Cyclists have blasted Stoke Newington Police after its social media account posted a photograph of an officer issuing a fine to a woman with a child seat on her bike for riding on the pavement, as part of its operation to tackle “cycling related anti-social behaviour”.
Stoke Newington Policing Team wrote: “Local officers currently conducting an operation on Stoke Newington High Street N16 targeting E-Scooter/ cycling related Anti-Social Behaviour, a Ward priority for Local residents.”
So they picked the young mother using a pavement for safety as an example of this anti-social behaviour. https://t.co/DfELeLRr9l
— Drew White (@drewsnx) July 8, 2023
This has led to people questioning the use of the image in context with anti-social behaviour. Twitter user ChrisC wrote: “Was this the best “nab” you could photograph to show you tackling anti social behaviour? A young woman riding on the pavement, presumably because she thinks the roads are unsafe there.”
Another user @mattwardman questioned: “I wonder what antisocial behaviour the young mum on the bike was displaying. Cycling at 25 mph on the pavement?”, while Andy Waterman said: “Cracking down on the menace of mums with child seats on their bikes – that’s definitely the demographic I think of when I think of antisocial e-biking/scootering. Jokers.”
> Why do cyclists ride on the pavement? New study explores why
Was this the best “nab” you could photograph to show you tackling anti social behaviour? A young woman riding on the pavement, presumably becasue she thinks the roads are unsafe there.
— ChrisC (@ChrisC_CFC) July 8, 2023
Mums on bikes are obviously nonviolent and cooperative. It’s a lot easier and safer for our precious coppers than taking on gangs. Those guys are scary!
— Peter Hague PhD (@peterrhague) July 8, 2023
According to the National Police Chief’s Council, cyclists can ride on the pavement as long as they are doing it responsibly. The re-issued guidance from 2014, first originally introduced in 1999, says: “The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of the traffic, and who show consideration to other pavement users.
“Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.”
> Transport minister: Responsible cyclists CAN ride on the pavement
The reissue of the guidance came after Minister for Cycling Robert Goodwill’s reiteration in January 2014 that the official line from the Department for Transport (DfT) is that cyclists may ride on the pavements, provided they do so considerately, and that police officers need to exercise discretion.
Stop Killing Cyclists, cycling campaign group, hailed the minister’s clarification as its first major success and said: “Fining vulnerable cyclists for cycling responsibly on the pavement at extremely dangerous junctions like Vauxhall Cross, is a bedroom tax on two-wheels as there is no safe alternative for them to cycle on.”
After the recent incident with Stoke Newington Police, cyclists and other members of the public have also raised questions about the police’s actions towards dealing with drivers speeding on roads and breaking other rules, and being callous to realising why cyclists feel the need to ride on pavements instead of the roads.
People wouldn’t be riding on the pavement if the roads felt safe.
But policing dangerous driving/parking is harder, isn’t it? https://t.co/3SxBYy3p3O
— Needing More Coffee (@ourmanontheM62) July 8, 2023
In 2021 there were 60 deaths on London roads.
58 involved motor vehicles.
0 involved pedal cycles.How about some proportionate policing?
Source: TFL Casualties in Greater London during 2021 pic.twitter.com/iVG5RBwLMk
— Dan Doherty ? (@dandoherty1981) July 8, 2023
In 2018, drivers killed 555 pedestrians and cyclists, whereas 3 people died after collisions with cyclists from 765,000,000 cycle trips in England (not clear who was responsible for the collision), so I’m confident in my view that there are better things for the police to do.
— Jon Burke ? (@jonburkeUK) July 8, 2023
A few people even brought up the incident from Wimbledon where a driver crashed their Land Rover into a school building, claiming the life of an eight-year-old girl, with another eight-year-old and parent in critical care, and at least six more children and one adult injured.
The Met Police confirmed yesterday that the driver of the vehicle, a woman aged in her 40s, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
I wonder if this a priority for the parents on the 8yo killed by a driver at a school just recently.
Should ask them.
— JasonHurtsLots (@LotsHurts) July 8, 2023
road.cc has contacted the Met Police for comment.
84 thoughts on ““A young mother cycling on pavement for safety is anti-social behaviour?”: Police slammed for fining woman with child seat to tackle “cycling related anti-social behaviour””
Facepalm.
Facepalm.
Getting policing, social media and public relations all wrong in one neat post.
Ride On wrote:
I can’t count the number of times that I’ve been injured by mums on bikes on pavements
hawkinspeter wrote:
I can’t count the number of times that I’ve been injured by mums on bikes on pavements— Ride On
Oh – I see what you did there
can we fine people for
can we fine people for walkign across the road with headphones on – far more likely to cause an accident
Why? Going to fine deaf
Why? Going to fine deaf people too?
If the roads were fully
If the roads were fully policed there would be far fewer cyclist to be policed on the pavement. Two birds, one stone.
Back in 1999 the then Home
Back in 1999 the then Home Secretary Paul Boeteng stated:
“The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so”.
Just shows that words mean nothing in our car obsessed world.
It says that in the article.
It says that in the article.
Edit: your context has changed now you’ve added the last sentence.
Yeah, but clearly the Met
Yeah, but clearly the Met doesn’t believe in that guidance so it’s worth repeating it
Now I understand why JSO
Now I understand why JSO protest in the road, so much less likely to attract Police attention.
Question from someone not
Question from someone not living in the UK:
I understand that in the UK, it is not mandatory to carry official ID. So, if police want to fine you, how do they establish (and verify) who you are and what your address is?
Where I am it’s simple: anyone age 12 and older has to carry official ID (ID card issued by the government) on their person at all times when out in the public domain. Failure to produce it when asked by an officer is grounds for arrest until ID is established (maximum 12 hours, then they need to call a prosecutor, who can extend the period of detention for another 36 hours, beyond that you have to be brought in front of a judge).
The police can p-check you by
The police can p-check you by asking for your details which they radio in. Name, DOB, Place or Birth, address. If refuse to give this information they can arrest you and verify your identity. I refuse to carry anything with my address on my person and if stopped will offer any info they want.
giff77 wrote:
Just to add to this, they can only arrest you for refusing to give your details if they can show reasonable grounds for suspicion that you have been involved in antisocial or criminal behaviour. They can’t just stop anyone at random and demand details, if they do you’re legally entitled to refuse to disclose and if they then arrest you they’re in breach of the law, not you.
They can’t just stop anyone
They can’t just stop anyone at random and demand details….
Unless of course, you are a black youth and then, anything goes where the Police are concerned.
Reasonable grounds for
Reasonable grounds for suspicion there then…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BO8EpfyCG2Y
Depends perhaps whether there
Depends perhaps whether there is a strong local gang culture with frequent black on black stabbings, and *some* local black kids have a huge attitude problem.
These things are nuanced and there are historical reasons why the local community might be suspicious of the police, but when the local culture is to refer to the police as “da Fedz” and many kids carry “knafs”, trying to police that area for the good of everyone is often a thankless task.
Example: I’m a cyclist, if I see someone flagrantly jumping a red light they’re no friend of mine and I hope they get prosecuted.
If I’m black and I don’t carry a knife in an area of high knife crime, maybe I ought to be glad when a copper respectfully asks me what I’m up to, and if I’m carrying.
If you’ll pardon the pun, it cuts both ways.
Vo2Maxi wrote:
I’ve got the impression that people don’t like to be continually stopped and accused of whatever rubbish the police happen to think of at the time, just because of the colour of their skin.
Well maybe that specific
Well maybe that specific community, which actually specifically has this problem and is happy to slag off the police at every opportunity, ought to be equally as determined to stop these appalling crimes? I see lots of complaining from that community, yet very little tangible, constructive efforts to stop it by working with law enforcement, or indeed by any other means. In the main these are feral, fatherless kids with no role models, ripe for picking by gangs.
This is a huge subculture thing (including the Drill music etc which goes with it) which has been allowed to proliferate out of wishing not to offend sensibilities. You could pretty well superimpose the child abuse crimes in Rochdale over this scenario, different crimes, same neglect.
So bluntly, if the colour of your skin vastly increases the likelihood of you being involved in knife crime, expect to be vastly suspected and investigated. It ain’t rocket science.
Vo2Maxi wrote:
Certainly in South London the police are not renowned for the respectful ways in which they approach black youths; I see dozens of occasions every year where they speak to them in ways that, if they addressed me in such a fashion, would see them facing formal complaints. But of course as I’m white, middleaged, middle class and well spoken, they never do.
As for “ought to be glad”, are you for real? Would you be glad if whilst going about your lawful occasions you were stopped multiple times a day (this is no exaggeration), asked to account for your actions and body searched on the basis of your age and skin colour?
Every phone camera social
Every phone camera social media clip I see on the news, I see an initially calm situation escalated by a deeply reluctant “stopee”, refusing to cooperate in any way.
I have no doubt there are insensitive or even racist coppers, and they need to be properly dealt with (certainly sacked if basically racist), but much more than that, I see a constant resentment and obstructive behaviour. In those circumstances, what does a copper do, just let you go? Well no, and then it ultimately turns into an arrest situation and quickly turns ugly.
So anyway, as a self-professed privileged white person (apparently from south London), do you have any ideas on how decades of babyfather and resentful fatherless, role model-less boys might be turned around?
And do you think that community will ever take any responsibility or offer any tangible solutions when it is now a deeply ingrained subculture thing? And will you just be endlessly sympathetic as everyone else is the problem, including apparently yourself, being so privileged?
I notice that you haven’t looked at both sides of this at all, only at one? I see all the gestures of reconciliation coming from one side and not the other, and that simply doesn’t work.
It may surprise you to know that it pains me deeply to see such community unrest, but blaming someone or something else all the time does no one any favours.
Vo2Maxi wrote:
I’m guessing you only see what you want to see…
https://road.cc/content/news/police-officer-sacked-after-assaulting-black-cyclist-286219
You have totally avoided
Picking out ONE (and no doubt there’ll be others) example of bad policing doesn’t justify sitting on your hands. You have totally avoided offering any suggestions as to how the problem might be dealt with. You have also totally ignored the points I raised.
So tell me how that does any good at all, or is the whole situation destined to just disappear down the plughole of social unrest and destruction?
In reality that’s how this is all allowed to proliferate.
There are uncomfortable truths, and until they are confronted they will continue to fester.
Black communities want to be
Black communities want to be protected from crime and policed fairly just like any other community. While things are improving slowly the last 70 years or so won’t be forgotton quickly and so the onus is on the police and the justice system to prove they are treating black people (or women, cyclists, working class etc) equally.
They also have to avoid going too far in the other direction and ignore crimes in a particular community for fear of seeming racist. As someone else said, I wouldn’t want to be a police officer.
Yeah, it was me who said in
Yeah, it was me who said in an earlier post about not wanting to be a copper! ? But many others have said the same of course, and with good reason.
We have indeed come a long way thankfully, in terms of fair policing for all?
But I stand by my point, which is that all the efforts to reconcile seem to be coming from one direction, and all the complaining – and lack of any constructive suggestions – seems to be coming from the other direction.
There’s right and wrong on both sides of this divide, but one side never admits that and only complains. That cannot be right, and until that attitude subsides there can be no progress unfortunately.
There are large subculture issues too which will take years to deal with (mentioned earlier), and again, no recognition of that.
Vo2Maxi wrote:
Yeah, them wonderful white folks are doing their best but all those blacks do is whine. Ungrateful bastards. Jesus, do you actually listen to yourself?
Oh dear, trying to shut me
Oh dear, trying to shut me down with personal attacks?
Try having a proper debate for once, rather than just wheeling out your “superior moral high ground” which actually doesn’t exist.
Vo2Maxi wrote:
Nothing personal about it, you have made a number of blatantly racist statements, including addressing the black population as a single homogenous community, claiming that black children are “feral”, stating that particular crimes are specific to the allegedly homogenous black community, stating that said community is always complaining, that they will not take any responsibility, and that the only attempts at reconciliation come from the white population whilst all the black population do is complain.
If you don’t like being called a racist, try not being a racist, works a treat.
Do *you* have any ideas on
Do *you* have any ideas on how decades of babyfather and resentful fatherless, role model-less boys might be turned around?
If so lots would be interested to hear them in the UK, regardless of ethnic origin. Sir Bradley Wiggins for one…
I’ve already said, if only
I’ve already said, if only you could read. But there’s none so blind…
Vo2Maxi wrote:
Must be my eyes, but in a re-check of your previous the only other positive suggestion I can see is (again summary) “[the community / black people] ought to be equally as determined to stop these appalling crimes … tangible, constructive efforts to stop it by working with law enforcement, or indeed by any other means”.
I’m pretty sure that someone in London (or indeed most places with deprivation) can easily point to a bunch of community projects working with local youth (and the police) and trying to divert people to better paths. And people standing up saying “it’s not cool to join gangs or get involved in drugs”. Such good work is much less salient than stabbings though.
I would agree with you on many of the nuances you allude to (long-standing structural problem, the need to deal with racism in the police force). I do think there are commonalities with other situations of poverty and deprivation. It’s hard to break out from wherever that arises because once trust is lost between local people and the authorities people are disincentivised to work with the other or criticise their own group.
However there is something different about the difficulties black people face, because our systems – not just the police – are systematically racist (as inquiries keep finding).
Thanks for your reasoned and
Thanks for your reasoned and non-hysterical post, hopefully you won’t be accused of racism for it.
I abhor racism, which to my mind is treating people differently, wishing them harm, denying them life chances or opportunities, denying them access, based on race, religion or colour.
There are cultural differences, lifestyle differences, national characteristics even, which enrich us all? Even amongst Europeans, which I embrace.
I think there are also misunderstandings around those, which can pass either way, and yes even ignorance, which similarly can travel in either direction. Even postcode gangs themselves are a form of “racism”, where you exclude others because of where they come from. Every community carries its own racist tropes, but clearly if you are 3.5% of the population it hits you hardest. I certainly don’t think everything in the garden is rosy but I think there’s far less actual racism than is made out? The whole country taking the knee because 1% of a football crowd make monkey noises and throw bananas on the pitch is a case in point. Capture the lowlifes on CCTV and publicly prosecute and ban them, but let’s stop wringing our hands over it.
I think you may have
I think you may have misunderstood me…
Quite frankly if you aren’t identifiable the moment someone sees you, hears your voice, merely reads your name – if you’re in the majority, mostly interacting with people like you … you’re not going to see a problem. So when you see people getting angry and hurt on the news it’s going to seem a bit weird. “Touchy lot” you might think.
Equally if people passing judgement and treating you differently has been with you since an early age (or just seeing your parents getting twitchy) I bet this will become incredibly salient. Especially if you are aware a few of those times might lead to abuse or even violence. Even though most of the minutes you spend on earth will not feature this.
Handwringing may be one thing – what does me being aware of that and typing this do? Yes – racism is among people everywhere, of every ethnicity I’ve encountered in my limited travels.
However I’m not content at all with “only 1% of a football crowd” calling some other group non-human. In public. I think that’s a big deal. It’s not “bantz”, it’s really unpleasant and the tip of the iceberg. We know it leads further. And when racism gets organised – and it’s always eagerly utilitised by those wishing to influence groups – we see some of the worst of humanity. And lasting, structural divisions between people which ultimately even have negative impacts on the majority.
None of that should stop us
None of that should stop us identifying issues in particular groups. If you want change though you ought to ask “why?” – which often doesn’t give you a snappy answer and might even end up involving you in any solution.
I get the structural, I
I get the structural, I institutional racism thing but I think it’s overplayed. And if you keep being told you have no life chances on all channels and you’ll always be discriminated against, then your lack of fulfilment might well become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
As for 14yr old kids, and their experiences of institutional racism, I don’t get that? Black kids from London estates outdo their white counterparts in school now, and proportionally more of them go to Uni as well. So how has their lack of life chances impacted them at that point when they are still vastly more likely to stab or be stabbed by, their peers?
Vo2Maxi wrote:
Again I bet how that looks strongly depends on whether it affects you. There certainly seems to be a consensus that saying “can’t we just ignore race then we’ll get along” won’t make it better (e.g. here).
Expectations are certainly a thing, think I read something with numbers on that in one of the Freakanomics books (good read BTW).
IIRC there are some folks on here who aren’t white so perhaps we’ll get to hear some other thoughts. (For most posters I’ve no idea, just going with the odds e.g. most likely white, male and probably older!)
Whatever the reason the odds of interaction with the criminal justice system are significantly greater as a black youth than would be expected from proportion of population.
Vo2Maxi wrote:
A very small proportion of a football crowd behaves disgracefully, Vo2Maxi, “Few bad apples, no big deal”.
Very small proportion of black people involved in crime, also Vo2Maxi: “‘They’ have a problem their kids are feral they won’t admit they have a problem they won’t do anything while only white people make any effort.”
Well, you inspired me – if my
Well, you inspired me – if my eyes are bad I should practice reading, so how about a bit of historical perspective?
Wikipedia’s crime in London over the last 30 years (also has a section on race and crime and even bicycle theft!)
Homicide in England and Wales since 1898.
It certainly seems less violent than in mediaeval times (comparison’s a bit apples and Apple Macs though).
I disagree. we regularly see
I disagree. we regularly see news media headlines like black kid stabs another in London but the headline black community leaders work with kids to reduce knife crime just won’t get the clicks so they don’t bother to report it.
A few years ago Glasgow was the knife crime capital of Europe but were the regular stabbings ever headline news? No, because they were white and they weren’t in London maybe?
As for subculture issues like drill music for instance, if you go to a crap school on a poor estates and all you are surrounded by is poverty and crime and the only people in your area with money and respect sell drugs in a gang what else are you going to rap about? Rap music has been criticized by the media for years for inciting violence but the same media never bats an eyelid when a white star like arnold schwarzenegger kills multiple people in a movie. Strangely when it was just a black thing no one cared but as soon as middle class white kids started to listen to it suddenly it became a problem.
What we should be asking is what sort of society have we created that these kids (of all races) have grown up in that has caused the music they make themselves to be filled with violence, crime, gangs and drugs.
You’re wrong, and I’ll tell
You’re wrong, and I’ll tell you why you are wrong. I read/watch all major news channels and I use the BBC as a benchmark. No one could be more sympathetic than the BBC towards ethnic communities, and that’s good. They have no need to rely on clicks. I don’t doubt that there are various community projects to help these kids (and I applaud them) but the big voices (Lenny Henry would be one) are only ever heard to criticise the authorities. All criticism is one way. A bit of refreshing honesty wouldn’t go amiss, some reality. Because things that go wrong aren’t always someone else’s fault?
You’re also wrong about Glasgow, it has been well reported, along with the reasons why.
I cannot abide watching the
I cannot abide watching the BBC. The news is very one sided, they do not give a balanced view. Most of their programmes are the same. It infuriates me that I am forced to pay for a license for something that I refuse to watch or listen to any more.
My opinion.
One sided in what way Phil?
One sided in what way Phil?
Vo2Maxi wrote:
In just the same way, that nice Mr Putin gets no credit for the excellent condition of Russia’s motorways.
When Lenny Henry calls out racism, it’s because he’s experienced it for 60 years and it’s not changed nearly enough. If a “national treasure” is still having to deal with it, perhaps this is a problem that you’re failing to comprehend.
I think you’ve missed the point here. Between the razor gang violence of the 60s and the fair success in reduction over the last decade, there was hardly any coverage of your common or garden stabbing in Glasgow. It was just one of those things, presumed endemic to the culture.
I notice also that despite the favourable coverage (and good statistics) over a number of years, there’s not been a rush to emulate the achievement elsewhere in the UK. Could that be because in some places politicians can’t be seen to be “soft on crime” or are marketing themselves as the strong leader we really need (S Braverman)?
And when was the last copycat
And when was the last copycat killing based on a Terminator film?
Vo2Maxi wrote:
Sheer, unadulterated racism. Black people are all the same community, their children are feral, they won’t take any responsibility, they won’t do anything to fit in whilst white folks do their best to help them. Disgraceful.
Oh, the ultimate slur, I’m a
Oh, the ultimate slur, I’m a racist! If all else fails and you have no argument, glibly accuse someone of racism. Oh dear, pull the other one. That’s how you try to shut the debatedown. I’ll be respectful at all times, but I’ll have an opinion. You just proved that really, you don’t?
If you’re too deluded to see
If you’re too deluded to see that all the markers to these awful crimes are very specific, then cheap jibes are what you will use.
All the cultural tropes imported from the US, which couldn’t be more inappropriate. Fedz, caps and the rest of it. Babyfather culture, legions of fatherless boys with no decent role models, and it becomes a downward spiral.
There’s been deprived council estates in London for a hundred years, and crime too of course, gangs like the Krays and the Richardson’s, but we’ve never had all this, to this extent? Wholesale violence, every week, by so many?
So anyway Rendel, what about
So anyway Rendel, what about all the deprived white kids on estates (often exactly the same ones), who face exactly the same challenges, proportionally far less of them are stabbing each other. Any ideas on that? Or do you have your head do far up your fundament you can’t see?
One of your complaints was
One of your complaints was about something like this? Looks like there are *some* people at least who’ve identifed an issue and are “doing something themselves”…
Of course per my comment about Wiggo it’s not race-specific – though can differ between different “communities” or subcultures or groups.
Identifying an issue is one thing but the next question is “and why does this happen?”
Vo2Maxi wrote:
And you’re avoiding this how? Seriously, if you think people of only one skin colour are involved with gangs and knives, you are badly mistaken. Haven’t you been paying any attention at all? You might want to read about Stephen Lawrence – murdered by a gang with knives. Look into the prior and subsequent behaviour of those murderers and tell me that gangs and knives are not also a white problem.
Respectfully asks me what I’m
Respectfully asks me what I’m up to? Have you got unicorns prancing about in your back garden?
Oooh, did you just gaslight
Oooh, did you just gaslight me? Whatever that means.
I’ve met people like you in
I’ve met people like you in real life. They start a conversation by saying ” I’m not racist but”, and then continue to confirm that they are, in fact, racist.
You might note I never said
You might note I never said that.
So you carry on being a deluded fool, thinking that endless sympathy for those who complain the most is always justified. Are you still at school or what?
Ok answer me this: if the ratio of knife deaths on a deprived London council estate is 20 black to one white, where the mix is 50:50, what does that tell you?
Or do you think the BBC only report on black deaths?
The trouble with people like
The trouble with people like you is that with your deluded denial, you merely assist in the hideous downward spiral, where no one is prepared to speak out or take responsibility, yet happy to complain about ‘the establishment’.
I’ve said what I needed to
I’ve said what I needed to say.
You’ve said zilch apart from
You’ve said zilch apart from calling me racist when I said something you don’t like hearing. I think you might need to grow up a bit.
You’re not mad at me are you?
You’re not mad at me are you?
Lock Her Up
Lock Her Up
I was cycling into London a
I was cycling into London a few days ago and at a usual bottleneck of motor traffic in Highgate a dude came hurtling past, skipped onto the pavement, shot past the queue and flew back onto the road. He did it with some skill and agility. He was wearing a helmet and riding a full suss MB. I didn’t imagaine any one was in any danger at the time but any pedestrian would have felt a bit shocked at the speed and size. I would have agreed with a fine in that case.
TBH in London it’s justified
TBH in London it’s justified to comment on cyclists jumping lights and riding like dicks. It’s the norm.
Not being funny but when was
Not being funny but when was the last time anyone met a cop who knew anything about full cycle law??? Last time I met one who claimed to know had only bothered to learn about the infractions that warrant a caution and or fine! Think it’s time the force was split into divisions again….. example your average bobby doesn’t cycle so they don’t need to know the law they only need to be bothered with what they think applies. (Usually this is a biased thought basis race/gender/religion or they just don’t like you) So a good tip is to never ask if they failed the mental stability exam for the armed forces ?
Clearly in this case the
Clearly in this case the police have targeted this area because there has been problematic use of the pavement by (some) cyclists.
But it’s the same old story, so often officers these days seem to display little or no common sense. There’s a big difference between kids hooning around on the pavements frightening (or even knocking over) spooked pedestrians or little old ladies, and those who ride on them responsibly but are genuinely uncomfortable on certain busy roads or junctions.
I get that laws are there for everyone to obey, and if one person gets told off and then they see another being allowed to carry on, they will whine like Kevin the teenager. I also get that these days, the public are far more likely to challenge the police when they should just do as they are told and STFU. But until police officers on the street start showing some common sense and discretion, the situation will only get worse.
By the way, I wouldn’t in a million years be a copper these days, it must be a nightmare.
Ok, so you can’t possibly
Ok, so you can’t possibly profile suspects, but you can when it comes to Covid. Got it. Arrest someone for a Facebook post sure. Young black man breaking into houses, harrassing women in the street, smashing up a small business, all for social media fame, is ok. Got it.
The young lads will scatter
The young lads will scatter or pretend they haven’t heard.
The responsible adult is beckoned over by the smiley copper who then slaps a dooley on her.
CF@Wds wrote:
Catch the low hanging fruit. The genuine antisocial cyclists are too much effort to catch.
Zelu Pots
Zelu Pots
https://twitter.com/lucy_wakeley/status/1678019053737201664
Good new name for Nige…
Good new name for Nige…
I thought I posted that in
I thought I posted that in another thread. Didn’t mean to derail this one.
Just shows how backward their
Just shows how backward their opinions really are!
You won’t be surpised to find
You won’t be surpised to find out that she’s a Conservative councillor.
She should read this https://twitter.com/standardnews/status/1678365342131707906
Classic example of why Bexley
Classic example of why Bexley is so low down on that list.
Follow the Cyclepath to BexleyHeath Town Centre.
(Down Danson Road and turn Right at the end is the fast route).
If you do follow the suggested bike route, and reach the top of this road (which I think featured in a road.cc article once), this Streetview shows how much the council was bothered about keeping cyclists using the direct route. Watch the direction sign change over the years.
Boy, our police are real
Boy, our police are real tough guys, coming down like a ton of bricks on those anti-social offenders! Yet, when it comes to big Audis charging through a red light at 50mph, seconds after it changed (or any number of serious offences I have shown on here too many times) or Audis (other popular offending marques are available) reported without MOT or VED for over 3 years and regularly seen around Garstang, the police do nothing at all. It’s pretty much impossible to fail to despise the police!
“According to the National
“According to the National Police Chief’s Council, cyclists can ride on the pavement as long as they are doing it responsibly.”
Grounds for appealing the fine?
The National Police Chief’s
The National Police Chief’s Council does not make the law.
Benthic wrote:
No, but they are a Government (the law makers) funded agency, and it is their job to instruct how the law is enforced. Generally speaking, any information that comes from the NPCC constitutes as legal advice, in the same way as if it were to come from the courts, or from a solicitor’s office.
The National Police Chief’s
The National Police Chief’s Council does not make the law
The police essentially do make the law, because they have been permitted, and possibly even encouraged, to choose who to prosecute for the offences also chosen by the police. When they choose to ignore certain people committing certain offences for reasons which are difficult to prove, and prosecute people they don’t like for committing the same offences, you end up with the situation we face today.
VED and mot expired 31/01/20
VED and mot expired 31/01/20 and 20/02/20
handy saving in 3 years
handy saving in 3 years
handy saving in 3 years
Pfff!! In Lancashire, that’s nowt! In t’north we know how to save money at the cost of small contributions to various police funds.
I admit that’s embellished, because I’ve only seen and reported this vehicle once- unlike the other one below, which is regularly seen and filmed around Garstang, and is there shown 20 yards from the police station.
The officer is the one guilt
The officer is the one guilty of anti social behaviour here. The charges should be dropped, an apology made by the local chief police constable and the officer involved given retraining.
Once again this doesn’t seem
Once again this doesn’t seem so simple as is being presented, and there is a lot of contradiction when you look.
Checking google maps the road is one way and no cycle lane. However as well as this the pavement doesn’t seem very wide and this is a high street, so likely a lot of foot traffic and not really suitable to share with cyclists. Contradicting this though it can clearly be seen that numerous bike racks are located on the pavement, so cycling is encouraged.
If though, as claimed there is an issue with anti-social behaviour regarding cycling, then there is a chance of undermining authority by picking and choosing who to fine. Being a mother gives a free pass? The bike had a child seat on it, not a child in it.
Yes, the police do appear to
Yes, the police do appear to be uneven handed. As others have mentioned if you report untaxed, unlicensed and uninsured vehicles on the public highway they do nothing, or if you press really hard will go and ‘have a chat’ with the owner. They say:
the vehicle has to be moving for an offence to be committed,
any other matter is down to the DVSA.
Phone the DVSA and they say …. well you can guess…
I have no faith in the police to do anything and never report anything to 101 nowadays. They make it as difficult as it can be and you get the feeling you will end up doing their job for them in court.
I wish it wasn’t the way I feel but then you read this and wish that they had an ounce of common sense. A caution maybe, but surely a verbal warning is better?
I’d say if you see a copper when in the pavement, stop, jump off and then declare that you we’re not riding your bike at the time of the alleged offence. Ask to be arrested and taken to the station rather than accept a fine.
If necessary declare that there’s a local by-law giving cyclists shared use of the pedestrian area. There’s a chance you might be right.
They’ll soon back off as an easy win becomes a bit of work.
But isn’t it a shame that police are one by one alienating every section of society?
CF@wds wrote:
Every day I see moving cars with illegal number plates, and no number plates. Its got to the point where they are a large minority. It is not possible that the police don’t see them also, and drive on by.
That’s just number plates, never mind tinted windows, smoking exhausts, illegal lighting etc.
As well as turning a blind eye, plod turns a deaf ear, safely ignoring the raucous cacophony of lary exhaust noises every evening.
So yes, plod is very easy going on moving motoring offences, even the anti-social ones.
What the police say is of
What the police say is of little relevance, now that police lying (in Lancashire, anyway) is routine
Same old thing
Same old thing
Loads of people complaining about bikes and e-scooter being riden recklessly around the area
So council amd Police talk to the local people and “do something about a matter of local concern”
Problem is – if you go down to the pedestrianised High Street and tell a teenage kid on a mountain bike to stop then he (normally a he) will laugh and ride off. So to nab the dangerous criminal you wil have to have several cars nearby waiting to give chase and hope they don’t cut down a local lane or path and escape
Hugly difficult to catch them and very resource intensive.
Instead wait until someone older comes along slowly taking care to avoid getting in people’s way and if someone ina uniform asks them to stop then there is a good chance they will do so
BINGO – some stats to show the politicians
Bit like nabbing a motorist doing 25 in a 20 mph limit while the bank robbers go past at 90