A Manchester cyclist is to be issued with a court summons alleging dangerous cycling and careless cycling after being stopped by police while riding on the wrong side of the road across a busy junction with his nine-year-old son on the handlebars.
The Manchester Evening News reports that a 25-year-old man, riding a mountain bike, jumped a red light to head across Oldham Road towards Hulme Hall Lane in Newton Heath on Wednesday evening.
The road splits and police said he was on the wrong side of the carriageway, ‘weaving in and out’ of traffic.
Commenting on the incident, a police spokesman issued a safety warning over carrying people on a bike’s handlebars.
Under section 28 of the Road Traffic Act 1991, “a person is to be regarded as riding dangerously if (and only if) (a) the way he rides falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful cyclist, and (b) it would be obvious to a competent and careful cyclist that riding in that way would be dangerous.”
The offence carries a maximum penalty of a £2,500 fine.
In 2013, a Carlisle man was fined £55 for dangerous cycling after being spotted by a police officer riding his bike “at high speed” with his young daughter perched on his shoulders. The man was using his left hand to steer while his right hand held onto his daughter’s leg.
Last year, another Carlisle cyclist was asked to pay £165 after pleading guilty to dangerous cycling. Thomas Thompson broke his arm in a collision with a taxi while cycling the wrong way down a one-way street.
17 thoughts on “Manchester man jumped red light and rode on wrong side of road with nine-year-old son on handlebars”
Lucky he didn’t hit someone
Lucky he didn’t hit someone causing them to be tetraplegic.
He might be facing an £80 fine.
unconstituted wrote:
Spot on.
I have no sympathy for the guy, sounds like he was being a dick; but the potential punishment does seem a bit out of whack given the incident refered too above.
He’s still. Feckin idiot
He’s still a feckin idiot running a red light with a kid on his bars. Silly twat!
25yr old with his 9yr old son
25yr old with his 9yr old son… obviously doesn’t hang about at anything he does!
psling wrote:
It’s a classic strategy in the animal world, breed fast and die young. Works for; rabbits, mice, basically anything squeaky and low down the food chain. A bit like cyclists.
psling wrote:
If he’s still alive by 40 , at least he’ll have someone to ride with.
He was probably distracted by
He was probably distracted by the BooHoo poster of the scantily clad blonde and didn’t notice the lights.
Seriously though – idiotic move, and no sympathy for him.
If dangerous driving charge
If dangerous driving charge generally gets a handshake and a £10 Easons’ voucher i can only imagine what this chap is in line for
Give them a break, it was
Give them a break, it was probably just a strategic move to catch the Pokemonne quicker.
Comrade wrote:
he has more chance of catching the grim reaper being a nob
Riiiight. So someone runs me
Riiiight. So someone runs me off the road, and the police think the appropriate action is to write them a stern letter. This guy gets taken to court. Something’s rotten in Denmark.
Bikebikebike wrote:
Agreed. And I don’t imagine the jury will be full of cyclists either.
Bikebikebike wrote:
He won’t necessarily go to court. He’ll likely have been given the option of a fine and then he can opt to not accept it and take a court case instead. If he did that the maximum sentence is what is quoted, no different to a driver, who could opt to not take a fine for speeding or mobile phone and go to court at risk of a higher sentence. However, it depends on the situation and also the individual, he might be known for not paying for fines so it’s pointless to issue one
The more concerning issue is his blatant disregard to the safety of his child and the questions have to be asked what the Police have done to protect them from him in the future.
Sswindells wrote:
Oh blah. From limited research it seems that if you’re driving with a kid in the car with no seatbelt you get fined £100 (although possibly up to £500) and get no points on your licence. For something much more dangerous.
Bikebikebike wrote:
No, the equivalent would be driving into oncoming traffic with the child clinging to the bonnet. I’d do this myself but the little rascals would scuff up the paintwork something terrible.
Mungecrundle wrote:
No. The guy was probably going at less than 10 mph. At that speed even a cycle helmet will help in a crash. What he was doing is much less dangerous than driving around with a kid with no seatbelt on.
Bikebikebike wrote:
And the speed of the vehicles coming the other way was?