Surrey school says students can only cycle to school if they fit a number plate to their bikes

don simon wrote:

wknight wrote:

A teenager cycles past me regularly, no hands on the handlebars, head down using his mobile phone. When I yelled at him yesterday for not look where he was going, his reply ' what's your problem' .......

very soon he will be learning to drive and since he can ride his bike and use his phone, I am sure he will do it on the car

how do I tell his parents that what he is doing is very dangerous, oh great a number plate on his bike 

I think all cyclists, as in China, should have a plate on their bike 

Thanks for your opinion, but you'll find that you're in a minority in the world of cycling. And as we now know, we have to go with the flow.

I'd like to know how him having a number plate would allow you to have a nice chat with his mum...

alansmurphy wrote:

don simon wrote:

wknight wrote:

A teenager cycles past me regularly, no hands on the handlebars, head down using his mobile phone. When I yelled at him yesterday for not look where he was going, his reply ' what's your problem' .......

very soon he will be learning to drive and since he can ride his bike and use his phone, I am sure he will do it on the car

how do I tell his parents that what he is doing is very dangerous, oh great a number plate on his bike 

I think all cyclists, as in China, should have a plate on their bike 

Thanks for your opinion, but you'll find that you're in a minority in the world of cycling. And as we now know, we have to go with the flow.

I'd like to know how him having a number plate would allow you to have a nice chat with his mum...

Naff all to do with me, mate...

wknight wrote:

A teenager cycles past me regularly, no hands on the handlebars, head down using his mobile phone. When I yelled at him yesterday for not look where he was going, his reply ' what's your problem' .......

very soon he will be learning to drive and since he can ride his bike and use his phone, I am sure he will do it on the car

how do I tell his parents that what he is doing is very dangerous, oh great a number plate on his bike 

I think all cyclists, as in China, should have a plate on their bike 

I do like how you refute your own argument in the same comment!  Saves everyone else the trouble!

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

The only element that I would argue is a bike specific issue is any possible bike abandonment taking up bike rack space that they may have. Again of course, that is not mentioned anywhere by the school as either an issue or a reason for the solution. It is just my thought based on knowing nothing about the school, just my thinking of issues I see at my daughters school and at my work on what could justify number plates to me.

Most places I have seen put a note on the bike to say it will be removed in X days. We have had a couple of these at work which were subsequently removed.

That seems far too easy and far too workable.

However, I don't think it fits in with the headmaster's (anti-cycling) agenda.

They tried this method a few years ago where I used to work but due to elemental forces the notices didn't stay attached to the bike and/or legible for a reasonable enough duration so they gave up

There's a brand new, modern hi-tech way of securing things - cable ties. That and a set of generic plastic signs (e.g. "This bike will be removed on Friday evening if this notice is still attached") seem like a simple solution to me. Also, sellotape would probably work.

"by Friday" isn't enough notice as holidays can easily be a couple of weeks. Generic dates just don't work as they are not specific enough for legal removal so pre printed plastic signs won't work. Selotape does not stand up to rain, and whilst zip ties do, that doesn't make a difference if the signage doesn't. Laminating also doesn't stand up to much, just in case you were thinking of suggesting that.
This debate was had at my last work place several times.

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

The only element that I would argue is a bike specific issue is any possible bike abandonment taking up bike rack space that they may have. Again of course, that is not mentioned anywhere by the school as either an issue or a reason for the solution. It is just my thought based on knowing nothing about the school, just my thinking of issues I see at my daughters school and at my work on what could justify number plates to me.

Most places I have seen put a note on the bike to say it will be removed in X days. We have had a couple of these at work which were subsequently removed.

That seems far too easy and far too workable.

However, I don't think it fits in with the headmaster's (anti-cycling) agenda.

They tried this method a few years ago where I used to work but due to elemental forces the notices didn't stay attached to the bike and/or legible for a reasonable enough duration so they gave up

There's a brand new, modern hi-tech way of securing things - cable ties. That and a set of generic plastic signs (e.g. "This bike will be removed on Friday evening if this notice is still attached") seem like a simple solution to me. Also, sellotape would probably work.

"by Friday" isn't enough notice as holidays can easily be a couple of weeks. Generic dates just don't work as they are not specific enough for legal removal so pre printed plastic signs won't work. Selotape does not stand up to rain, and whilst zip ties do, that doesn't make a difference if the signage doesn't. Laminating also doesn't stand up to much, just in case you were thinking of suggesting that.
This debate was had at my last work place several times.

Yeah, but that was at the special warden department of Wardens R Us, the real world doesn't always work like that.

wknight wrote:

A teenager cycles past me regularly, no hands on the handlebars, head down using his mobile phone. When I yelled at him yesterday for not look where he was going, his reply ' what's your problem' .......

very soon he will be learning to drive and since he can ride his bike and use his phone, I am sure he will do it on the car

how do I tell his parents that what he is doing is very dangerous, oh great a number plate on his bike 

I think all cyclists, as in China, should have a plate on their bike 

On the other hand learning to drive - like a few males I know - may be the key to get him to cycle with more responsibility.

Releasing how crap some car brakes are and the limits on visibility in vehicles was enough to change these guys behaviour as cyclists and pedestrians.

Helmut D. Bate wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

The only element that I would argue is a bike specific issue is any possible bike abandonment taking up bike rack space that they may have. Again of course, that is not mentioned anywhere by the school as either an issue or a reason for the solution. It is just my thought based on knowing nothing about the school, just my thinking of issues I see at my daughters school and at my work on what could justify number plates to me.

Most places I have seen put a note on the bike to say it will be removed in X days. We have had a couple of these at work which were subsequently removed.

That seems far too easy and far too workable.

However, I don't think it fits in with the headmaster's (anti-cycling) agenda.

They tried this method a few years ago where I used to work but due to elemental forces the notices didn't stay attached to the bike and/or legible for a reasonable enough duration so they gave up

There's a brand new, modern hi-tech way of securing things - cable ties. That and a set of generic plastic signs (e.g. "This bike will be removed on Friday evening if this notice is still attached") seem like a simple solution to me. Also, sellotape would probably work.

"by Friday" isn't enough notice as holidays can easily be a couple of weeks. Generic dates just don't work as they are not specific enough for legal removal so pre printed plastic signs won't work. Selotape does not stand up to rain, and whilst zip ties do, that doesn't make a difference if the signage doesn't. Laminating also doesn't stand up to much, just in case you were thinking of suggesting that.
This debate was had at my last work place several times.

Yeah, but that was at the special warden department of Wardens R Us, the real world doesn't always work like that.

Another value add comment, well done.
The major issue with the "stick a notice on it" approach is fair weather cyclists. The majority of the workforce in the places I've worked (and as a Management Consultant I've worked in a lot) have been fair weather cyclists. This means that when the weather turns they may not use their bikes for months, but still intend to cycle again when conditions change. They can (and do) in these scenarios, leave their bikes at work locked in the bike racks. They are unlikely to return to the bike racks to see any notes until the point they are ready to cycle again. Fair weather cyclists are still cyclists that should be encouraged and penalising them will not help anything.
Welcome to the real world!

Pipkins wrote:

 The man is a baffoon

I don't know about that, but he's certainly a buffoon!  

ClubSmed wrote:

Helmut D. Bate wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

The only element that I would argue is a bike specific issue is any possible bike abandonment taking up bike rack space that they may have. Again of course, that is not mentioned anywhere by the school as either an issue or a reason for the solution. It is just my thought based on knowing nothing about the school, just my thinking of issues I see at my daughters school and at my work on what could justify number plates to me.

Most places I have seen put a note on the bike to say it will be removed in X days. We have had a couple of these at work which were subsequently removed.

That seems far too easy and far too workable.

However, I don't think it fits in with the headmaster's (anti-cycling) agenda.

They tried this method a few years ago where I used to work but due to elemental forces the notices didn't stay attached to the bike and/or legible for a reasonable enough duration so they gave up

There's a brand new, modern hi-tech way of securing things - cable ties. That and a set of generic plastic signs (e.g. "This bike will be removed on Friday evening if this notice is still attached") seem like a simple solution to me. Also, sellotape would probably work.

"by Friday" isn't enough notice as holidays can easily be a couple of weeks. Generic dates just don't work as they are not specific enough for legal removal so pre printed plastic signs won't work. Selotape does not stand up to rain, and whilst zip ties do, that doesn't make a difference if the signage doesn't. Laminating also doesn't stand up to much, just in case you were thinking of suggesting that. This debate was had at my last work place several times.

Yeah, but that was at the special warden department of Wardens R Us, the real world doesn't always work like that.

Another value add comment, well done. The major issue with the "stick a notice on it" approach is fair weather cyclists. The majority of the workforce in the places I've worked (and as a Management Consultant I've worked in a lot) have been fair weather cyclists. This means that when the weather turns they may not use their bikes for months, but still intend to cycle again when conditions change. They can (and do) in these scenarios, leave their bikes at work locked in the bike racks. They are unlikely to return to the bike racks to see any notes until the point they are ready to cycle again. Fair weather cyclists are still cyclists that should be encouraged and penalising them will not help anything. Welcome to the real world!

There's a big white Cube 29er which appears in the bike shed in my building, then doesn't appear to move for about three weeks, then disappears for a few weeks, then repeat. Never have got to the bottom of who owns it...

Bluebug wrote:

wknight wrote:

A teenager cycles past me regularly, no hands on the handlebars, head down using his mobile phone. When I yelled at him yesterday for not look where he was going, his reply ' what's your problem' .......

very soon he will be learning to drive and since he can ride his bike and use his phone, I am sure he will do it on the car

how do I tell his parents that what he is doing is very dangerous, oh great a number plate on his bike 

I think all cyclists, as in China, should have a plate on their bike 

On the other hand learning to drive - like a few males I know - may be the key to get him to cycle with more responsibility. Releasing how crap some car brakes are and the limits on visibility in vehicles was enough to change these guys behaviour as cyclists and pedestrians.

I never exactly enjoyed driving, but I actively grew to dislike it after getting into riding a bike: driving felt like trying to manoeuvre an oil tanker or something by comparison ...

ClubSmed wrote:

Helmut D. Bate wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

The only element that I would argue is a bike specific issue is any possible bike abandonment taking up bike rack space that they may have. Again of course, that is not mentioned anywhere by the school as either an issue or a reason for the solution. It is just my thought based on knowing nothing about the school, just my thinking of issues I see at my daughters school and at my work on what could justify number plates to me.

Most places I have seen put a note on the bike to say it will be removed in X days. We have had a couple of these at work which were subsequently removed.

That seems far too easy and far too workable.

However, I don't think it fits in with the headmaster's (anti-cycling) agenda.

They tried this method a few years ago where I used to work but due to elemental forces the notices didn't stay attached to the bike and/or legible for a reasonable enough duration so they gave up

There's a brand new, modern hi-tech way of securing things - cable ties. That and a set of generic plastic signs (e.g. "This bike will be removed on Friday evening if this notice is still attached") seem like a simple solution to me. Also, sellotape would probably work.

"by Friday" isn't enough notice as holidays can easily be a couple of weeks. Generic dates just don't work as they are not specific enough for legal removal so pre printed plastic signs won't work. Selotape does not stand up to rain, and whilst zip ties do, that doesn't make a difference if the signage doesn't. Laminating also doesn't stand up to much, just in case you were thinking of suggesting that. This debate was had at my last work place several times.

Yeah, but that was at the special warden department of Wardens R Us, the real world doesn't always work like that.

Another value add comment, well done. The major issue with the "stick a notice on it" approach is fair weather cyclists. The majority of the workforce in the places I've worked (and as a Management Consultant I've worked in a lot) have been fair weather cyclists. This means that when the weather turns they may not use their bikes for months, but still intend to cycle again when conditions change. They can (and do) in these scenarios, leave their bikes at work locked in the bike racks. They are unlikely to return to the bike racks to see any notes until the point they are ready to cycle again. Fair weather cyclists are still cyclists that should be encouraged and penalising them will not help anything. Welcome to the real world!

Just make the policy on abandoned bikes clear - stick a notice on the bike shed so that people will see it when they lock up their bike. If someone wants to leave their bike there for months (although I don't understand how they commute there if the bike is stuck at work) then they just have to visit their bike once a week to remove any "abandoned" notices.

Meanwhile, here in the 'real world' there's lots of places that deal with abandoned bikes (e.g. train stations) - they just put a red cable tie on the bike along with notices that the bike will be removed in a few days. It's really not difficult.

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

Helmut D. Bate wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

The only element that I would argue is a bike specific issue is any possible bike abandonment taking up bike rack space that they may have. Again of course, that is not mentioned anywhere by the school as either an issue or a reason for the solution. It is just my thought based on knowing nothing about the school, just my thinking of issues I see at my daughters school and at my work on what could justify number plates to me.

Most places I have seen put a note on the bike to say it will be removed in X days. We have had a couple of these at work which were subsequently removed.

That seems far too easy and far too workable.

However, I don't think it fits in with the headmaster's (anti-cycling) agenda.

They tried this method a few years ago where I used to work but due to elemental forces the notices didn't stay attached to the bike and/or legible for a reasonable enough duration so they gave up

There's a brand new, modern hi-tech way of securing things - cable ties. That and a set of generic plastic signs (e.g. "This bike will be removed on Friday evening if this notice is still attached") seem like a simple solution to me. Also, sellotape would probably work.

"by Friday" isn't enough notice as holidays can easily be a couple of weeks. Generic dates just don't work as they are not specific enough for legal removal so pre printed plastic signs won't work. Selotape does not stand up to rain, and whilst zip ties do, that doesn't make a difference if the signage doesn't. Laminating also doesn't stand up to much, just in case you were thinking of suggesting that. This debate was had at my last work place several times.

Yeah, but that was at the special warden department of Wardens R Us, the real world doesn't always work like that.

Another value add comment, well done. The major issue with the "stick a notice on it" approach is fair weather cyclists. The majority of the workforce in the places I've worked (and as a Management Consultant I've worked in a lot) have been fair weather cyclists. This means that when the weather turns they may not use their bikes for months, but still intend to cycle again when conditions change. They can (and do) in these scenarios, leave their bikes at work locked in the bike racks. They are unlikely to return to the bike racks to see any notes until the point they are ready to cycle again. Fair weather cyclists are still cyclists that should be encouraged and penalising them will not help anything. Welcome to the real world!

Just make the policy on abandoned bikes clear - stick a notice on the bike shed so that people will see it when they lock up their bike. If someone wants to leave their bike there for months (although I don't understand how they commute there if the bike is stuck at work) then they just have to visit their bike once a week to remove any "abandoned" notices.

Meanwhile, here in the 'real world' there's lots of places that deal with abandoned bikes (e.g. train stations) - they just put a red cable tie on the bike along with notices that the bike will be removed in a few days. It's really not difficult.

He's a management consultant: everything's complicated.

That would actually explain a lot... Not sure what calculation he's using to measure value added to Web comments though.

Bluebug wrote:

wknight wrote:

A teenager cycles past me regularly, no hands on the handlebars, head down using his mobile phone. When I yelled at him yesterday for not look where he was going, his reply ' what's your problem' .......

very soon he will be learning to drive and since he can ride his bike and use his phone, I am sure he will do it on the car

how do I tell his parents that what he is doing is very dangerous, oh great a number plate on his bike 

I think all cyclists, as in China, should have a plate on their bike 

On the other hand learning to drive - like a few males I know - may be the key to get him to cycle with more responsibility. Releasing how crap some car brakes are and the limits on visibility in vehicles was enough to change these guys behaviour as cyclists and pedestrians.

Was just re-reading this thread and probably being a bit over sensitive, but: is your comment supposed to be criticising males only? If so, why? Have females nothing to learn?

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

Helmut D. Bate wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

hirsute wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

The only element that I would argue is a bike specific issue is any possible bike abandonment taking up bike rack space that they may have. Again of course, that is not mentioned anywhere by the school as either an issue or a reason for the solution. It is just my thought based on knowing nothing about the school, just my thinking of issues I see at my daughters school and at my work on what could justify number plates to me.

Most places I have seen put a note on the bike to say it will be removed in X days. We have had a couple of these at work which were subsequently removed.

That seems far too easy and far too workable.

However, I don't think it fits in with the headmaster's (anti-cycling) agenda.

They tried this method a few years ago where I used to work but due to elemental forces the notices didn't stay attached to the bike and/or legible for a reasonable enough duration so they gave up

There's a brand new, modern hi-tech way of securing things - cable ties. That and a set of generic plastic signs (e.g. "This bike will be removed on Friday evening if this notice is still attached") seem like a simple solution to me. Also, sellotape would probably work.

"by Friday" isn't enough notice as holidays can easily be a couple of weeks. Generic dates just don't work as they are not specific enough for legal removal so pre printed plastic signs won't work. Selotape does not stand up to rain, and whilst zip ties do, that doesn't make a difference if the signage doesn't. Laminating also doesn't stand up to much, just in case you were thinking of suggesting that. This debate was had at my last work place several times.

Yeah, but that was at the special warden department of Wardens R Us, the real world doesn't always work like that.

Another value add comment, well done. The major issue with the "stick a notice on it" approach is fair weather cyclists. The majority of the workforce in the places I've worked (and as a Management Consultant I've worked in a lot) have been fair weather cyclists. This means that when the weather turns they may not use their bikes for months, but still intend to cycle again when conditions change. They can (and do) in these scenarios, leave their bikes at work locked in the bike racks. They are unlikely to return to the bike racks to see any notes until the point they are ready to cycle again. Fair weather cyclists are still cyclists that should be encouraged and penalising them will not help anything. Welcome to the real world!

Just make the policy on abandoned bikes clear - stick a notice on the bike shed so that people will see it when they lock up their bike. If someone wants to leave their bike there for months (although I don't understand how they commute there if the bike is stuck at work) then they just have to visit their bike once a week to remove any "abandoned" notices.

Meanwhile, here in the 'real world' there's lots of places that deal with abandoned bikes (e.g. train stations) - they just put a red cable tie on the bike along with notices that the bike will be removed in a few days. It's really not difficult.

They could have commuted in by bike but gone out straight after work so taxi home. Cycled to work but decided to get the train back due to strong winds, cycled to to work at site A but then goes to site B to work for the rest of the month etc. There are so many possible scenarios, I also see evidenced in the changing rooms on site of cycling kit that appears, stays for a long time then goes back again to regular appearance/disappearance schedules. I am not sure what's so difficult to understand or believe about this.
Work places and train stations are different and have different motivations and options available to them

I love how people on here get incensed when cyclists are all lumped together and judged and then come out with comments like this:

davel wrote:

He's a management consultant: everything's complicated. That would actually explain a lot

As you enquired:

davel wrote:

Not sure what calculation he's using to measure value added to Web comments though.

The "calculation" I use was posted earlier in the thread, but as it was in response to a post that Helmut D Bate wrote that was wishing harm it looks like it has been removed along with any other replies to that comment. I did not report the post, merely replied with my issues with it, so at least one other must have seen it as out of order too. From Memory, this is more or less what I posted as my "calculation" that I use personally as you missed it and seem so interested:

Is the post furthering the subject of the thread
-Is the post backing up previous claims in the thread
-Is the post challenging previous claims in the thread
-Is the post adding a new dimension to the subject of the thread
Is the post furthering the forum community
Is the post adding humour to the thread
If non of the above it's probably not adding value

ClubSmed wrote:

As you enquired

I didn't.

But thanks for the wordy answer to a question nobody asked.