyclists were pulled in. And by the looks on their faces, and receiving the piece of paper which looked very much like a fine - it was a moment where, were it not a glorious day of sunshine, the sun would have been shining in my day nonetheless.

I left the place drove to the junction where I was overtaken by a cyclist going through the light - I chuckled as I knew the outcome of this indescretion. Yep, he was pulled over!

I actually needed to turn onto stirling road as that's the way I get home, and slowly drove past the cops and the now increasing gaggle of cyclists, grinning... tempted to give a thumbs up or a wave, but thought it best I didn't tempt providence.

So yes, whilst not a really exciting story it was absolutely wonderful to see. Even more so was the look of disgust and anger on the cyclists faces.

Whilst I know we'll get a lot of cyclists saying "I never jump the lights" - I'd hazard a guess that in London, it's the minority that don't.

Waste of police resources? Not in my opinion. Cyclists always end up winning the "battle" (unless they die) between any skirmishes with cars - whilst I think controlling insurance and registration of cyclists would help lots, there's little that can effectively be done as let's face it, you have people of all ages using bikes - is it fair to fine kids? Then again should kids ride on the road at all?

I'm happy for this to open up as a debate - though we have had it recently. This was just me sharing my happy tale. It made my day it must be said - yes it is quite sad.
 

mrk

mrk

Man of Honour
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
99,995
Location
South Coast
cyclists.jpg
 
Don
Joined
21 Oct 2002
Posts
46,744
Location
Parts Unknown
In St Davids, there are no traffic lights, it's dim witted tourists walking in the middle of the road as if it's pedestrianised you have to watch out for.

Whilst cycling, I've had about nine bike crashes (into people) in St Davids. They just cross the road without looking :o, thankfully, none with the car yet
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Mar 2006
Posts
3,975
Yeah, there is nothing worse I find where I live than to be cycling past the train station, only for 20 odd people wandering out without a single glance either way down the road.

Really, swear-worthy annoying.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
11 Mar 2004
Posts
76,634
Massive thumbs up now if they had a massive crack down for 4 weeks everywhere. Then did it routinely but on a much smaller scale. Then stupid cyclists might think twice before jumping them.
 

Dup

Dup

Soldato
Joined
10 Mar 2006
Posts
11,225
Location
East Lancs
Hopefully this money will allow the police to commission a spiked plough for tackling all cyclists who ride two or more abreast on country roads, especially those who don't bother to move in despite a queue of cars forming behind them.

I'll happily pilot it for them too.
 
Man of Honour
OP
Joined
5 Jun 2003
Posts
91,331
Location
Falling...
What's worse is the swarms of cyclists you get - you can't overtake because there is oncoming traffic so you have to drive at 10mph behind them as they wobble ahead of you.

Problem is as fun as it would be to crush 'em, it's always the driver's fault :(
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Jul 2008
Posts
7,684
Cyclists amaze me sometimes. Several times I've been out with a pushchair/kids/gf walking on the pavement and I'll hear a bike come up behind us and shout "scuze me" like I'm going to let them past. Strange.
 
Associate
Joined
27 Dec 2002
Posts
1,704
Location
In ** bottom drawer...
About time too!
Everyday I see so many dime-bars peddling into dangerous situations by jumping the lights.
yesterday morning I watched a fat sweaty city boy try and balance on his pedals at a ped red light near London Wall and Moorgate intersection, unable to keep his balance he pedalled through the peds walking across the lights, I beeped at him in case he hadnt seen the red light or peds and then he goes through the road junction red lights causing cars/vans/bikes to stop/swerve!!!
To cap it all three more peddling cretins followed him. I mean, what on earth do they think? That they have scrotainium armour or something?
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Oct 2004
Posts
13,367
How do police fine cyclist?
What stopping them from screwing the fine up and riding away. What happens if you got no ID on you, if i was a cyclist i would have just rode away but then again i wouldnt ride through red traffic lights.
 
Soldato
Joined
24 Sep 2005
Posts
20,163
Location
Middlesbrough
I thought I'd share my experiences of yesterday which brought me great joy and a sense of justice.

I was waiting in a shop chatting to the owner whilst he did some paperwork. His shop front faces clapham road - for those of you who don't know, it is a rather busy road. Opposite his shop is a side street called stirling road. It's a residential side street off the main road. Now, parked out of the way, was a police BMW 5 series with 2 traffic cops stood outside of it.

Curious as to what they are doing there, I observe them from the shop, and simply the most incredible sight occured before me. They pulled in a cyclist! Then, 30s later - another! I didn't get it at first, but I then noticed that they had gone through the red light and that must have been why they were pulled over. The shop keeper and I now both engrossed, start talking about cyclists and sharing our disdain for them etc... he had lived in France, so we remeniced on the fact that in France you have to have a stamped badge (like a registration) on the bike - during our nostalgic reminicing, 2 more cyclists were pulled in. And by the looks on their faces, and receiving the piece of paper which looked very much like a fine - it was a moment where, were it not a glorious day of sunshine, the sun would have been shining in my day nonetheless.

I left the place drove to the junction where I was overtaken by a cyclist going through the light - I chuckled as I knew the outcome of this indescretion. Yep, he was pulled over!

I actually needed to turn onto stirling road as that's the way I get home, and slowly drove past the cops and the now increasing gaggle of cyclists, grinning... tempted to give a thumbs up or a wave, but thought it best I didn't tempt providence.

So yes, whilst not a really exciting story it was absolutely wonderful to see. Even more so was the look of disgust and anger on the cyclists faces.

Whilst I know we'll get a lot of cyclists saying "I never jump the lights" - I'd hazard a guess that in London, it's the minority that don't.

Waste of police resources? Not in my opinion. Cyclists always end up winning the "battle" (unless they die) between any skirmishes with cars - whilst I think controlling insurance and registration of cyclists would help lots, there's little that can effectively be done as let's face it, you have people of all ages using bikes - is it fair to fine kids? Then again should kids ride on the road at all?

I'm happy for this to open up as a debate - though we have had it recently. This was just me sharing my happy tale. It made my day it must be said - yes it is quite sad.

How is Sam? ;)
 
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