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Operation Grimaldi (picture Greater Manchester Police)Police fine 125 Manchester cyclists in 'share the road' operation
Greater Manchester Police has said that it issued 147 fixed penalty notices – the vast majority to cyclists – in an operation designed to encourage bike riders and motorists to share the road safely.
The initiative falls under the force’s Operation Grimaldi campaign and took place from Monday 18 to Wednesday 20 November, with activity centred on Deansgate, Trafford Street/Great Bridewater Street, Wilmslow Road/Platt Lane and Oxford Road.
It coincided with Road Safety Week, which saw police in other cities including London, Bristol and Edinburgh run similar operations, mostly taking an educational approach by providing advice rather than handing out fines.
In Manchester 125 cyclists were issued fixed penalty notices for offences including riding on the pavement or without lights and ignoring red traffic lights, although they can avoid having to pay a fine by attending a cycling awareness event.
Police also issued 22 fixed penalty notices to drivers for offences including driving while using a handheld mobile phone, failure to comply with traffic signs and not using a seatbelt.
One motorist had a car seized for antisocial driving under section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
Inspector Paul Rowe of Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit commented: “Operation Grimaldi isn’t about trying to catch people out, it’s about highlighting the dangers and encouraging cyclists and motorists to share the road and put road safety first.
“While it might seem to some that we’re pulling people over for minor offences, we know only too well the devastating consequences that something as simple as cycling without lights or driving while using a mobile phone can have.
“No officer wants to be knocking on a door this Christmas to tell somebody their loved one has been killed and through Operation Grimaldi we remain absolutely committed to making the roads safer for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians alike.”
Jim Battle, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester, added: “Like most people, I and the police want the roads to be safe for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
“That’s what this operation is about – educating the handful of cyclists who flout the basic rules of the road and also targeting irresponsible drivers for offences, such as using a mobile phone.
“We have a way to go before cyclists and drivers can share the roads in harmony. The reality is we all have a responsibility to make our roads safer, whether on two wheels or four, and we all have to work together to achieve that.”
In June, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a total of 415 cyclists had been fined since February this year on ten separate “days of action” held as part of Operation Grimaldi.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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62 comments
Just to confirm, recent events are simply an attack on cyclists, the low hanging fruit as very well put by DP24:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3933789.ece
Paragraph 6:
“All, can you please cascade this onto your troops,” the e-mail from Inspector Colin Davies of the Metropolitan Police’s South East Area Traffic Garage, began. “Officers have four months to do 40 cycle tickets. Ten per month, 2.5 a week. Most officers are nearing or have even achieved their other targets. This will give them a renewed focus for a while.”
150 cars/hour abuse Cambridge bus lanes. Manchester is much bigger and has a higher proportion of car travel. How the heel did they only fine 22 motorists?
I don't think the police mind if they are reducing cycling by stamping on behaviour that isn't actually dangerous). Lowering total accident figures matters to them. Reducing danger per mile cycled does not.
They could not care less if danger per mile doubles, if total deaths fall. "Take the bus, you ninja cyclists! I don't care if it's not actually dangerous! Stop cycling, get fat, have your heart attack but no accidents on my beat, job done!"
Nice "Blitz on Cyclists" headlines, too, exciting to show at the canteen!
Was following a police car on Greater Manchester at the weekend and watched him pull up in an advanced stop box. He then failed to stop at the white line at the very next set of lights...
Good. Hopefully it'll stop some of them giving the rest of us a bad name.
That said, the numbers reported are ridiculous. If I drive, I have a 15 minute commute to work. I reckon on an average day, I see more than 22 car drivers worthy of a talking to. Yet they manage just 22 in 3 days in a busy city centre?
Clearly a case of going after the low-hanging fruit, and getting themselves a bit of good publicity (in the eyes of most people) into the bargain.
Beginning to think that there is an undercurrent here from on high that is basically saying we can't be seen to be persecuting motorists!
If they only fined 25 motorists, then either the Police weren't trying hard enough or Manchester has some of the most law abiding motorists in the Country.
There is never going to be safe roads for all to use, with the current lets bash cyclists mentality.
I am all for cyclist being penalised, lets get them off the pavements and on the roads, then the blind people setting policy will have to take notice when more cyclists are using the PUBLIC roads.
Dang, that's right on my ride into work, I didn't see hide nor hair of them. Maybe they should wear something to stand out, you know, hi-viz or something?
To make up for missing out on a friendly chat with GMP, I shall be voluntarily attending a [cough] cycling awareness event on Friday.
I have a sneaking suspicion that 5 times as many cyclists were fined because it's easier to stop cyclists rather than cylists breaking the law 5 times more often than motorists.
https://www.gov.uk/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82
However I had to explain to a police buddy the other day that it was legal for cyclists to ride 2abreast! He txt me and said he checked it out and conceded defeat.... If they don't know then we are Fubar'D.
I had sort of assumed that all police, or at least traffic police, would have completed Bikeability in which case they would know this. Maybe not then.
I should add that I'm not assuming that your friend is a traffic cop. If he is he should be ashamed, if not I can understand him not knowing every detail of the law.
Regardless of whether the miscreant is a cyclist or a driver, fines don't really work because they have a varying effect, proportional to the affluence of the offender.
Perhaps a day at a detention centre might be a more compelling deterent, at a time convenient to the rule breaker, but which must be completed within a certain time period.
Rich or poor, time has an equal value to all, and a spell in "detention" gives an opportunity to help those that need a little "guidance".
I think it is a good thing if educating car drivers and cyclist, if it makes a handful of people re think and change there habits, then it has to be good, I ride Stockport to Trafford and I still can not believe it when I see cyclist with no lights when it is dark morning and night.....
Basically this is a tax on the stupid.
If the cyclists are too stupid to spot the Police and modify their behaviour, then they deserve to be fined.
No, it's a tax on stupid and/or vulnerable cyclists.
Motorists are still running red lights, still using their phones, still speeding, still driving aggressively, still being ignored in the main.
If this was truly based on road safety they would be in different locations or at different junctions.
read the home office guidance, how many of the FPNs were for pavement cycling, how many were riders being careful?
I was riding home and stopped at lights on Deansgate when plod pulled one lad over for having no lights – which in winter is daft, there were 4 cyclists – we weren't in the green box some someone had drove their BMW 4-wheel drive Panzer into it. Plod didn't pull him over.
Number crunching;
Number of people killed by motorists in 2012 = 1800
Number of people killed by cyclists in 2012 = maybe 1?
Number of motorists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 22
Number of cyclists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 125
despite reading it several times now
motorists: 22, cyclists: 125... wtf?
And this doesn't even include the huge* number of serious injuries motor vehicles inflict on people.
Total casualities (all severities) in 2012 = 195,723
Serious injuries in 2012 = 23,039
Fatalities fell for all road users except, you guessed it, cyclists (107 in 2011 to 118 in 2012).
*src: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil...
number killed by cyclist 1 = maybe?? = definately, you obviously dont follow the news when a cyclist caused a bus to perform an emergency stop, seriously injuring an old age pensioner who later died, i believe the cyclist is awaiting trial!!
Not really sure what point you are making. Nobody follows the news of every last criminal case - do you know the details of every one of the 1800? The fact that you know the specifics of this one cycle case rather says something, no?
quite simple if you dont actually know the statistics, dont post!!
Nope, still don't know what your point is. Are you saying the number killed by cyclists is anywhere near 1800? You've merely given details of one case. So what?
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
darenbrett wrote:
Joeinpoole wrote:
Number crunching;
Number of people killed by motorists in 2012 = 1800
Number of people killed by cyclists in 2012 = maybe 1?
Number of motorists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 22
Number of cyclists fined during Operation Grimaldi = 125
number killed by cyclist 1 = maybe?? = definately, you obviously dont follow the news when a cyclist caused a bus to perform an emergency stop, seriously injuring an old age pensioner who later died, i believe the cyclist is awaiting trial!!
Not really sure what point you are making. Nobody follows the news of every last criminal case - do you know the details of every one of the 1800? The fact that you know the specifics of this one cycle case rather says something, no?
quite simple if you dont actually know the statistics, dont post!!
Good news. I wish they would do this all the time and not just during "blitzes"...
Agreed. However, anything that makes ALL road users think about how they drive/ride is a good thing.
We should be pleased that there will be less idiots skipping reds making the rest of us look bad.
And the next stick to beat cyclists with will be?
You can see where it is going with the hi viz and helmet "advice", or maybe the "car tax". or compulsary "cycle paths"
Giving a fine to a cyclist who has just broken the law can hardly be seen as finding a stick to beat cyclists with.
I think part of the reason cyclists are seen in a bad light is because some cyclists are massive hypocrites. They expect car drivers to treat them as though they are higher beings and then do nothing themselves to try and offer the same respect to drivers ie running red lights!
And before you ask I do not even own my own car. I cycle to work on one bike and ride for fitness on another.
I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but there's more we cyclists can do to help ourselves before just blaming all drivers...
Exactly right mate, there are far to many, who include people on here, that think that they are above reproach and the motorist is ALWAYS the baddie. No one is above the law and if you get caught regardless of whether you are on bike or in a motor vehicle you should suffer the consequences.
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