Hundreds fined as police clamp down on anti-social cycling Manchester

"Traffic PCSO"

Get to buggery, that's just some pisswhipper in fancy dress.

I can give GMP a list of about 10 junctions where cars regularly and consistently go through on red.

“We are in favour of taking action against people who cycle poorly and anti-socially, but we don’t see an equivalent crackdown on drivers.

Easy target, ignore the real problem.

RLJing etc should not be ignored but fining a cyclist £80 seems disproportionate when we read all too often that drivers that kill or injure people avoid a ban and pay a paltry fine.

The latest road stats are in the news today. The father of Sam Harding, who was killed on Holloway Road in London, was interviewed on BBC Breakfast this morning about how the legal system didn't work. The driver who caused his death was fined £80 and 3 points.

http://road.cc/content/news/72113-motorist-found-not-guilty-manslaughter...

Do the police conduct any 'rider education' at events like the Manchester sportive that bikeboy was due to ride?

Easy money again it seems.

Fines for RLJ I have no problem with. But fines for "weaving dangerously", have they been fining cyclists for legally filtering through traffic?

Is this some sort of joke?
"segregated cycle lanes along parts of Oxford Road as part of its Bus Priority scheme"
Does this mean you will get run over by a bus, taxi or a dick ignoring the signs instead of another type of vehicle?

“When cyclists runs a red light it is usually inconvenient, when a driver does it is downright dangerous.”

This kind of nonsense doesn't do cycling any favours.

It is usually inconvenient and always dangerous, regardless of vehicle. End of. Implying it's not dangerous when cyclists do it is ridiculous and out of touch.

And what is the cyclist saying to the officer?
Yes, my name Michael Mouse, 69, Disneyland Terrace, Fixieville, FU1 1TT

Using a mobile phone whilst riding isn't even illegal, are they making up laws?

This really makes my piss boil. This stupid "cyclists don't even realise they're being dangerous" nonsense. Cars kill about 2000 every year, can't be bothered looking up the figure, no doubt someone will correct me. Cyclists kill between none and three per year and car drivers are foound to be wholly responsible in about 80% of fatalities and serious injuries. And yet plod are trying to tell us they WE are the dangerous ones! Aaaarrrrrrgghhhhhhhh

Good - hope they do the same in Bristol.

Too many cyclists seem to think the law doesn't apply to them and ride like inconsiderate idiots as they don't expect reprecussions. They irritate and endager other road users, who then tar anyone on a bike with the 'bloody cyclists' label, and think nothing of driving too close to us, cutting us up etc as 'all cyclists break the laws, so why should I care about them'

(they should also be nailing drivers who drive poorly, RLJ and encroach on Advanced Stop Boxes as well)

it wouldn't take many officers in a couple of locations around many cities to crack down on the bloody car drivers too ... on the spot fines for those arrogant ejits as
well please ... oh that's right they're not such an easy target are they .... bastards ....

extra cool points for doing a track stand while that chat with you

You're just ranting, still haven't answered the question.

I'm not ranting. I'm giving you my opinion, in which I think yes its Ok to fine people for using a mobile while riding, as I believe its riding without due care and attention, if the that's not a law then it should be. Unlike you I'm not an expert on cycling & British law, I do know how to ride a bike though and riding while chatting on a mobile makes anyone doing it a Twat.

And dont get me started on how many bike thefts we have in Manchester.......

Interesting... I remember seeing a bunch of coppers flagging down a cyclist who had jumped a pelican crossing red outside the uni on Oxford Road a couple of months ago (I had stopped for it ). There did seem to be a lot of them and I wondered if something like this was going on.

To be fair, I see cyclists jumping lights on this stretch all the time, and more jump them than stop I'm sorry to say. Only very very rarely is it genuinely safer to jump than not, and most who do it, if they're honest, do it because they can't be bothered waiting and know they'll get away with it.

As to the other offences, I should say:

a) sometimes it is genuinely safer to hop briefly onto the pavement (and more than any other issue pavement riding highlights the need for better cycle facilities), but you are putting pedestrians at risk - and they are the vulnerable party in this case.
b) riding without lights at night is plainly stupid; dangerous to the rider and to other road users. It's certainly fine-worthy.
c) as pointed out above, talking on the phone while cycling isn't actually illegal (nor, I believe, is drinking and cycling) so it's hard to see the premise for handing out fixed penalties. Victims of this should firstly challenge the fine, and secondly take a long, hard look at themselves
d) It's not clear that fines were handed out for 'weaving dangerously', but that's a very woolly definition and one person's weaving is another's basic survival technique

While I'm happy to see the RLJers being taken to task (though it's clearly had zero impact if my daily commute is anything to go by) I'm surprised that GMP see this as a priority. Perhaps they'll start handing out fines to the pedestrians who walk in cycle lanes next?

A crackdown on the insane Curry Mile driving would have been more welcome and a greater boon to public safety.

Riding and talking on a mobile could fall into riding without due care and attention (Sect 3 Road Traffic Act)but even if it doesn't surely riding one handed with the other against your ear isn't exactly sensible. There are plenty of cyclists who give most of us a bad name by riding on the pavement, RLJing etc. just because it saves a few seconds and they think they're entitled to do so.

As the article says most could avoid the fine by going on an awareness course, which yes would cost some money but is exactly the same concept as the speed/mobile/seatbelt awareness courses motorists are offered.

Drunk in charge of a pedal cycle is an offence btw

Tweeted GMPlod earlier asking,
'Is there a similar operation for motorists?
Do you run 'Cyclist awareness' sessions for drivers?'
To be fair they did respond,
'the cyclist awareness sessions are more lenient than what a motorist would receive for say dangerous driving'.

Arf!

They said that "Dangerous riding of cycles can cause fatalities for both riders and pedestrians".

I asked how many people had been killed by cyclists in the past year - No response.

I'd say using your phone while cycling is even more stupid than jumping a red light.